08-04-2021 Tallassee Tribune

LOCAL, PAGE A6 Get the newcomer’s guide to Elmore County

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August 4, 2021

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VOL. 123, NO. 31

Tallassee police announces officer promotions STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Tallassee Police Chief Matt Higgins has announced the promotion of officers Genifer Drinkard and Matthew Manning.

“Since my appointment as chief four-and-a-half years ago, I have told the department that we needed to always move forward and work to improve,” Tallassee

Police Chief Matthew Higgins said. “I have never believed the size of a department dictated the type of department you could be. If you think and act small, then you will always be small.

We have done a lot of work over these past few years to get the right personnel and then get those personnel in the right places to make a difference.”

Higgins has modeled the

Tallassee Police Department after larger departments. As a result, two officers who have shown leadership and dedication to the job are being rewarded for their efforts.

Lt. Drinkard will be promoted to the rank of captain and will oversee operations. Sgt. Manning will be promoted to lieutenant and

Submitted/ The Tribune

Lt. Genifer Drinkard will be promoted to captain and will oversee operations. Sgt. Matthew Manning will be promoted to lieutenant and become the new Patrol Commander.

See POLICE • Page A6

Mayor John Hammock announces candidacy STAFF REPORT

Mayor John “Johnny” Hammock of Tallassee has announced his campaign for Alabama Public Service Commissioner Place 1. Hammock is the current Mayor and Superintendent of Utilities for the City of Tallassee serving in his second term.

“It has been an honor and privilege Hammock to serve as Mayor of Tallassee and Superintendent of Utilities over the past five years. The work that we See MAYOR • Page A3

TCS plans to go forward with face-to-face, optional mask setting

By CARMEN RODGERS Bureau Chief

With concerns over the COVID Delta variant escalating, Tallassee City Schools is constantly monitoring case numbers and communicating with healthcare professionals daily.

Currently, TCS plans to return to in-person classes beginning Aug. 18.

Masks will be a personal choice among students, teachers, faculty and staff.

“Right now, we are continuing as is,” See MASK • Page A6

Jake Arthur/ The Tribune Mayor John Hammock handed out trophies to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners during Derby Day at the Senior Center.

DERBY DAY AT THE TALLASSEE SENIOR CENTER

By CARMEN RODGERS Bureau Chief

Thursday, July 29, was an exciting day at the Tallassee Senior Center as area seniors celebrated Derby Day with fancy hats and noodle horseraces.

Derby Day is typically held in May but the Senior Center was closed at that time due See DERBY • Page A9

Council asks community to help team get to New York

By CARMEN RODGERS Bureau Chief

Tallassee’s Babe Ruth Baseball All-Star team is heading to the 2021 World Series in Jamestown, New York.

The trip will take the young men

nearly 1,000 miles away from home, which will be quite costly. Funds that will help with expenses associated with the trip have already started coming in.

“I want to say ‘thank you’ to the whole town of Tallassee,” team manager Tommy Wisner said. “The

outpouring that we have received from everybody in town, it’s been amazing. It’s going to cost a lot of money to go up there, so we are trying to raise every penny that we can to help the parents and everybody See COUNCIL • Page A6

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Obituaries Lemuel Adams

Mr. Lemuel L. (Lem) Adams, a resident of Montgomery, Alabama, passed away Tuesday July 27, 2021, at the age of 81. He was born May 18, 1940 in Lapine, Alabama.

Mr. Adams is survived by his son, Vince Adams (Carol); granddaughters, Katie Adams and Sara Beth Adams; brothers, Bobby Adams and Johnny Adams (Lunora); brother-in-law, Solomon (Buddy) Johnson; several nieces and nephews; great nieces and nephews and special friend, Bonnie Renfroe.

He is preceded in death by his wife, Williams Geraldine Adams; parents, Lemuel (Runt) and Genesis Adams; two sisters, Anne Johnson and Marjean Hawkins and brother, Joe Adams.

Mr. Adams was very dedicated to his family and friends. He loved to travel and explore as a Western and Indian enthusiast. He was one of the founding members of Montgomery Ready Mix. He was an avid NASCAR fan and a member of the Alabama Cattlemen’s Association. He also was a founding member of the Gold Wing Road Riders Association of Montgomery, Alabama.

Memorial services will be Saturday, July 31, 2021, at 11:00 a.m. at White Chapel – Greenwood Funeral Home, Montgomery, Alabama with Pastor Bryan Williams officiating, Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing. The family will receive friends from 10:00 a.m. until service time. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to Children’s Hospital of Alabama, 1600 7th St. S., Birmingham, Alabama, 35233.

Jeffcoat Funeral Home Directing Tallassee, Alabama

Wanda Lou Wardlow Mrs. Wanda Lou Wardlow, a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away Sunday, August 1, 2021, at the age of 79. She was born March 31, 1942 in Brookston, Texas to Thurman and Nannie Mae Payton.

Mrs. Wardlow is survived by her sister, Juanita Payton and a host of nieces and nephews. She is preceded in death by her husband, George Wardlow and parents, Thurman and Nannie Mae Payton. Mrs. Wardlow spent 30 years as a school teacher and she was a member of Mt. Olive Baptist Church. The family will receive friends Friday, August 6, 2021, at 10:00 AM until service time at 11:00 AM at Jeffcoat Funeral Home with Rev. John Curry officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. Jeffcoat Funeral Home will be in charge of all local arrangements.

www.TallasseeTribune.com

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Police Reports July 26

TPD assisted a motorist on AL Hwy 229.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

Officers directed traffic on the Fitzpatrick Bridge.

Animal Control was called to Freeman Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given in a welfare check on W Patton Street.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Notasulga Road.

A felony warrant arrest was made on Gilmer Avenue.

There was a funeral escort on central Boulevard.

Animal Control was called John Street.

Officers insisted on a medical call on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following the traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

Animal Control was called Joy Street.

Officers arrested two people for felony warrants on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given in a missing juvenile report on Gilmer Avenue.

Officers assisted on a medical call on Notasulga Road.

A report was made for theft on Notasulga Road.

There was an animal complaint on Central Boulevard.

Advice was given following a complaint of a suspicious subject on Cherokee Trail.

Advice was given following a report of a suspicious vehicle on Dorman Avenue.

Officers assisted Tallassee Fire Department on a structure fire on N Ann Avenue.

Officers assisted a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

Negative contact was made in a welfare check on Second Avenue.

Extra residential patrol was given on 1st Avenue.

Advice was given following a report of suspicious activity on Stewart Street.

Advice was given in a verbal altercation on N Ann Avenue.

There was a business check on Barnett Boulevard.

There was a business check on Gilmer Avenue.

There was a 911 hanging up on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given following a report of harassment on North Johnson Street.

Advice was given in a noise complaint on South Tallassee Drive.

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“This project was supported by Subgrant #18-VA-VS-050 #16-VA-VS-076 awarded by the Law Enforcement / Traffic Safety Division of ADECA and the U.S. Department of Justice.” The opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this publication/program/exhibition are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Department of Justice or grant-making component.”

July 27

Officers removed debris from the roadway on Friendship Road.

Officers found an unoccupied vehicle after a report of a suspicious vehicle on Friendship Road. Advice was given following a report of a suspicious vehicle on Gilmer Avenue.

A report was made for a burglary on Kent Road.

A felony warrant arrest was made on Barnett Boulevard.

A report was made in a domestic dispute on West Butler Street.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Friendship Road.

Animal Control was called to Central Boulevard.

A warrant arrest was made on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following the traffic stop on Notasulga Road.

Officers directed traffic on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following the traffic stop on East Patton street.

There was an animal complaint on Gilmer Avenue.

Information was exchanged in a private property accident on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Whatley Drive.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

There was an animal complaint on Central Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

There was a follow-up on Gilmer Avenue.

Officers responded to a breaking and entering of a motor vehicle on N Ann Avenue.

Extra residential patrol was given on 1st Avenue.

A report was made in a domestic incident on Gilmer Avenue.

A runaway juvenile was returned home on Central Boulevard.

Officers made negative contact following a report of trespassing on Potts Drive.

Advice was given following a report of a suspicious person on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given the following a report of a suspicious vehicle on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

Advice was given following a report of a suspicious vehicle on EB Payne Sr Drive.

Advice was given following a report of a suspicious vehicle on First Avenue.

July 28

Advice was given in a citizen assist on Jordan Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Jordan Avenue.

Officers assisted a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

TPD assisted another agency on AL Hwy 229.

There was an animal complaint on Gilmer Avenue.

Officers assisted a motorist on Little Road.

There was a verbal warning given following a traffic stop on Dorman Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on 2nd Avenue.

An accident report was made following a traffic accident with no injury on Burnt Mill Road.

Advice was given an A citizen inquiry on West James Street.

A warrant arrest was made on Gilmer Avenue.

There was a follow-up on Gilmer Avenue.

Officers directed traffic on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

A supplemental report was made following a walk-in on Barnett Boulevard.

A report was made in a hit and run traffic accident on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given in a walk-in on Barnett Boulevard.

Advice was given following a complaint of reckless driving on Barnett Boulevard.

Officers assisted a motorist on Friendship Road.

A report was made for a burglary on lower Tuskegee Road.

Advice was given following a complaint of a prowler on Stewart Street.

July 29

Officers answered a false alarm call on Friendship Road.

A business was secure following a business check on Jordan Avenue.

Advice was given following a complaint of trespassing on 2nd Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Notasulga Road.

An alarm call was canceled by the alarm company on Friendship Road.

Officers answered a false alarm call or Notasulga Road.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Central Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

Animal Control was called a Courtland Drive.

A warrant arrest was made on Lower Tuskegee Road.

Animal patrol was called the Central Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Central Boulevard.

Animal control was called to Ray Street.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

Officers made negative contact following a report of a suspicious person on Notasulga Road.

Officers assisted medics on Gantt Street.

Advice was given in a walk-in on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Bert Mill Road.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

There was a follow-up on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given in a juvenile complaint on Gilmer Avenue.

A report was made for theft on East Patton Street.

Advice was given in a juvenile complaint on East Roosevelt Street.

Advice was given following a report of reckless driving on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Little Road.

July 30 See POLICE • Page A6

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

www.TallasseeTribune.com

CommunityCalendar Tallassee seniors.

August

The Tallassee High School Alumni Association is accepting nomination for 2022 Hall of Pride inductees as well as a Service Award nominee.

August

August

‘Live Here, Buy Here’ campaign to raise awareness about the impact of supporting local businesses in Elmore County.

August

The Tallasse Senior is open and accepting new program participants. The center also offers Meals on Wheels to

The Tallassee High School Alumni Association is seeking grads from THS class 1938 and prior. If you think you might be one of those, or know who is,

Mayor have accomplished has helped make Tallassee a better place to live, raise a family, and start a business, and now I want to do the same for the State of Alabama.”

Hammock said.

Mayor Hammock is a lifelong Conservative Republican who is a graduate of the University of Alabama and a small business owner with his wife Kimberly Hammock.

Hammock is a member of the Elmore County Republican party executive committee, and has three children.

Hammock serves on the board of directors for the Alabama League of Municipalities, member of EDAA, member of ACCMA, founder of the Tallassee economic development committee, member of the Tallassee Planning commission, board of directors for AMES, board of directors for Central Alabama Aging Consortium, serves on board of CARPDC, and a member of the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce.

“The failed energy policies we see coming out of Washington D.C

Submit calendar items: Participate in your Tribune by calling 334-567-3284, faxing them to 334-567-3284, sending your event to carmen.rodgers@tallasseetribune.com or logging on to

http://www.thewetumpkaherald.com/.

please pass that information along. Call at 334-315-1859, or email talacphysics@elmore. rr.com.

Aug. 10

The City of Tallassee is hosting a Job Fair from 5-7 p.m. at the Tallassee Recreation Center.

There will be a regular council meeting at city hall beginning at 6 p.m. A work session will be

continued from Page A1

“We need fresh blood in the PSC and someone with boots on the ground experience in utilities.”

— Tallassee Mayor Johnny Hammock from the liberal elites are making utilities more expensive. The BidenHarris administration is working every day to do everything they can to make workingclass families struggle right here in Alabama,” Hammock said. “They are killing our small businesses, the middle class, and destroying jobs in our economy.

I’m tired of it and I’m ready to step up and start helping fight back against their socialist policies.”

During his time as mayor of Tallassee, Hammock brought in over $4.3 million dollars in grants to help improve the City of Tallassee from replacing sewer lines, gas lines, water tanks, repaving streets, etc. Hammock has over a decade of small business ownership and helped navigate his city through a pandemic.

He believes that the Democrats’ push for renewable energy will cost businesses, farmers,

August 4, 2021 • Page A3

and the hardworking men and women of Alabama thousands of dollars.

“I am running for the office of Public Service Commission because I have served my hometown and now I want to serve the people of the great state of Alabama,” Hammock said. “My experience as Superintendent of Utilities over water, waste water, and gas have prepared me to serve on the PSC. I’ll always be transparent, fair, and an ethical public servant who will work each and every day for you.”

The Republican Primary election will be on Tuesday, May 24, 2022.

“We need fresh blood in the PSC and someone with boots on the ground experience in utilities,” Hammock said. “ I won’t be outworked and I look forward to traveling the state and getting to meet the great people of our state.”

held at 5 p.m. at city hall. This meeting is open to the public.

Open House. 10 a.m.-5 p.m. at Tallassee Elementary School.

11 a.m.-6 p.m. at Southside Middle School. Tallassee High School from 3-7 p.m. with freshmen orientation at 6 p.m.

Aug. 13

Not Our First Goat Rodeo: Yo-Yo Ma, Stuart Duncan, Edgar Meyer and Chris Thile with guest Aoife O’Donovan starting at 7:30 p.m. at Auburn University’s Gogue Performing Art’s Center.

Aug. 18

Tallassee City Schools return to classes.

Submit an upcoming event at carmen.rodgers@tallasseetribune.com or text 334-580-7089.

Aug. 16

Tallassee City Schools

Art Guild’s Armory Show kicks off

By BRIANA WILSON Bureau Chief

The Elmore County Art Guild kicked off its third annual Armory Show on Tuesday, Aug. 3.

The exhibition is located at Montgomery’s Anita P. Folmar Art Gallery, located in the Armory Learning Arts Center at 1018 Madison Avenue, from Aug. 3-31. A reception will be held on Aug. 5 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

ECAG President Shirley Esco said the artwork of about 25 guild members will be on display during the exhibition.

Each artist can display up to three pieces of art.

The exhibition includes all mediums of art including fine art, mixed media, sculpting and photography.

The event is free to attend and all of the artwork will be available for purchase.

“This event showcases talented artists from throughout the River Region and it provides a way for area residents to experience and purchase art from local artists,” Esco said.

ECAG membership is required to display art during the exhibition. The membership fee is $35 per individual and $45 per couple. The ECAG is a nonprofit organization that has been supporting artists and art education in the River Region since 1985.

For more information, go to ElmoreCountyArtGuild.com.

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Page A4 •August 4, 2021

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THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Olympics in full swing T

he 2020 Olympics are over a week into competition and it’s all sports all the time at my house right now. My husband really enjoys watching the games and loves to root for Team USA. I also enjoy watching the games, though I do not typically enjoy watching a sporting event unless it’s Auburn football.

What I like about watching the Olympic games is seeing all the different nations come together and compete. Sportsmanship is on display and that can be a beautiful thing to watch. Not every Olympic athlete can win gold, silver, or bronze. But there can be grace in losing. Losing is part of the game.

It’s how those losses are accepted that really matters. It’s great to win. It can hurt to lose. However, there are no real Olympic losers. They are all champions in their own right. So, win or lose they should hold their head high with Olympic pride.

Olympic athletes have trained for these games for much of their lives.

They make tremendous sacrifices just to contend. Every one of these athletes was already a champion on some level when they arrived in Tokyo.

Last week, Simone Biles left the Olympic floor during competition.

She said she didn’t want to let her team down and that her mind and body were not in sync. I am paraphrasing, but that’s pretty close to what she said.

A lot of people are commending her for the decision. Mental health is as important as physical health.

CARMEN RODGERS Bureau Chief That is 100 percent correct. I am willing to guess that this happens to many athletes during the Olympics. I am sure the whole experience can be very overwhelming. The eyes of the world are on these athletes, and they are representing entire nations. Not a college or a university, but a nation.

That’s a lot of people counting on them to do well.

Some athletes come into the competition with less to lose than others. The athletes who have already won a gold medal have in a previous Olympic event, have a lot to live up to coming into the games.

Suni Lee came into the competition last week and swept it. She is an Auburn University student from Minnesota. She stole the show. The gymnast shined during competition.

Her performance was top-notch and she represented the USA with poise and grace. When she was holding the medal, even in that moment she was humble, holding back her smile to a simple grin of gratitude. She did not boast. Lee has overcome a lot just to get to the Olympics. She lost close family members to COVID-19 and her father was recently paralyzed after a fall from a ladder. Yet, during that moment on the gym floor in Japan, she was able to set all that aside and

focus on winning. And that’s exactly what she did. To paraphrase her during an interview on the Today Show with Hoda Kotb, Suni said she did “nothing more, nothing less.” She knew her best was good enough and she managed to not overthink it.

She came into the games, virtually unknown, and shook the competition, gracefully represented Team USA, and forever change the course of her life. She is now an Olympic champion with a gold medal. Well done, Suni!

Team USA has another outstanding swimmer, two actually. Caeleb Dressel on the men’s Olympic swim team did not disappoint. He dominated the sport. And for the women, Katie Ledecky stole the show.

I witnessed a great moment between two Olympic high jumpers who agreed to share gold this weekend. That was a great moment to watch. Now, those two athletes from different nations will share a title and a bond forever. Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Essa Barshim of Qatar flawlessly jumped 2.37 meters, or 7 feet, 9¼ inches. Then they both attempted a jump of 2.39 meters, three times, but neither of them could make it. So, they decided to share the gold medal. It was nice to watch two competitors from two totally different nations agree to share the number one spot.

We have a few more days to watch the Olympic games before the closing ceremonies. I hope you are enjoying the games as much as I am!

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Walt Disney’s favorite song

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R

ichard and Robert Sherman are wonderful songwriters.

They are responsible for the most-performed song of all time, “It’s a Small World (After All),” heard daily at the Disneythemed parks featuring the Small World ride. The Shermans also wrote memorable music for Winnie the Pooh, Mary Poppins, The Jungle Book, Bedknobs & Broomsticks, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Charlotte’s Web, and many other family friendly films.

They also wrote successful pop tunes such as “You’re Sixteen,” “Pineapple Princess,” and “Let’s Get Together.”

In all likelihood, you have heard some of their songs and may perhaps even know them by heart.

My former band directing colleague John Paul Jones, who is now employed by Walt Disney World, once drove all the way to Richard Sherman’s home in Beverly Hills just to tell him how much he loved his music.

According to John Paul, Mr. Sherman was walking outside to pick up his morning paper when he spotted John Paul in his driveway!

“I drove all the way from Alabama just to tell you how much I love your music,” he told a surprised Mr. Sherman!

Perhaps more than any of their compositions, “Feed the Birds” is the most meaningful. The haunting melody is performed in the Mary Poppins film and

MICHAEL BIRD Columnist stage musical as a lullaby sung

by Mary Poppins to children Jane and Michael Banks. It is heard again later on in a very dramatic choral and orchestral setting, in a musical cue called “Mr. Banks is Discharged.”

What is so special about the song?

The lyrics have to do with a beggar woman who sits on the St. Paul’s Cathedral steps begging for two-pence (a two-penny coin) per bag, to feed the pigeons and doves in that area of downtown London.

Mary Poppins sings about the woman. The next day, the Banks children are on a field trip to their father’s workplace, the Fidelity Fiduciary Bank, and encounter the Bird Woman in person. The children are stopped by their father from making a donation.

Mr. Banks has little tolerance for a beggar; to him, a man is successful when he is able “to carve his niche in the edifice of time.”

The character of George Banks is only doing what most men, or fathers, are expected to do: he spends more time at his job than he does at home. Yet, his relationship with his children is

limited to the regular hiring and firing of nannies until the magical Mary Poppins enters the life of his family and he begins to see that, in reality, he is a failure.

The simple act of kindness described in the song may be what makes it so special. It may be one of the first, and it’s certainly one of the few, that deal with homeless people. In the reprise of the song late in the film, as Mr. Banks is summoned to his job to be fired, he hopes to see the Bird Woman but she is gone – highlighting the need for one to show that random act of kindness when the opportunity arises, because it may not come around again.

Many years after Walt Disney’s death, Robert Sherman remembered: “On Fridays, after work, Disney would often invite us into his office and we’d talk about things that were going on at the studio. After a while, he’d wander to the north window, look out into the distance and just say, ‘Play it.’ And Dick would wander over to the piano and play ‘Feed the Birds’ for him. One time just as Dick was almost finished, I heard Walt say, ‘Yep. That’s what it’s all about.’ Songs have been written about a myriad of subjects.

‘Feed the Birds’ is the first song written about the merits of giving charity.”

When Walt Disney died in 1966, the Sherman brothers played “Feed the Birds” at his funeral.

Talks THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

STEVE FLOWERS Columnistt

Governor Ivey should coast to reelection

F

or over a year I have been touting the fact that the 2022 election year in the Heart of Dixie was going to be the busiest and most monumental in history. Folks, it looks like it is not going to be as eventful as anticipated.

Yes, everything is on the ballot, but the power of incumbency is thwarting the drama. It appears the U.S. Senate race is going to be the marquee event.

Most states have their big election years in the same year as the presidential contest. Not so in Alabama, our carte blanche election year is in between presidential elections in what is referred to nationally as off years.

All our constitutional officers are on the ballot next year as well as all 105 state house seats, 35 state senate seats, all 67 sheriffs, all state school board members, along with all seven of our Congressional seats.

Historically, the biggest race in Alabama is governor. In fact, throughout history the governor’s race year has been the largest turnout year in Alabama. That is probably because it was not until the 1970’s that could a governor succeed themselves. Therefore, there was an open governor’s race every four years.

The inherent advantage of incumbency has cut down on the every four years gubernatorial circus and theater. This incumbency advantage is playing out to the nines as we head towards next year’s May 24 election day.

All four of our top tier Constitutional offices are held by popular incumbents and all four are running for reelection virtually unopposed.

All of our statewide elected offices are held by Republicans. A Democrat cannot win a statewide race in Alabama. They can get 40% but that appears to be the ultimate threshold. Therefore, winning the May 24 GOP Primary is tantamount to election.

Governor Kay Ivey is the prohibitive favorite to win a full second term next year. She has done a good job as governor despite the gigantic obstacles of having to fight through a once in a lifetime COVID pandemic, which completely shut down the world’s economy for over 15 months. She did a good job of steadying the ship of state during the crisis.

It was thought and even anticipated that Kay Ivey would run for only one four-year term when she was elected in 2018. She, herself, probably thought she might only run one time because, coupled with her serving as governor the last two years of Robert Bentley’s tenure, would give her a six-year reign. That mindset of striving to govern for four-years rather than run for reelection has made her a successful governor. Kay has rolled up her sleeves and tackled the job and diligently governed. She has gubernatorially addressed many of the problems that have plagued the state and been swept under the rug or kicked down the road for decades.

Addressing the problems of repairing the state’s roads and infrastructure and the prison problems has not been an exciting agenda, but she has been a workhorse governor rather than a show horse governor.

She will coast to reelection. It would be difficult for a candidate to run negative ads against your grandmother. The only thing that could prevent Kay Ivey from serving another term is if she changes her mind. She relies a lot on her Chief of Staff, former Mobile/Baldwin Congressman, Jo Bonner. There is speculation that Bonner may accept the position of President of the University of South Alabama. Gov. Ivey would very much miss her “little brother” from Wilcox. However, she has a brilliant and loyal youthful staff that have been with her all fouryears. She will probably stay the course and be reelected.

Speaking of youthful, our young Lt. Governor, Will Ainsworth, is poised to win reelection to a second four-year term essentially unopposed. He is waiting in the wings, ready to run for governor.

Attorney General, Steve Marshall, is also going to coast to reelection with only token or no opposition. Marshall has tackled his job well and diligently over his first four-year term. He like Ivey has strived to delve into his job rather than politick full time. He has staked out a position as being a bona fide conservative Alabama Republican.

Rick Pate has done an excellent job as Alabama Agriculture Commissioner and will deservedly win a second four-year term as the head of this important constitutional office. He is perfectly suited and qualified for this job.

So, folks, it looks like it may be a dull year.

However, don’t fret, we have 67 local sheriff races and all 140 legislative seats all running under new lines.

See you next week.

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

www.TallasseeTribune.com

August 4, 2021 • Page A5

An urgent plea to my fellow citizens of Alabama A

s one old citizen of Alabama, I am deeply concerned about the future of our state as it relates to the COVID-19 pandemic. Based on what I have heard, it is possible that soon the surging Delta variant virus will claim the lives of many of our neighbors and friends. However, the number of deaths could be greatly reduced if more of our citizens will get vaccinated.

But here’s the problem: many of our fellow Americans have chosen not to get vaccinated. Only 56% of Americans over the age of 12 are fully vaccinated. While that number is troubling for our nation, what is happening in Alabama is embarrassing. Only 33% of Alabama citizens are fully vaccinated, and only 41% have received one dose of the vaccine.

By now you may be thinking, “Walter, you need to stick to devotional writing; nobody is looking to you for medical advice.” That is true and for that reason I have hesitated to write about the virus.

But it will be worth being criticized if I can persuade a few people to get vaccinated.

I do have personal experience with the COVID-19 virus. It was a contributing cause of my wife’s death last December. At the end of November, Dean and I both tested positive for the virus. Since she was in the hospital, Dean was quarantined for two weeks. After this isolation, she was sent home and died five days later. Two other terminal illnesses contributed to her death.

When I tested positive for COVID19, I was worried. For months I had been reading reports on the virus published by prominent Montgomery physician, Dr. David Thrasher. My friend, Jere Beasley, had strongly endorsed Dr. Thrasher’s counsel about COVID-19. So, I called the good doctor who, without hesitation, advised me to let him give me the Monoclonal Antibody infusion. This I did, though it was not an easy decision.

I was fearful that the virus might kill me and there were no guarantees

WALTER ALBRITTON Columnist that the infusion would protect me from the virus. Dr. Thrasher warned me that the infusion might have serious side effects but he also shared that none of his patients who had received the infusion had been hospitalized. I had no side effects from the infusion. After waiting the prescribed 90 days, I got the two Moderna shots and became fully vaccinated. It has given me peace of mind to know that I am now 94% less likely to be hospitalized with the COVID-19 virus. However, the primary reason for getting fully vaccinated is not to get peace of mind but to help our nation overcome this deadly virus.

Unfortunately, many people do not believe this. Ignorance about the virus has influenced many people to not get vaccinated. To get at the truth, I decided to interview Dr. Thrasher, a recognized authority on COVID19, and let him answer pertinent questions. Here are my questions and his answers: Question: Is it your opinion that by getting vaccinated, our fellow Alabama citizens will likely save the lives of other Alabamians?

Dr. Thrasher: Yes, vaccines will unequivocally save lives.

Question: Does a person who has had COVID-19, and survived, need to get vaccinated?

Dr. Thrasher: If you have had COVID, you need to be vaccinated.

Vaccine elicits better immune response than the virus. If you have had COVID and get vaccinated, you have the most robust immune response known. I have now treated 12 folks who have been infected twice and one died.

Question: Are fully vaccinated people at risk for getting the Delta variant virus?

Dr. Thrasher: Fully vaccinated

people have a 35% chance of getting the Delta virus, but the vaccines prevent most of them from becoming seriously ill or dying. If you have any symptoms, even if vaccinated, get tested ASAP! We have better treatments now – Regeneron infusion – but it only works if used very early – less than 10 days of symptoms.

Many doctors are not familiar with the reinfection risk with Delta. If you go to Urgent Care, don’t take steroids in first seven days of symptoms and get tested before going home with prescriptions such as Prednisone, Medrol dose pack, Decadron or receiving a steroid shot. If positive for the virus, contact a doctor with covid knowledge but always ask for the infusion to see if you qualify. 90% of Alabamians now qualify under new requirements.

Question: What advice would you give a 30-year-old man who says, “The virus is killing mostly older people; all I need to do is avoid crowds and wear a mask at times.”

Dr. Thrasher: That was true – until the Delta virus appeared. Delta is hitting people ages 30 – 40 very hard. We have several that age now on ventilators who will likely die.

Question: Would you agree that no matter your age, getting vaccinated is one way to love your neighbor?

Dr. Thrasher: Absolutely!

Question: Is the threat of the Delta virus so great that it’s important for everyone to speak up and encourage others to get vaccinated?

Dr. Thrasher: Yes! For sure!

And by encouraging people to get vaccinated, I believe you are doing God’s work and saving lives and souls!

I thank Dr. Thrasher for his response and assure him, as I have before, that I am praying for him and his staff as they stand in the gap for all of us during this prolonged pandemic.

Now, my dear Alabama brothers and sisters, if you are not fully vaccinated, please heed this sincere plea – get vaccinated this week as a gift of love to your friends, family and fellow citizens. Thank you.

Letter to the Editor

A Physician’s Letter to the Vaccine-hesitant Dear Editor, I’m a retired physician, and I still care about each person. I spent my career trying to save lives and reduce and avoid suffering. That’s what I hope to do with this letter to anyone who is hesitant to get a Covid-19 vaccine. If you know someone who is hesitant, please share this with them.

I understand that you may have good reasons for not getting a vaccine. Let’s talk about some.

You may be suspicious that the vaccines were developed too rapidly to be safe. It does seem improbable that such a giant leap could be safely made that quickly. But think about the scientific developments that came before these vaccines, like decoding the human genome, CRISPER technology, and the ability to test DNA quickly and accurately. All of these basic developments, which took years, were used by scientists all over the world and allowed them to do in months what previously took years. No shortcuts were taken, and no corners were cut. There’s hardly a physician in the world who has not gotten a vaccine for their own health and protection. Doctors are confident in the safety of the vaccines. You can be, too.

You may be concerned that the FDA hasn’t given the vaccines its final approval, suggesting that the vaccines are still experimental. I might be concerned about that if so many people hadn’t already died from Covid. Final approval is a long process with nearly any new medication. I agree that it would be nice if they could speed up the process, but they need to take every precaution before granting it, even during a pandemic. With hundreds of millions of doses safely given in the U.S., the safety of the vaccines is very nearly one hundred percent.

The experimental phase was last year and succeeded beyond initial hopes; these vaccines are safe and effective.

They are no longer an experiment.

They are proven, safe medical treat-

ment. FDA approval will come in due time.

You may worry about side effects that haven’t yet appeared. That’s understandable. But in the history of vaccines, delayed side effects and complications are extraordinarily rare.

So far, serious side effects of the vaccines are much less common than are death and serious complications from getting Covid. I know that your individual risk of having a serious case may be low, so you may feel it’s worth taking that chance. But that risk could still kill you, or someone you love, as many unvaccinated people are sadly discovering, too late. The risks of a serious side effect are so much lower than that as to be nearly zero. You’re so much safer with a vaccine.

You may just figure that you’re healthy and that, even if you caught Covid, it wouldn’t be anything serious.

I hope you are hearing about all the people who thought the same thing, and who are now in the hospital, if not already dead. The Delta variant is attacking people much more successfully than did the initial virus strains.

Even if you’re healthy, this virus can kill you. The vaccine won’t. I hope you’ll bet on the proven vaccine, rather than chancy luck. Please don’t play Russian roulette with this virus.

Maybe you don’t know anyone who’s had Covid, or died from it. I do - my brother very nearly died from it.

I was terrified that I might lose him.

Please don’t wait until that happens to you. I would hate for you to have to worry like I did.

You may have had a case of Covid and believe that is all the immunity you need. It may be, but it’s probable that any such natural immunity may fade, or not be strong enough to prevent you from getting it again. That’s not a chance worth taking. A vaccine gives more reliable immunity.

You may be concerned that the government is forcing you to do something, or that this is political. I’m really sorry that politics has become tied up in all of this. President Trump got vaccinated, even after being very sick

with Covid himself. More and more Republican leaders are now begging people to get a vaccine, not for any control or political reason, but only to protect more Americans and get things back to normal. That’s all anyone really wants.

You may be a member of a minority and not trust the government, for good reason. I understand that, and am very sorry for things that happened to make you feel that lack of trust. But with the vaccines, you don’t have to trust the government. Trust your own doctor, or pharmacist, or faith leader.

Trust me. We care about you.

You may feel that all of the incentives, like lotteries, payment for getting a vaccine, and other enticements prove that the vaccine isn’t worth it on its own. Did your parents ever pay you for getting good grades, or give you some reward for doing something that was good for you? Sometimes we humans need a little nudging to do the right thing. Governments, employers, and schools that require vaccines or reward you for getting one are simply trying to help protect you. They care about your safety, your education, your work, and our economy.

Maybe you just don’t like needles.

I don’t either. I can promise you that the vaccine shot is barely noticeable.

The people giving them are very good.

A little needle stick beats being on a ventilator, or transmitting Covid to a high-risk loved one. This truly is a case in which it’s far better to be safe than sorry.

Too many people today are having to say, “I regret not getting the vaccine when I had the chance,” after losing family members or becoming seriously ill themselves. You don’t have to be one of those. Please don’t be a regretter. That’s too late.

We the people can control this crisis. We literally hold the answer in our hands. It’s up to us; it’s up to you.

Please get a vaccine. I care about you.

George Bahmfalk, M.D. Charlotte, North Carolina

Page A6 • August 4, 2021

www.TallasseeTribune.com

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Carmen Rodgers/ The Tribune Tallassee’s Babe ruth All-Star Team was honored at the Tallassee City Council. Pictured from right to left front row: Tommy Wisener (manager), Michael Butler (coach) Konner Taunton, Baylor Clayton, Brody Wisener, Hutson Lewis, Brody Smith, Luke Chandler, Avery Brantley, Jack Butler, Xander Johnston. Slade Carleton (not pictured). Back row: councilmembers Jeremy Taunton, Sarah Hill, Damian Carr, Bill Hall, Terrel Brown, and Bill Godwin.

Council because I don’t want anybody to miss their kid going to New York to play in the World Series.”

To help the team with travel expenses, the council voted to give more than $1,000 to the team.

“This is such a big accomplishment and has not happened in the City of Tallassee for over 25 years, the 13U going to Babe Ruth World Series,” said councilmember Sarah Hill, chair of the finance

continued from Page A1 committee. “I know that we have given a small donation to you guys in the past. Based on some additional money that we have in our account and a special dispensation because this is such an important thing — and I know you guys are so excited and we are so excited for you, we think it’s going to be a tremendous benefit to the City of Tallassee — I’d like to purpose a $1,200 donation to this team.”

Other council

members also encouraged the public to give so that team members and their families can make this special trip.

“If you can, help this bunch by donating because it’s a great trip,” councilman Bill Godwin said. “It’s very expensive. The last thing we want is a parent or grandparent to not be able to go because of finances, so I am asking the community, if you can give $5, $10, whatever,

if you would be willing to do so.”

Godwin explained that this team of young men will represent the city on a national level.

“They are representing Tallassee.

That’s the great thing.

We want you guys to have a good time.

We want the parents and grandparents to have a good time. The only thing we ask, no pressure, bring it home,” he said.

Councilman Jeremy Taunton recused himself

Mask said TCS Superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin. “It’s a personal choice.”

The Tallassee Board of Education will meet later this month and the situation will be assessed once again before the start of school.

“We have a board meeting on the 17th (of August). If things change by then, we will look at it again,” Nolin said.

With one full year of adjusting to health mandates and protocols behind them, Nolin said members of the school board are better equipped to deal with the pandemic during the upcoming school year.

“We’re still watching

from the vote because he has a son on the All-Star team, but he did encourage the community to help the team with this upcoming trip.

“If you can give, please give. This is an exciting time for those kids, and for the parents, and for the city.”

The team is holding a raffle fundraiser with locally donated prizes.

“If you are looking to get a bang for your buck, we are raffling off two coolers donated by

True Value, a chainsaw donated by Sun South, some Roundup, and some ornaments donated

by Leigh Anne McCaig Butler.”

Tickets are $5 each or six tickets for $20.

“You can see me at True Value if you want to purchase those,” Taunton said.

Tickets are also available at Parker Tire on Gilmer Avenue.

Tallassee’s Babe Ruth All-Star Team will take on Ohio Valley on Aug. 14 beginning at 11 a.m.

Police

continued from Page A1

continued from Page A1 the ADPH and CDC and communicating healthcare professionals to help me make these decisions,” Nolin said.

“Luckily, we still have a couple of weeks to watch the numbers.

We’re in a situation now where we’re more knowledgeable about how to facilitate these things.”

Nolin said that safety will remain the top priority heading into the upcoming school year.

“We’re continuing our mitigation protocols, and we’ll fog the facilities each day, regardless,” he said.

Nolin emphasized this is a situation that is monitored daily and is subject to change as needed.

will become the new Patrol Commander.

Drinkard has more than 20 years in law enforcement and has worked in different aspects of the profession including patrol, community policing bureau, domestic violence, supervisor of special victims, special events, and investigations.

Lt. Manning has 14 years in law enforcement and has also worked different aspects to include patrol, detective, robbery, homicide, auto theft unit, and patrol supervisor.

“These two officers are an asset to the Tallassee Police Department and I would like to say congratulations, I am proud of them. I believe they will both work hard to help guide the department as we look to the future,” Higgins said.

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August 4, 2021 • Page A7

Police Advice was given following a report of a suspicious vehicle on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given following a report of a suspicious vehicle on Redden Avenue.

Officers assisted on a medical call on Ashurst Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given in a juvenile complaint on Jordan Avenue.

Officers assisted medics on 2nd Avenue.

Advice was given in a walk-in on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Main Street.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Hillcrest Street.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Hudson Place.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Whatley Drive.

Negative contact was made following a report of a suspicious person on 3rd Street.

Negative contact was made following a report of reckless driving on Tallassee Highway.

Officers assisted medics on Quail Run Drive.

Animal Control was called to Washington Street.

An alarm call was canceled on Notasulga Road.

Officers assistant a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

A report was made in a domestic dispute on Simms Avenue.

A report was made in a domestic dispute on Simms Avenue.

Advice was given energy went out of a plane on Hickory Street.

Advice was given in a juvenile complaint on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given following a complaint of a suspicious vehicle on Gilmer Avenue.

continued from Page A2 Advice was given following a complaint of a prowler on Jordan Avenue.

A business was secure following a business check on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

July 31 Negative contact was made following a 911 hang-up on Hickory Street.

A report was made for a walk-in on Barnett Boulevard.

Officers made negative contact following a complaint of reckless driving on Jordan Avenue.

Officers assisted a motorist on Jordan Avenue.

Advice was given following a walk-in on Barnett Boulevard.

Officers assisted a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given in a citizen assist on Harris Street.

A citation was issued following a traffic stop on Jordan Avenue.

Advice was given in following their traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

An arrest was made on Barnett Boulevard.

Advice was given following a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

A citation was issued following a traffic stop on Jordan Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Barnett Boulevard.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

A verbal warning was given following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

Officers responded to a verbal fight on Gilmer Avenue Advice was given an A citizen inquiry on Barnett Boulevard.

August 1

Advice was given in a welfare check on Freeman Avenue.

A warning citation was issued following a traffic stop on AL Hwy 229.

Negative contact was made in a welfare check

on Gilmer Avenue Advice was given following a report of a disorderly person at Community Hospital.

A report of criminal mischief was canceled by the original caller on West Butler Street.

A citation was issued following a traffic stop on Gilmer Avenue.

Officers answered a false alarm call on Notasulga Road.

A report was made during an investigative call on Gilmer Avenue.

Information was exchanged during a private property accident on Gilmer Avenue.

A report was made following a walk-in on Barnett Boulevard.

There was a funeral escort on Notasulga Road.

Advice was given in a juvenile complaint on James Street.

Advice was given during a walk-in on Barnett Boulevard.

Advice was given in a juvenile complaint on Main Street.

A report was made in a domestic incident on Freeman Avenue.

Advice was given following a noise complaint on 1st Avenue.

Negative contact was made following a report of an intoxicated driver on AL Hwy 229.

Extra residential patrol was given on 1st Avenue.

Officers assisted medics on Ashurst Bar Road.

Officers assisted a citizen on Ashurst Bar Road.

Advice was given in a noise complaint on 1st Avenue.

Advice was given following a report of a suspicious person and activity at Community Hospital.

Extra business patrol was given on Gilmer Avenue.

Advice was given following a verbal altercation on Poplar Street.

A report was made for a domestic incident on Notasulga Road.

Officers gave extra residential control on 1st Avenue.

RELIGION

Visit our sister websites: www.AlexCityOutlook.com www.TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Page A8 • August 4, 2021

www.TallasseeTribune.com THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Deep wells and living water

The woman said to him, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?” - John 4:11 I love the story of Jesus and the Samaritan woman at the well in John 4. We’re like her in so many ways. If your life is a tangle of bad decisions, broken relationships and feeling like an outcast and a failure, you can relate to her. If you have an interest in spiritual things, but have too many questions and not enough answers, you can identify with her.

But the way I want you to think about her today is based on her response to Jesus’ offer of living water. The disciples had gone to buy food, and Jesus was weary, sitting by

MIKE MCELROY Columnist

the well. He asked for a drink when she came out at noon to draw water. She was surprised that a Jewish man would ask a Samaritan woman for a drink.

She asked why he had stepped across this cultural boundary.

Jesus replied, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is that is saying to you, ‘Give me a drink,’ you would have asked him, and he would have given you living water.” And it’s what she said next that I want you to meditate on today. She said, “Sir, you have nothing to draw water with, and the well is deep. Where do you get that living water?”

This woman’s words revealed that she was doing two things most of us are quite familiar with because we do them, too. First, she

underestimated Jesus’ ability to help her. And second, she overestimated the depth of her own problem. Let’s see how we may be making the same two mistakes.

We often seem to think that God is somehow limited in his means of helping us to what we find in ourselves. We limit his ability to help by having a small, narrow view of his power and resources. How does this sound in our lives and words? “I know what God promised to do, but I don’t see how he can help me.” Or maybe, “I cannot be forgiven.

What I’ve done is just too bad. I’m bad. I’m hopeless.”

Possibly, you’ve thought, “I believe in God and I like what he says. But it is just not

practical to think I can apply it to my life because of the problems I have.” See? He has nothing to draw water with.

So, we just stay thirsty. His offer sounds good, but it can’t be done.

And since we can’t solve our own problems or relieve our own thirst, we imagine our wells as being too deep, our difficulties too thorny for anyone to do so. It’s easy to go from “I can’t” to “No one (not even God) can.” She didn’t yet know, but you and I should know that God is “able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20).

In a way, we’re right about our deep wells. As long as we confine our view of how God can help to what he can drill down or reach down within us to find, there is no hope.

But what if he brings the refreshing blessing we need from outside our well? What if he brings it down from heaven instead of dredging

it up out of us? That’s what grace is all about. It’s how he gives living water to parched souls. Jesus told her, “The water that I will give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life” (John 4:14). But it comes from him, from outside us, to be that spring inside us.

That woman, full of questions and problems, came to believe in Jesus as the Messiah, and even brought others to him. She was thirsty, and she learned to trust him and not herself to meet the need. Her well was not too deep and he was able and eager to give her what her soul longed for. Oh, that you and I might learn and remember these lessons!

Is your life complicated? Do you have doubts and fears?

Stop overestimating your calamity and underestimating his capacity. Quit protesting.

Listen to him. Your well is not too deep. And God is more than able.

Church Briefs 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 Carrville Baptist would like to invite everyone to its 67th Homecoming Service on Sunday, Aug. 8, at 10 a.m. The church is excited that the Guest Speaker will be Mike Jackson, The Associate Executive Director of the Alabama State Board of

Missions. There will be a covered dish luncheon to follow.

On Sunday, Aug. 15, at 5:30 p.m., there will be a Back to School Bash for the whole family.

There will be games and a cookout. We will be giving out 72 backpacks filled with school supplies that day on a first come first serve basis. If you know of a student that might need a backpack please let them know.

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 is holding services on Sunday at 11 a.m. and at 5 p.m.

The “River’s Edge Flea Market” is open every Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. The flea market is sponsored by the East Tallassee UMC and is located at the side of the old East Tallassee Hospital, across from the library. We will offer various priced booths. To reserve a space call Joan Wood at 334-312-4913 or Melanie Baker at 334-415-8314. All proceeds raised by ETUMC will be used for church-sponsored programs.

Episcopal Church of the Epiphany

Please join us for Sunday ser-

vices 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 church website at http://epiphanytallassee.org/

First United Methodist Church

“We are OPEN and everyone is WELCOME! Come worship with us in 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.

Tallassee Churches BAPTIST Bethlehem East 7561 Upper River Road Calvary Baptist Church 293 N Wesson Street Word of Life 501 Sims Avenue Carrville Baptist Church 2436 Notasulga Road East Tallassee Baptist Church 314 Central Boulevard Elam Baptist Church 4686 Notasulga Road First Baptist Church 1279 Friendship Road Flatrock Missionary Baptist Church 1024 Flat Rock Road Friendship 4345 Friendship Road Liberty Baptist Church 574 Liberty Road Mount Zion Baptist Church

64 Log Circle Providence Primitive Baptist Church 4850 Chana Creek Road Refuge Baptist Church 3098 Red Hill Road River Road 239 Lower Tuskegee Road Riverside Heights Hispanic Mission 495 Little Road Rock Springs 375 Rigsby Road Rock Springs Baptist Church 2810 Rock Springs Drive Tallassee First 1279 Friendship Road Tallaweka Baptist Church 1419 Gilmer Avenue Westside Baptist Church 1825 Gilmer Avenue CATHOLIC St Vincent De Paul Parish

620 Gilmer Avenue CHRISTIAN/OTHER Apostolic Church of Jesus Christ 1072 Muskogee Trail East Tallassee Church of Christ 501 Central Boulevard Light of Jesus Outreach Ministries 140 Gin Street Macedonia Christian Church 2685 Macedonia Road Mount Olive Congregational Christian Church NACCC 492 Kent Road Oak Heights Church of Christ 74 Manning Circle Tallassee Church of Christ 209 Gilmer Avenue Wind Rain & Fire Ministries International 1201 Gilmer Avenue Vessel Church

84632 Tallassee Highway, Eclectic, AL 36024 God’s Church, Campfire Ministries 209 Barnett Bouelvard Tallassee, AL 36078 The Lord Our Righteousness Center, Inc. 4566 Claud Road Eclectic, AL 36024 Tallassee First Assembly of God 185 Friendship Road, Tallassee, AL 36078 EPISCOPAL Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 2602 Gilmer Avenue METHODIST East Tallassee United Methodist Church 101 Central Boulevard First United Methodist Church 1 Jordan Avenue

New Zion 3523 Ashurst Bar Road St. Paul Tallassee 101 Herren Hill Road Wall Street 71 Zion Street INDEPENDENT Abundant Life Church 2634 Lower Tuskegee Road Saint Mark All Nationals Pentecostal Foundation Church 30 Stewart Street Tallassee Church of God 134 Adams Street Tallassee Holiness Church 194 Honeysuckle Lane *RG·V &RQJUHJDWLRQ +ROLQHVV &KXUFK 508 Jordan Avenue Claud Independent Methodist Church 81232 Tallassee Highway in Eclectic

Surrounding Area Churches AME ZION Mt. Zion Chapel AME Zion 2340 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-4413 Rogers Chapel AME Zion 709 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8144 Jackson Chapel AME Zion 4885 Coosada Rd., Coosada Jones Chapel AME Zion 2414 Ingram Rd. (Co. Rd. 3), Elmore

ABUNDANT LIFE Abundant Life Church 9301 U.S. Hwy 231, Wetumpka 567-9143 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Agape Tabernacle Assembly of God 1076 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic 541-2006 Bethel Worship Center 11117 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-5754 Crossroads Assembly of God

2534 AL Hwy 14., Millbrook 285-5545 First Assembly of God 3511 Shirley Ln., Millbrook New Home Assembly of God 5620 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 569-2825 BAPTIST Abraham Baptist Church 2520 Lynwood Dr., Millbrook 285-5213 Antioch Baptist Church

1115 Antioch Rd., Titus 567-2917 Beulah Baptist Church 2350 Grier Rd., Wetumpka 514-2881 Blue Ridge Baptist 4471 Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-4325 Brookwood Baptist 3111 Grandview Rd., Millbrook 285-6792 Calvary Baptist 504 W. Osceola St., Wetumpka 567-4729 Central Baptist

3545 W. Central Rd., Wetumpka 541-2556 Coosada Baptist 20 Kennedy Ave., Coosada Deatsville Baptist 184 Church St., Deatsville Eclectic Baptist Church 203 Claud Rd., Eclectic 541-4444 Faith Baptist 64 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-4417

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Midnight Burdon’s jockey checked the competition during the tight races at The Tallassee Senior Center’s Derby Day.

Derby to COVID-19 safety protocols.

"We were closed then," said DebbieAnn Woodard Tallassee Senior Center director DebbieAnn Woodard. "We are open now and resuming activities."

Rather than skip the event this year, coordinators decided to go ahead and celebrate Derby Day this week.

Seniors didn't actually run in the races; instead, it was the luck of the dice that decided the winner.

"We will have six at a time line up to race. We'll roll dice, and whatever number is rolled, that's how many spaces they get to move forward," Woodard explained.

Two races were held

August 4, 2021 • Page A9

Photos by Jake Arthur / The Tribune

continued from Page A1 with a total of twelve jockeys and six noodle horses. Noodle horses are horses fashioned from foam swimming noodles.

Mayor John Hammock presented trophies and awards at Thursday's races and councilman Fred Randall Huey was the track announcer for the event.

Derby Day is just one of the many activities at the senior center. The Tallassee Senior Center provides services to seniors that promote independent lives. The center focuses on community services and activities that will improve health and quality of life.

The Senior Center is open to all area seniors MondayFriday from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. For more information, call 334-283-2766.

The winner won by the luck of the dice during Derby Day at the Tallassee Senior Center.

Mayor Johnny Hammock gives a thumbs-up to Derby Day winners at the Tallassee Senior Center.

Members of the Tallassee Senior Center lined up to race during Derby Day.

Mayor Johnny Hammock handed out trophies to the 1st, 2nd, and 3rd place winners during Derby Day at the Senior Center.

Page A10 • August 4, 2021

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Master Gardeners to host Lunch and Learn Aug. 10

By BRIANA WILSON Wetumpka Bureau Chief

The Central Alabama Master Gardeners Association has resumed its free Lunch and Learn event that takes place once a month.

Lunch and Learn is held from noon to 1 p.m. on the second Tuesday on every month at First Presbyterian Church, located at 100 West Bridge Street,

said Sandy Rosamond with CAMGA. Each event features a different master gardener who will educate those in attendance about things such as invasive plants, backyard composting, transplanting trees and more.

Beverages and a light snack are provided, but Rosamond said guests are invited to bring a sack lunch along with them.

“Before COVID, we used to have an average of 50 people attending every month, but now it’s like we’re starting over,” Rosamond said. “We’re trying to spread the word and let the community know that we’re starting back up and it’s free.”

Rosamond said about 30 people attended July’s Lunch and Learn, but most of them were master gardeners who are

already knowledgeable about gardening.

Here’s the schedule for upcoming Lunch and Learn events: Aug. 10: Invasive plants with Dr. Nancy Loewenstein, an extension specialist, ACES Sept. 14: Planting Bulbs and Tubers for next year bloomers with Karen Weber, Montgomery County master gardener Oct. 12: Backyard

composting with Kelly LaFreniere, Elmore County master gardener Nov. 9: Fermentation for life with Deborah Kelso, Elmore County master gardener Dec. 14: Transplanting trees and shrubs with David Doggett, Jefferson County master gardener For more information, contact the Elmore County Extension Office at 567-6301.

New details emerge from deputy-involved shooting in Emerald Mountain

By BRIANA WILSON Bureau Chief

An outside agency is handling the investigation into a deputy-involved shooting that took place in Emerald Mountain on Wednesday, July 28.

The deadly shooting involved a 32-year-old man

wielding a two-foot long machete-like knife with an 18-inch blade and a deputy with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office. The man has been identified as Jonathan Pears and the identity of the deputy involved has not been released.

According to Elmore County Sheriff Bill Frank-

lin, Haynes Ambulance initially responded to a medical call at the residence around 5:30 p.m.

Haynes personnel realized that there was potentially a domestic crisis in progress and that law enforcement needed to respond as well.

Around the same time, a family member at the residence called 911 for help. Four Elmore County deputies responded to the call. Upon arrival, a man identifying himself as

Pears’s father walked out through the front door first and Pears followed behind him.

As a deputy spoke with the father, Pears advanced toward the deputy who was holding back the father.

Franklin said the deputy repeatedly told Pears to stop and to drop his weapon, but Pears continued coming at the deputy and the father.

The deputy then shot Pears three times in the upper body. Another deputy

tried to revive Pears, but the effort was unsuccessful.

He was pronounced dead at the scene. Since the shooting Franklin said he has met with members of Pears family.

“It’s a terrible situation, and I truly feel for the family,” Franklin said. “No deputy ever wants to be put in a situation where they may have to kill someone.”

Franklin said the deputy involved in the shooting has nine years of law en-

forcement experience and is “mentally strong.” He said the deputy handled the situation as he was trained to.

Franklin immediately called in a third-party law enforcement agency, the Chilton County Sheriff’s Office, to investigate.

Once the investigation is complete, the findings will be turned over the District Attorney’s Office. From there it will be presented to a grand jury.

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Former Wetumpka resident reflects on plane crash 40 years ago

By BRIANA WILSON Bureau Chief

July 17 marked the 40th anniversary of an airplane crash that happened in Wetumpka, not too far from the Wetumpka Municipal Airport.

It was July 17, 1981, and then-Lt. Col. Clyde Maddox, his wife, Maj. Bettie Maddox, and their daughter, Cadet Amy Maddox, were flying to Hamilton, Alabama for a Civil Air Patrol search and rescue exercise. The made a stop in Wetumpka to pick up then-Col. Richard Curran who was also set to participate in the training.

Their small aircraft took off at 5 p.m., but less than 10 minutes later they would find themselves entrapped in its wreckage. Curran, now 81 years old and living in Dandridge, Tennessee, said the plane’s engine failed due to vapor lock, which occurs when fuel

vaporizes, turning from a liquid to a gas.

The plane crashed seven minutes after it took off, 3.5 miles away from the airport and at an elevation of 1,2001,500 feet.

“It was so hot that day,” Curran remembers. “It was 99-degrees day with high humidity. I remember crashing through a line of trees and landing upside down. A kid from a farmhouse came running up asking if we were okay and if we were alive.”

Because of the way the plane crashed, Curran and Maddox received the brunt of the injuries on the left side of their bodies. Bettie and Amy Maddox, who were sitting in the rear of the aircraft, sustained minor cuts and bruises.

“Almost every bone was broken on the left side of our bodies,” Curran said. “We stayed hanging upside down

in our seatbelts until we were rescued.”

Bones were broken in their necks, shoulders, arms, backs, legs, ankles, knees and everywhere else in between.

Curran and Maddox were taken by ambulance to the now-closed St. Mary’s Hospital in Montgomery. They both underwent hours-long surgeries.

Curran said his operation took 12-13 hours. Pins, screws and plates were placed in their bodies and they spent the next three weeks in intensive care at the hospital.

“My next door neighbors at the time were John and Geri Moore, and their kids Lisa and Jay,” Curran said. “They took good care of me at a time when I really needed it. They were my nurses 24/7.”

Curran said he still keeps in touch with his former Wetumpka neigbors to this day.

Since the crash, Curran has un-

dergone 21 operations related to the injuries he sustained from the accident.

But despite the challenges, he know’s he’s blessed to be alive.

“God was with us that day,” he said.

“It’s not very often that four people survive a plane crash. I’m so thankful for the first responders, Troopers and the sheriff’s deputies who were there and saved us that day. The rescue equipment back then was nothing like it is today. I have a lot of respect for those guys and I thank them for everything they did.”

Clyde Maddox went on to live until he was 80 years old. He death occured in 2014. Bettie Maddox died the next year at 80 years old as well. Their daughter Amy Maddox is now 56 years old.

Curran married his wife Ginger on July 16, 1983, one day before the twoyear anniversary of the crash.

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Art Guild’s Armory Show kicks off

By BRIANA WILSON Bureau Chief

The Elmore County Art Guild kicked off its third annual Armory Show on Tuesday, Aug. 3.

The exhibition is located at Montgomery’s Anita P. Folmar Art Gallery, located in the Armory Learning Arts Center at 1018 Madison Avenue, from Aug. 3-31. A reception will be held on Aug. 5 from 4:30-6:30 p.m.

Gallery hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30

p.m. and Fridays from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m.

ECAG President Shirley Esco said the artwork of about 25 guild members will be on display during the exhibition. Each artist can display up to three pieces of art.

The exhibition includes all mediums of art including fine art, mixed media, sculpting and photography.

The event is free to attend and all of the artwork will be available for purchase.

“This event showcases talented artists from

throughout the River Region and it provides a way for area residents to experience and purchase art from local artists,” Esco said.

ECAG membership is required to display art during the exhibition. The membership fee is $35 per individual and $45 per couple. The ECAG is a nonprofit organization that has been supporting artists and art education in the River Region since 1985.

For more information, go to ElmoreCountyArtGuild.com.

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Tribune

Aubrey Allen commits to Alabama State softball

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Aubrey Allen has already made herself known in the high school softball ranks, but now the Elmore County pitcher will have her chance to do so at the college level.

Allen, a rising senior, committed to play college softball at Alabama State University last week.

She attended a camp at Alabama State a few weeks ago, and after putting on a good showing, earned an offer from ASU coach Todd Bradley. After two weeks of deliberating the offer with her parents, Allen decided ASU was the best program for her future.

“I really enjoyed the coaching,” Allen said of ASU. “I had been to a few camps and it felt like it was where I was supposed to be.

I also know some of the players that are currently there who I’ve played against in school and they

told me some great things about the academics.”

Allen had previously been committed to the University of Montevallo, but hadn’t heard from the school following a coaching change. After continuing to work hard, she said God opened up another opportunity for her and she couldn’t pass it up.

Alabama State had always been in the back of Allen’s mind, as she wanted to find a great program that was close to home.

“We really thought it was the best program for me to grow as a player and ultimately get the best experience playing at the next level,” Allen said.

Allen won’t be the hardest throwing pitcher on Alabama State’s roster when she gets there in the fall of 2022. She’s more of a spin-pitcher, and her velocity usually only sits between 58 and 60 miles per hour.

But velocity doesn’t matter when one can locate and spin the ball as well as Allen can. She

showed how talented she was as a junior last year and finished with a 21-9 record and a 1.59 ERA. She recorded 258 strikeouts compared to only 40 walks in 192.1 innings, a whopping 6.45 K/BB ratio.

Because of that, she was named to the All-Elmore County FirstTeam in the spring.

“Her biggest strength is spinning the ball really well,” Elmore County head coach Mark Segrest said. “She has a really good rise and a really good curve. So her spin is what makes it difficult for good hitters to barrel her up. One thing she does extremely well is pitch on top.

And when she does that, it forces the hitters to have to hit her pitch.

With the spin and the control she has, it puts hitters at a real disadvantage early in the count.”

Allen is joining an Alabama State team that is coming off an NCAA Tournament appearance in See SOFTBALL • Page B2

Andy Anders / The Herald

The Mayor of Tallassee, Johnny Hammock, and Public Information Officer, Griffin Pritchard in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. last week.

Tallassee runner Woodrow Dean stronger than ever following injuries

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Tallassee runner Woodrow Dean knew he wanted to be a professional runner when he was in the seventh grade, and the rising senior isn’t letting injuries stop him from pursuing his goal.

It hasn’t come easy for Dean, but he has become a household name for cross country runners across the state of Alabama.

Dean, who won the Class 5A cross country state championship last season, was named one of the Top 8 seniors across the country by Milesplit. That came due to his fastest 5K race of 2020, when he completed the race with a 14:48.99 time, over a minute faster than the second-place finisher.

“He’s just one of those kids who runs and runs,” Tallassee cross country coach Danny Worley said.

“He’s one of those kids that deserves everything he gets. He trains for it and does what he needs to do. He just outworks everybody. He has just a tremendous work ethic and is always doing something to make himself better.”

Being one of the Top 8 runners in the country and the Class 5A state champion are two very impressive achievements, but the list doesn’t end See DEAN • Page B2

Brian Tannehill / For Tallapoosa Publishers

Payton Stephenson (3) attempts a pass under pressure Friday night.

ELMORE COUNTY, AREA SCHOOLS

BEGIN PRACTICE FOR UPCOMING SCHOOL YEAR

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

Andy Anders / The Herald

The Mayor of Tallassee, Johnny Hammock, and Public Information Officer, Griffin Pritchard in front of the U.S. Capitol in Washington D.C. last week.

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The 2021-22 high school sports year is officially underway.

Monday marked the official start date for select AHSAA high school team practices, which include football, volleyball, cross country and swimming teams.

And while most area teams took traditional approaches to starting practice, the Elmore County football team did things differently.

Elmore County, led by fourthyear head coach Jordan Cantrell, headed to Limestone County on Sunday to a campground owned by the Southern Baptist Association. The Panthers were there from Sunday afternoon until Wednesday.

There, the team and coaching staff split up into groups in each of the three dorm areas and not only practiced football, but also participated in team bonding experiences and other team activities.

“This is just about bonding together and it’s going to be more than practice because practice will be limited, but it’s about being together, bonding, doing team activities together. Last year we weren’t able to do that as much with COVID around.”

— Jordan Cantrell

There were multiple practice fields, along with lights that allowed the team to practice at night. The coaches just had to paint the fields.

“This is just about bonding together and it’s going to be more than practice because practice will be limited, but it’s about being together, bonding, doing team activities together. Last year we weren’t able to do that as much with COVID around,” Cantrell said. “COVID is still alive and we will still take precautions there, but we are getting them away from all the other elements that they are normally exposed to.”

This isn’t the first time Cantrell

has brought his teams here. When he was an assistant and head coach at West Limestone High School his teams went to the campground on a regular basis.

He wanted to go last season, but COVID ruined the trip.

But now, as COVID loosened up in the spring and summer and allowed the teams to get back to at least a little sense of normalcy, Cantrell wanted to bring this year’s team.

He’s not looking for much football wise during his squad’s three days at the campground.

What he is looking forward to is See PRACTICE • Page B2

Page B2 • August 4, 2021

Dean

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continued from Page B1

there for Dean.

Dean recently won the AHSAA North vs. South Cross Country AllStar Event on July 21. It was held at Gateway Park in Montgomery, where Dean won with a time of 15:52.76. He beat the state’s best 19 returning cross country seniors.

The All-Star race was his first since going through two injuries, one to his left knee and one to his right shin.

His knee injury occurred in December and lasted for nearly three months. He tried to do some easy running one on it, but couldn’t, so he eventually had to rest altogether.

After coming back from the knee injury, he sustained a tissue tear in his right shin. Thinking it was just shin splints, Dean tried to run through the injury, but that just made things worse. So he had to take a few more months off from running.

His first time running after his injuries came only six weeks before the All-Star race.

“All I can say is glory to God for it,” Dean said. “If I wasn’t praying through all of this, I wouldn’t be as mentally strong as I am right now. Going through a 6- to 8-month injury is not easy, but knowing I would come back at some point. When I came back, I knew I could still win the big races because of where I was mentally.”

Dean focused on the mental aspect of his running during the injuries. Physically he continued lifting weights, aqua jogging and biking to keep his fitness and strength up.

Now back to full strength, he’s more flexible, he’s stronger, and he’s more focused and isn’t as sidetracked by distractions while he’s running.

Along with those things, he’s back to his normal running regimen.

Dean runs an average of 50 to 60 miles per week. He has three workouts a week, a long run, and then a couple of easy runs in-between those.

His long runs come on Sundays, when he runs for 90 minutes. At an easy pace, he usually covers 12 miles during that time. When he wants to push himself, he runs up to 14 miles.

On Mondays, he usually just runs a 5K to recover from Sunday, while he runs up to nine miles on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays are his workout days, where he focuses on speed work, base training and other workouts.

“I’ve always had the dream to one day go pro so that’s really the dream,” Dean said. “Anything to get me there is really what I’m striving for right now.”

Dean has always been a runner.

His father, Larry, is also a runner, and got Woodrow into running at an early age. Then around seventh grade, Dean started to realize his true potential as a runner.

He was playing baseball at the time, but decided to focus strictly on cross country and track. That’s paid off for him, especially in cross country. He won the 2021 Class 5A state championship, and finished No. 2 as a sophomore in 2020.

He also runs the 800-, 1600and 3200-meter races on the track team, but COVID-19 shut down his sophomore season and his injuries hindered his efforts this past spring, his junior season.

But now back fully healthy, he is coming back for his senior year trying to add to his trophy case. He doesn’t necessarily worry about placement before races, but instead has specific times he wants to meet each race.

In track, he wants to get under 1:53 in the 800, 4:05 in the 1600, and 8:50 for the 3200. And in cross country, he wants to get under 14:30 this year.

His current time of 14:48.99 is ranked No. 8 in the country among seniors, with the No. 1 time being 14:35.31. If Dean can get under 14:30, he could be the fastest senior runner in the country.

“That’s going to be really hard because of my injury, but with how fast I’m coming back already, it’s doable,” Dean said. “Especially with me being both mentally and physically stronger than I was last year.”

File / The Herald

Holtville’s Rylee Helus (13) hits the ball against Elmore County.

Holtville volleyball breaking in inexperienced squad

By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

When the Holtville volleyball team takes the court for the first time this season, there won’t be many familiar faces on the team.

Holtville graduated nine seniors from last year’s squad and returns only one player to its varsity team lone senior Rylee Henus.

The rest of the varsity team hasn’t been decided yet, but only two juniors are on the roster.

The rest of the team consists of freshmen and sophomores.

Head coach Alison Franklin, who is entering her fourth year as head coach, hopes to get her varsity and junior varsity teams sorted out by the end of the first official week of practice.

Volleyball teams statewide began practice on Monday.

“Deal No. 1 is going to be figuring out which players are on varsity and

which are on JV, and then we have to figure out which of those players will put us in the best spot,” Franklin said. “I’m looking for two middle hitters and two outside hitters who are going to work their tails off.”

Henus, who played as one of the team’s middle hitters last season, is the only player with any varsity experience on the team.

And although she is the lone returner, she could see a position change this year.

Henus is listed at 5-foot9 and was one of the two tallest girls on last season’s Holtville squad, but she is not expected to be the tallest again this year.

Franklin said there are a few girls in ninth and tenth grade who can bring more height to the team.

But even if she isn’t the tallest and does make a position change, Henus will continue to serve as the team’s leader and help push each player around her to be the best they can be.

“It’s exciting to bring some height to the team, but yeah, Rylee just works really hard and she just makes everyone around her work that much harder,” Franklin said. “She is very charismatic. The girls really love and respect her. She’s the workhorse and she doesn’t mind pushing the girls to the left and the right of her to give it their best.”

Around Henus will likely be a large group of sophomores who only have one year of experience playing junior varsity. After last year’s team was one of Franklin’s most experienced teams in her career, this season’s will be one of the least experienced.

That isn’t necessarily a bad thing, however, as Franklin said she enjoys having a young or inexperienced team.

Sometimes even more than having a really seasoned group.

She said inexperienced and young teams are more likely to try and make big

Practice seeing how much his team can grow.

“We want them to show great effort and great teamwork,” Cantrell said.

“Moving forth, that’s really what we are looking forward to and building their technique in the scheme we are implementing. We are just hoping to get back to some sense of normalcy and get back to doing team activities and bond as a team together.”

The Panthers went 2-8 last season and 0-6 in Class 5A, Division 4 play.

Elmore County was forced to forfeit one game due to COVID. Its two

continued from Page B1 wins came in the team’s bookend games against Moody in the season opener and Jemison in the season finale.

Elmore County returns a large group of experienced players, including junior quarterback Payton Stephenson. Stephenson played in nine games last season and accumulated 1,466 offensive yards and 15 touchdowns.

And although no starters have been named for this upcoming season, Cantrell believes his team can find

Softball 2021.

The Hornets finished the year 19-29 overall, but had an impressive finish to the season and went 4-0 in the SWAC Conference Tournament to punch their ticket to the NCAA Tournament.

In the NCAA Tournament, the Hornets lost to Alabama and Troy to

gains throughout the year, and they work harder and listen more due to trying to learn the game more.

She’s seen that this summer as they’ve gone through workouts, and she’s excited to see more when the team takes the court for practice next week.

“I love the younger kids who are really aggressive and excited and they’re eager to please,” Franklin said. “And they learn and listen and try to do. So I’m excited about our younger bunch.”

Holtville didn’t have the success it wanted to last season, but Franklin is hoping her squad can get back to the level of success she found in her first year as head coach in 2018.

That year, Holtville won 11 games and clinched a super regional berth.

The first step toward achieving that goal of success will come on Aug. 24 when Holtville opens the season on the road against Wetumpka.

success this year. He said his team led at halftime multiple times last season before losing the lead, and the game, in the second half.

This year, he hopes his team bonding activities at the campground can help keep those halftime leads.

“Tough times arise in a game and there’s going to be adversity you have to overcome in a game, so hopefully that bonding and working together will pay off in game-type settings,” Cantrell said. “It doesn’t always happen, but that’s our goal.”

continued from Page B1 end their season. Alabama State didn’t shy away from any competition in the spring and played six games against SEC opponents.

Allen believes she, and the rest of the 2022 signing class, can help continue the strong tradition of play that Alabama State has become known for.

“I always try to get ahead in the count, and getting ahead in the count definitely gives the pitcher an advantage,” Allen said of what she brings ASU. “The spin and movement and being able to locate my pitches really well, especially with the other ‘22s, I think we can improve Alabama State’s roster.”

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August 4, 2021 • Page B3

Tallassee City Schools gearing up for new school year

By CARMEN RODGERS Bureau Chief

Classes begin Wednesday, Aug. 18, for Tallassee City Schools students. To prepare students, teachers, and parents for what’s ahead in the coming weeks, there will be an open house on Tuesday, Aug. 16, at each school in the district.

Tallassee Elementary School will hold an open house from 10 a.m. until 5 p.m.

Students at Southside Middle School can attend open house from 11 a.m. until 6 p.m.

Tallassee High School will hold open house from 3 p.m. until 7 p.m. Freshman orientation will also be held on Aug. 16 beginning at 6 p.m.

High school students can pick up their iPads on Aug. 3 from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. at the Technology Center at 302 Gilmer Avenue.

Southside students can pick up their iPads from 9 a.m. until 1 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 4, at the Technology Center.

All elementary school students will receive an iPad this year once agreement forms are filled out and returned.

This year, members of the Tallassee Board of Education choose to waive iPad fees for all students.

For more information about open house or iPad pick up, call the school board at 334-283-6864.

Submitted/ The Tribune

The Tallassee High School Class of 1971 held their 50th reunion on July 24. "It was exciting to be the guest speaker for the Class of ’71," TCS Superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin said. "I enjoyed hearing the stories of the old school and meeting the members of the class as they reminisced about their school days."The class members were informed about the new school building, including the journey to fund the project to date. "It was an honor to be asked to speak at their special occasion," Nolin said.

Seen in the photo L to R: ’71 Class Members Joyce Raiford, Judy Shaw, Errol Shaw, Debbie Whitaker, Dr. Brock Nolin, and class member Herby Mason.

Gas prices see slight increase STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Alabama gas prices have risen 0.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.83/g, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 3,348 stations in Alabama. Gas prices in Alabama are 2.5 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand 96.3 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Alabama is

Local businesses and restaurants need your support more than ever. Whether you visit stores, get delivery or shop online, keep your spending local and keep your community healthy.

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priced at $2.50/g today while the most expensive is $3.52/g, a difference of $1.02/g. The lowest price in the state today is $2.50/g while the highest is $3.52/g, a difference of $1.02/g.

The national average price of gasoline has risen 1.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $3.16/g today. The national average is up 3.8 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands 98.2 cents per gallon higher than a year ago.

Historical gasoline prices in Alabama and the national average going back ten years: August 2, 2020: $1.87/g (U.S. Average: $2.17/g) August 2, 2019: $2.35/g (U.S. Average: $2.71/g)

August 2, 2018: $2.58/g (U.S. Average: $2.87/g) August 2, 2017: $2.06/g (U.S. Average: $2.33/g) August 2, 2016: $1.86/g (U.S. Average: $2.11/g) August 2, 2015: $2.26/g (U.S. Average: $2.65/g) August 2, 2014: $3.23/g (U.S. Average: $3.50/g) August 2, 2013: $3.35/g (U.S. Average: $3.62/g) August 2, 2012: $3.30/g (U.S. Average: $3.53/g) August 2, 2011: $3.59/g (U.S. Average: $3.70/g) Neighboring areas and their current gas prices: Birmingham- $2.79/g, up 0.9 cents per gallon from last week’s $2.78/g.

Montgomery- $2.80/g, up 0.4 cents per gallon from last week’s $2.80/g.

Huntsville- $2.80/g, up 0.3 cents per gallon from

last week’s $2.80/g.

“The downward move in the national average last week was short-lived with the national average rebounding last week on continued strong gasoline demand in the U.S. which has pushed oil prices back up after a brief lull,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis for GasBuddy. “According to GasBuddy data, demand last week set another 2021 high, eclipsing the previous week’s record as we head into the prime of the summer driving season.

For the next week or two, we may continue to see gas prices inch higher, but once schools begin re-opening and vacation season ends, we’ll likely see demand trail off, allowing for gas prices to decline gently heading into Labor Day.” GasBuddy is the authoritative voice for gas prices and the only source for station-level data spanning nearly two decades. Unlike AAA’s once daily survey covering credit card transactions at 100,000 stations and the Lundberg Survey, updated once every two weeks based on 7,000 gas stations, GasBuddy’s survey updates 288 times every day from the most diverse list of sources covering nearly 150,000 stations nationwide, the most comprehensive and up-to-date in the country.

GasBuddy data is accessible at http://FuelInsights.

GasBuddy.com.

Page B4 • August 4, 2021

www.TallasseeTribune.com

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

It’s Back to School Time! In the next few weeks, lots of kids will once again begin school following their Summer break. Some students will be returning to the same school they attended last year, and some will be starting at new schools. Many are excited to begin a new school year, but oftentimes some can be very nervous about going back. Whether you are in Elementary School, Middle School, High School, or even College, remember to be kind to those who seem a little bit anxious. There are many types of school settings and classrooms that are used for learning. Some of us go to traditional classrooms in school buildings. Others may be taught at home by a parent or family member. This is called homeschool. Others attend school online, or virtually, where their lessons are taught by their teachers on the computer. No matter which type of classroom you will be attending this Fall, there are a few things that can help you be successful in your studies.

Set an alarm for school and wake up with plenty of time to get ready. Get your favorite RXW¿W UHDG\ WKH QLJKW EHIRUH %H VXUH WR JLYH \RXUVHOI SOHQW\ RI WLPH WR HDW D KHDOWK\ EUHDNfast before beginning school. During school, never participate in bullying, be kind, and listen to your teachers. It is important to remember that everyone with whom we attend school deserves respect! Have a great school year!

SHADOW MATCH

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2. You read this.

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4. Takes away pencil.

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8. Pastes things together.

SCHOOL SUPPL UPPLY LY CRO ROSSWORD OSSW SW WORD ORD Crossword Ans: Across-3)sharpener 6)notebook 7)paper 9)pencil 10)crayons Down-1)calculator 2) textbook 3)scissors 4) eraser 5)folder 7)pen 8)glue

Virtual learning has become a great tool for teachers and students to connect and learn when traditional classroom settings are unavailable. Many college students take online studies every year.

Shadow Match Ans: 1-C 2-D 3-B 4-A

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KEITH CANNON, OWNER 220 Company St. • Wetumpka, AL 334-567-6760 www.singletonsmuffler.com EXHAUST OIL CHANGES

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JE\ 101-B Caldwell Street, Tallassee, AL 36078 bhornsbyandson@elmore.rr.com

Joyce Wright Broker 334-399-5100

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J. Alan Taunton & Company, LLC Certified Public Accountants • Tax Planning and Tax Preparation • Bookkeeping and Accounting Services • Payroll and Payroll Tax Services • Small Business Consulting Services • Quickbooks and Sage Peachtree Assistance

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THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

www.TallasseeTribune.com

August 4, 2021 • Page B5

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Lake River Phone (256) 277-4219 Fax (205) 669-4217 The Alexander City Outlook

The Dadeville Record

PUZZLES & HOROSCOPE ARIES (March 21-April 19) This is a good day to wrap up old projects, especially about home or family.

Get your facts. Get your ducks in a row.

You know that you’re great at beginning things, but it takes some discipline to Änish what you started. Tonight: Home improvements.

TAURUS (April 20-May 20) Conversations with neighbors, siblings and relatives will be important today. You might discuss Änances and possessions, or something else that is pertinent. It’s a good day to tie up loose ends. Tonight: A convincing conversation.

GEMINI (May 21-June 20) Wrap up details with your possessions or money today, because you’ll feel better if you do. In the morning, you are empowered, and after the Moon Alert is over, your focus on money increases even more so. Ka-ching! Tonight: Moneymaking ideas!

CANCER (June 21-July 22) After the Moon Alert today, the Moon will move into your sign, which will make you more emotional. (This happens for two and a half days every month.) However, you should know that this will also slightly increase your good luck. Bonus!

Tonight: Ask for a favor.

LEO (July 23-Aug. 22) This morning is a social time with others.

In fact, it’s an excellent time to wrap up any projects you have initiated with others. After the Moon Alert is over, make time to enjoy some privacy or sneak away to your secret cubbyhole. Tonight: Enjoy solitude.

VIRGO (Aug. 23-Sept. 22) This morning you are high-viz, which means others will notice you more than usual. (You might use this to your advantage, or not.) After the Moon Alert is over today, you will feel a strong desire to talk to a friend or mingle with a group.

Tonight: Share your dreams.

LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)

classifieds@alexcityoutlook.com public.notices@alexcityoutlook.com

Reaching more than 22,000 households in Tallapoosa and Elmore counties

After the Moon Alert today, you will have the attention of bosses, parents or VIPs. People notice you more than usual, and they might be more inclined to listen to you as well. Hey, you might have the winning hand. Tonight: Use your power.

SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) As this day wears on, your desire to do something diɈerent and explore new ideas and meet new people will grow stronger and stronger. Ideally, after the Moon Alert is over, you might travel somewhere or meet new and unusual people. Tonight: Do something diɈerent!

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) This morning you might wrap up details with a partner or close friend, because this is an excellent time to do this. After the Moon Alert today, you will be more interested in Änancial matters or something to do with shared property, taxes, debt or inheritances. Tonight: Check banking details.

CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Before the Moon Alert occurs today, you will be productive and get a lot done. After the Moon Alert, be prepared to go more than halfway with others.

Compromise and cooperation will be your best choices. (Some days, that’s how the cookie crumbles.) Tonight: Talk to someone close to you.

AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) This is a playful, creative morning for you. Write down your clever ideas, because you might explore them later.

However, after the Moon Alert is over, you’re ready to roll up your sleeves and get to work. “I owe, I owe, so oɈ to work I go.” Tonight: Get organized.

PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Use this morning to Änish family business or wrap up whatever is on your plate at home. You’ll make good headway. After the Moon Alert today, you want to play and socialize! Ideas? Surely, something comes to mind. Tonight: Enjoy socializing.

classifieds@thewetumpkaherald.com public.notices@thewetumpkaherald.com

The Eclectic Observer

Employment

The Tallassee Tribune

Job Opportunities

The Wetumpka Herald

Job Opportunities

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Job Opportunities Bill Nichols State Veterans Home NOW-HIRING!!!

•Weekend RN Supervisor Baylor •3p-11p Supervisor Monday-Friday •RN/LPN Charge Nurse Full-Time Sign-On Bonus Available!!

•CNA Full-Time Sign-On Bonus Available!!

3pm-11pm & 11pm-7am Off every other weekend • Housekeeping and Dietary positions available •Now offering C.N.A. classes • W/E Baylor Charge Nurse Positions Available **Work 12hrs get paid for KUV ZLWK IXOO WLPH EHQH¿WV

Job Opportunities 12: +,5,1*

Are you looking for employment at this time?

Are you currently employed and wanting to make a career change?

Call Allegiance Staffing today!

We have job opportunities in both the Alexander City area and the Dadeville area.

Let us get you started on your new career path today!

If you are interested, please contact

Allegiance Staffing Alex City Branch at 256-329-3477 for more information or apply online at www.allegiancestaffing.com.

FRUIT OF THE LOOM RUSSELL DC NOW HIRING for Multiple Positions 1st and 2nd Shifts Available •Full-Time •Temp. Seasonal •Part-Time

Apply in Person: 1357 Lee St. Alex City Contact HR: 256-500-4000

•CDL Drivers •Laborers •Heavy Equipment Operators •Must be highly motivated and able to follow directions •Must have own transportation

Please call: 334-315-0073

Baldwin Transfer Company

Local jobs for truck drivers Class A CDL $1500 Sign on bonus, $20/hr Home nightly 251-433-3391

We look forward to hearing from you soon!!

baldwintransferco.com/driver.aspx

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The Learning Tree, Inc. is Accepting Applications for 2nd, 3rd and Weekend shifts for Direct Care Applications can be picked up at: 101 S. Dubois Street Tallassee, AL 36078 Or contact Sarah Sessions (334)252-0025 Ext. 101 Email: sarah.sessions@ learning-tree.org

Moco Transportation OTR Drivers Needed •25 yrs old, 2 yrs Exp. •Good MVR. •NO LOCAL RUNS

Call: 1-800-328-3209 Put your ad here call 256.414.4250

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Small long term care facility, Alexander City All applicants must possess the ability to direct nursing care to the residents and to supervise the day-to-day nursing activities. Must be able to work on a medication cart and provide patient care.

Good customer service and positive attitude toward the elderly a must! Competitive pay!

Full-time 8 AND 12 hour shifts available, Flexible schedules, every other weekend off!

Also hiring for PRN positions!

BC/BS ins, Vision and Dental ins, 401K retirement plan, Education assistance after requirements met.

Paid weekly!

Must hold current, unencumbered, Alabama LPN or RN license. Must be at least 18 years of age. Must be knowledgeable of nursing and medical practices & procedures.

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ATTENTION: NURSES & CNA’S Second and Third shift CNAs (2p-10P and 10p-6a) Third shift Charge Nurses LPN or RN 7P-7A. RN Supervisor.

We offer sign on Bonus for nurses $5000 and sign on Bonus for CNAs $2100.

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Find out how to get our most popular phones, call now!

Iv Support Holdings LLC

(877) 324-4002 Call AT&T sales rep for details. For trade-in instructions visit tradein.att.com/offer-details Limited time offer. All products and services are offered, supplied and performed by AT&T Services, Inc. (“AT&T”). AT&T is not an affiliate of or endorsed by Sam’s Club. AT&T is solely responsible for the products and services advertised. Sam’s Club has no obligation to perform any responsibilities of AT&T, and Sam’s Club does not guarantee the performance of AT&T’s obligations.

Raise your hand if you want your business to make LESS money next year.

We didn’t think you would. Do you need to successfully market on a tight budget? Tallapoosa and Elmore County Classifieds has customizable programs available to fit any budget.

DON’T WAIT! Call TODAY 256.414.4250

Page B6 • August 4, 2021

Job Opportunities

www.TallasseeTribune.com

Job Opportunities

Automobiles

Southern Apparel Inc Now Hiring for

2006 Chevy Cobalt 93,000 Miles $2,500 (256)329-9812 Call after noon.

Apparel Manufacturing Please send resumes: adurbin@southernapinc.com

Call 334-567-5044

Boats & Watercraft

Auctions & Sales

Notices

Public Notices

AlaScans g pp g y first order. (Open M-F).

TRAIN ONLINE TO DO MEDICAL BILLING! Become a Medical Office Professional online at CTI! Get Trained, Certified & ready to work in months! Call 866-475-1014.

(M-F 8am-6pm ET).

HEALTH/BEAUTY ATTENTION OXYGEN THERAPY USERS! Inogen One G4 is capable of full 24/7 oxygen delivery. Only 2.8 pounds. FREE information kit.

Call 844-322-9935.

Garage Sales $0.25,$0.50 & $1.00 PLUS Yard Sale 3384 Shady Glen Saturday, August 7th 7AM until

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

17’ CLASSIC ANTIQUE BOAT 1959 Thompson Sea Chaser 1992 Honda 4stroke 16 gal alum tank Seat cushions *RRG VKDSH IHZ ÀDZV Panama City FL $5400 850-276-6369

AUTOMOTIVE VEHICLE TITLE Problems?

We have a solution! Call Jason Steward Enterprises, We’re Alabama’s #1 Vehicle Title Problem Experts! Free telephone consultation.

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NEED NEW Flooring? Call Empire Today to schedule a Free in-home estimate on Carpeting and Flooring.

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1-888-381-0916.

Collector Cars

1968 Chevrolet Camaro SS 8 cyl rwd, garage kept, 27k miles. $12,200.00 Info: ch659967@gmail.com or 205-284-2639.

Trucks, SUVs & Vans Ford F-250, 2002, Super Duty 7.3L Diesel, 4WD, 121751 Miles, Extremely clean inside and out., $5,530.00 205-302-7139

Raise your hand if you want your business to make LESS money next year.

Services

We didn’t think you would. Do you need to successfully market on a tight budget? Tallapoosa and Elmore County Classifieds has customizable programs available to fit any budget.

Pet & Livestock Services

DON’T WAIT! Call TODAY 256.414.4250

PUBLIC NOTICE Tallapoosa County Board of Education Disabled 6WXGHQW ,GHQWL¿FDWLRQ The Tallapoosa County Board of Education is in the process of identifying students with disabilities between the ages of newborn and 21.

If you have knowledge of a child with a disability who is not enrolled in a program for students with disabilities or would like more information, contact Special Education Services at (256) 825-0746, Ext 23. *LIWHG 6WXGHQW ,GHQWL¿FDWLRQ

FOR SALE DirecTV Satellite Service starting at $59.99/month!

1 Year Price Lock! 155+ Channels available. Call Now to get the Most Sports on TV! 888-404-2087.

General Notices

Public Notices

The Tallapoosa County Board of Education is accepting referrals for students who exhibit gifted characteristics.

For more information, contact Special Education Services at (256) 825-0746, Ext 23.

Section 504 ,GHQWL¿FDWLRQ

Student

The Tallapoosa County Board of Education is in the process

Public Notices p of identifying students that may have a physical or mental impairment that substantially limits a major life activity and may require Section 504 accommodations. For more information, contact Special Education Services at (256) 825-0746, Ext 23.

Tallassee Tribune: July 28 and Aug. 4, 2021 CHILD FIND PUBLIC NOTICE Case # 2021-0185 NOTICE TO CREDITORS TAKE NOTICE-that Letters Testamentary having been granted to Mary E. Bowles, as Executor of the Estate of Lavaughn Webster, deceased, on the 16th day of July, 2021, by the Honorable Talmadge East.

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that all persons having claims against the said Estate are hereby required to present the same within the time allowed by law or the same will be barred. /s/ Mary E. Bowles EXECUTOR TAL EAST Judge of Probate Tallassee Tribune: Jul. 21, 28 and Aug. 4, 2021 EST/WEBSTER, L.

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Apply at 3601 Wetumpka Hwy in Montgomery Local manufacturing company seeking production workers and truck loaders.

Please contact Laura at 334-514-4524 for application.

Business Opportunities BECOME A DENTAL ASSISTANT IN ONLY 7 WEEKS! Visit our website

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Rentals Apartments

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is hiring CDL-A Drivers in your area Great Pay! ([FHOOHQW %HQH¿WV Visit our website www.whiteoaktrans.com for more information EOE-M/F/D/V

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(800) 208-4396 Bill Gordon & Associates, a nationwide practice, represents clients before the Social Security Administration.

Member of the TX & NM Bar Associations. Mail: 1420 NW St Washington D.C. Office: Broward County, FL. Services may be provided by associated attorneys licensed in other states. * The process for determining each applicant’s disability benefits varies greatly, and can take upwards of two years.

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ARE YOU BEHIND $10k OR MORE ON YOUR TAXES? Stop wage & bank levies, liens & audits, unfiled tax returns, payroll issues, & resolve tax debt FAST. Call 855-887-9533 (Hours: Mon-Fri 7am-5pm PST).

Did you receive a HERNIA MESH IMPLANT in 2008 or later and require a revision or removal surgery? You may be entitled to compensation. Let our legal team assist you in getting the maximum amount you deserve! Call 866-943-9202.

'HQLHG %HQHˋWV" 8QDEOH 7R :RUN"

SOCIAL SECURITY BENEFITS

State Classified

Seeking 1-2BR Rental Approximately $300/month Alex City/Dadeville area.

Call 256-825-5805 Leave message.

Transportation Automobiles 2004 Tahoe Black with 139,000 miles asking $5500 or best offer.

Contact me at 256-596-0019

BATH & SHOWER UPDATES in as little as ONE DAY! Affordable prices - No payments for 18 months! Lifetime warranty & professional installs. Senior & Military Discounts available.

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1-877-271-3236 HughesNet is a registered trademark of Hughes Network Systems, LLC, an EchoStar Company.

1 The HughesNet Gen5 service plans are designed to deliver download speeds of 25 Mbps and upload speeds of 3 Mbps, but individual customers may experience different speeds at different times of the day. Speeds and uninterrupted use are not guaranteed and may vary based on a variety of factors including: the configuration of your computer, the number of concurrent users, network or Internet congestion, the capabilities and content of the Websites you are accessing, network management practices as deemed necessary, and other factors. When you connect to the HughesNet service using Wi-Fi, your experience will vary based on your proximity to the Wi-Fi source and the strength of the signal.

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THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Humane Society of Elmore County news 15th annual Bark in the Park coming up

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

After last year’s hiatus due to COVID, we are looking forward to our 15th Annual Bark in the Park at Fort Toulouse on Sunday, Sept. 19, from 1-5 p.m. (rain date is Sept. 26). So, mark your calendar because we cannot wait to see everyone again.

Bark in the Park is all about celebrating that special bond so many of us have with our dogs and we always look forward to a huge crowd of both humans and dogs enjoying the afternoon at Fort Toulouse. Bring your appetite for yummy hot dogs from Wetumpka’s own Grumpy Dog, and you can follow that up with delectable Italian Ice from Venice Gelato and sodas from Buffalo Rock.

Get your pet microchipped from 1:303:30 p.m. with the help of the Tuskegee Veterinarian School for only $25, which covers the chip and registration.

You will be able to “Ask the Vet” questions if need be, let your dog paint its very own ‘paw’ painting, participate in a number of fun pet contests to be announced, visit the booths of wonderful local vendors, get something yummy to eat, and purchase one of our Bark in the Park 2021 T-Shirts for $15.

We will also have a Blessing of the Pets prior to our always-popular Pet Parade!

Admission to Bark in the Park is $5 per person 13 years old and older.

All dogs coming to Bark in the Park must be good in public, meaning good around children, adults and other dogs in a very busy situation, and they must have a current rabies tag/proof of rabies vaccination to come to the park.

Vendor spots are still available, and Bark in the Park is a great place for folks to be able to learn about your business, product or service. We welcome local businesses, clubs, civic groups, etc. Our vendor fee is only $35 and you must bring your own tables/ pop-up/chairs. There is no electricity available so if you must bring a generator please let us know for site planning. To get a vendor application please contact us at the shelter at hselco@bellsouth.net or call us at 334567-3377.

www.TallasseeTribune.com

August 4, 2021 • Page B7

Tails and Tales summer reading program comes to an end

By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer

The Tallassee Library’s Summer Reading Program, Tails and Tales, ended last Wednesday, July 28. This is a popular and well-attended summer reading program, and despite limited capacity due to COVID-19 safety precautions, this year’s program was a success.

“What an awesome group of kids we had this year,” Tallassee Community Librarian Margaret Lumpkin said. “With 77 kids registered, we had 63 readers, and 20 kids who read over 100 books.”

This year, participants read 5,901 books beating last year’s readers by 528.

“A big thanks to our sponsors, The Mildred Blount Foundation, McDonald’s, and the Library Book Fairy,” Lumpkin said.

The 2-to-5-year-old winners were Eli Mann in first place with 534 books read. Charlotte Priest read 193 books to take second place, and Adley and Gatlin Fomby both took third place with 140 books read this summer.

In 6-to-9-year-old winners, Colten Adair took first place with 461 books read. Faith Dixon was this year’s second place winner with 232 books read, and Lucas Zamfir won third place after he read 226 books this summer.

In the 10-years-old and up age group, first place went to Emily Zamfir who read 377 books.

Mason Adair won second place with 341 books read, and Abigail Zamfir took third place with 275 books read this summer.

Ten additional participants read more than 100 books this year. Charity Priest read 194 books, Ruby Reinhardt 176 read books, Olivia Reinhardt read 144 books, Amelia Glass read 132 books, Elyse Jones read 124 books, Jaylah Jones read 109 books, Kimbrel Jones read 103 books, Peter Zamfir read 103 books, and Ellie and Emma Betts read 100 books.

Carmen Rodgers / Tallassee Tribune

There were 77 children registered for the Tails and Tales summer reading program at the Tallassee Community Library this year.

Page B8 • August 4, 2021

OLLI at Auburn presents Fall 2021 Term with a focus on Wild Places in Alabama

www.TallasseeTribune.com

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Pet of the week - Yoshi

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University introduces Fall 2021 term with a special focus on the wilderness of Alabama. OLLI will kick-off fall term with an opening event on Sept. 8 with author, journalist, and filmmaker, Michael Ray Taylor.

Taylor’s talk is sponsored by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the F. Allen and Louise K. Turner Foundation.

The Turner grant is also funding a public Brown Bag series that will examine nature and designated wilderness areas of Alabama through the lenses of history, literature, science, and politics. OLLI classes begin Sept. 13.

In addition to the usual rich variety of notfor-credit classes, this fall OLLI will also offer its members a set of classes focused on the wilderness of our beautiful state including Ancient Life in Alabama, Landscape Photography, and Shinrin Yoku Forest Bathing.

OLLI’s long-term favorites include Writing Our Lives, World War II, Line Dancing, Mysteries, Yoga, Shakespeare, Spanish, and The Concerto will also be offered. And again, this fall, all three OLLIs in Alabama will share a few, via ZOOM, stand-out classes with each other. The University of Alabama will offer Opera, US Founders, and a class on Iceland, while The University of Alabama in Huntsville will offer Chinese Art History, World War I, and Dolly Parton: More than a Cup of Ambition.

Classes will be held in-person, via ZOOM, with a few ZOOM hybrids. Registration begins Monday, Aug. 16. View course offerings now at Auburn.edu/outreach/olliatauburn.

OLLI at Auburn is a member organization that enriches the lives of senior adults by providing opportunities to engage with ideas, each other, and the community. There is no homework and no grades – just the fun of discovering the world we live in with fellow learners. Visit the OLLI website at http://www. auburn.edu/outreach/olliatauburn or call 334844-3146.

OLLI at Auburn is a program of the Office of the Vice President for University Outreach.

OLLI administrative offices and select classes are located at the historic Sunny Slope property, 1031 South College Street, Auburn, Alabama.

For more information or to learn about becoming a Volunteer Faculty Member, Volunteer Service Assistant, or Sponsor, contact Barbara Daron, OLLI Program Coordinator, at 334-844-3102, olli@auburn.edu, or visit our website at www.auburn.edu/outreach/olliatauburn.

Yoshi is a black, 7-month-old male Lab mix. He weighs about 45 pounds.

Yoshi is as silly as he is sweet. He loves dashing around the play yard and then flopping in your lap for some cuddle time. He’s great with other dogs and he would love a family with children to call his own. Can’t you just see him being a best bud to his little girl or boy?

Adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1-year-old. Cats over 1 year old can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter,

OLLI at Auburn presents Fall 2021 Term with a focus on Wild Places in Alabama Staff Report TPI Staff

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Auburn University introduces Fall 2021 term with a special focus on the wilderness of Alabama. OLLI will kick-off fall term with an opening event on Sept. 8 with author, journalist, and filmmaker, Michael Ray Taylor.

Taylor’s talk is sponsored by grants from the Alabama State Council on the Arts and the F. Allen and Louise K. Turner Foundation. The Turner grant is also funding a public Brown Bag series that will examine nature and designated wilderness areas of Alabama through the lenses of history, literature, science, and politics. OLLI classes begin Sept.

13.

In addition to the usual rich variety of not-for-credit classes, this fall OLLI will also offer its

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basic immunizations, de-worming, 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 Yoshi or any of the pets at the humane society, send an email to hselco@bellsouth. net to get an adoption application. Once that is cleared, an appointment will be set up. Walk-in adoptions are not allowed at this time.

The shelter is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka, the phone number is 334-567-3377, and the website is www.elmorehumane.org.

members a set of classes focused on the wilderness of our beautiful state including Ancient Life in Alabama, Landscape Photography, and Shinrin Yoku Forest Bathing.

OLLI’s long-term favorites include Writing Our Lives, World War II, Line Dancing, Mysteries, Yoga, Shakespeare, Spanish, and The Concerto will also be offered.

And again, this fall, all three OLLIs in Alabama will share a few, via ZOOM, stand-out classes with each other. The University of Alabama will offer Opera, US Founders, and a class on Iceland, while The University of Alabama in Huntsville will offer Chinese Art History, World War I, and Dolly Parton: More than a Cup of Ambition. Classes will be held in-person, via ZOOM, with a few ZOOM hybrids. Registration begins Monday, Aug. 16. View course offerings now at Auburn. edu/outreach/olliatauburn.

OLLI at Auburn is a member

organization that enriches the lives of senior adults by providing opportunities to engage with ideas, each other, and the community. There is no homework and no grades – just the fun of discovering the world we live in with fellow learners.

Visit the OLLI website at http:// www.auburn.edu/outreach/ olliatauburn or call 334-844-3146.

OLLI at Auburn is a program of the Office of the Vice President for University Outreach. OLLI administrative offices and select classes are located at the historic Sunny Slope property, 1031 South College Street, Auburn, Alabama.

For more information or to learn about becoming a Volunteer Faculty Member, Volunteer Service Assistant, or Sponsor, contact Barbara Daron, OLLI Program Coordinator, at 334-844-3102, olli@auburn. edu, or visit our website at www. auburn.edu/outreach/olliatauburn.

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

www.TallasseeTribune.com

August 4, 2021 • Page B9

A new spark Ribbon cutting held for Hensley Creek Candles

By BRIANA WILSON Bureau Chief

After more than a year of running her business out of her home, April Hensley now has a permanent location for Hensley Creek Candles.

A ribbon cutting, hosted by the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce, and grand opening event was held on Thursday, July 22, at the business’s new location, 10940 U.S. 231.

Anna Chappelle, the chamber’s director of development, congratulated Hensley on the opening of the store, calling her success an inspiration.

“Entrepreneurship is the life blood of our community,” Chappelle said.

“It’s just really amazing how this business has grown.”

Hensley said it took about a month for her to get the 852-square-foot space ready for opening day. The space includes a show room where available products are on display, a pour room where all the candles are made and a storage room.

“It took a lot of blood,

Briana Wilson / The Herald

Top: April Hensley discusses the various scents for sale in the show room. April Hensley prepares to cut the ribbon for her new store, Hensley Creek Candles. Above: Hensley discusses the various scents for sale in the show room.

sweat and 3 a.m. nights, but it’s all a blessing that’s for sure,” she said. “God is solely responsible for this coming to fruition the way it has. With COVID and everything that came along with it, there were so many factors that could’ve deterred this.”

Hensley became the owner of the company on March 1, 2020 after purchasing the business from a friend who wanted to get out of the candle-making business.

“I bought the company because I was looking for

a way to generate some extra income,” she said. “I poured the first candle and I was in love.”

A little more than two weeks later on March 19, which happens to be Hensley’s birthday, Gov. Kay Ivey issued statewide restrictions due the global pandemic.

“I’d just invested my money into this business,” Hensley said. “I dropped down on my knees and asked the Lord to show me the way – to show me the path forward.”

Hensley took her

business online and that’s where it boomed during the height of the pandemic. Her first time being able attend craft show/vendor market was at Lake Martin during the 2020 Fourth of July weekend.

Hensley Creek Candles quickly became a sought after business. She began getting invitations to vendor markets throughout the area. As the business grew, it slowly began taking over her home.

“The kitchen, the living room, the bedroom –we’ve poured candles in every room except the bathroom,” Hensley said.

Hensley said she knew she needed to move the business into its own space if she wanted it to continue growing at the rate that it has. From boutiques, flower shops and hair salons, Hensley’s products are now sold in 12 states and she’s looking to grow the business even more.

Now that the store has opened, Hensley said she plans to begin hosting community events. This fall, Hensley will offer Corks and Candles, an event

where residents can make their own candles while enjoying wine and beer.

She also has plans to partner with a winery to offer Sips and Scents, an event where patrons will be able to smell specially curated candle while enjoying a wine tasting.

Soap making classes for all ages is also in the works. In December, she’s set to host Cookies, Candles and Claus, which will feature Santa Claus on the

front porch taking pictures with the public.

Hensley Creek Candles is open on Tuesdays from noon to 8 p.m., Wednesdays from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Thursdays and Fridays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The store is closed on Sundays and Mondays.

For more information about the business, follow the Hensley Creek Candles Facebook page.

Eclectic Observer The

WEDNESDAY • AUGUST 4, 2021

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Vol. 31, No. 14

ECLECTIC NUTRITION

NOW OPEN FOR BUSINESS

By BRIANA WILSON Bureau Chief

Eclectic Nutrition is now open in downtown Eclectic.

The business, located at 25B Kowaliga Road, held its soft opening on Saturday, July 31, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., and owner Kristen Dales said the day was a success. Dales said she’s planning a grand opening event that will take place in about two weeks.

“Saturday was pretty steady,” she said. “There was a good turnout. A lot of people said they’re glad we’re here.”

Dales said she’s received nothing but good feedback on the quality and taste of her teas and shakes, but she’s still working hard to reach people who might not know about her business.

“Since Saturday, I’ve been busy trying to get the word out that we’re here and we’re open,” she said. “I invite anyone and everyone to just pop in to say ‘hey,’ or come out and try a tea or shake.”

Eclectic Nutrition features Herbalife Nutrition products, which have been growing in popularity over the past few years. Eclectic Nutrition offers loaded teas, meal replacement shakes and protein iced coffees.

The loaded teas are available to try in several different flavor combinations.

Dales said the herbal tea mixtures come in five different flavors, while the sugarfree water enhancers and liftoff energy tablets come in a variety of different flavors, allowing for countless flavor combinations to mix and match. The loaded teas have 24 calories, no sugar and 4 grams of carbohydrates.

“The loaded teas aid in weight loss, digestion and helps with your metabolism by making you feel full for longer,” Dales said. “And they’re full of vitamins and minerals.”

The 200-calorie, plant-based meal replacement shakes will be available in 15 flavors. They contain 24 grams of protein, 21 vitamins and minerals and 5 grams of fiber.

The 100-calorie protein iced coffees also come in a variety of flavors and contain 80 milligrams of caffeine and 2 grams of sugar.

Dales said she began using Herbalife products last year at home and discovered that they worked great for her and her lifestyle.

“I just really liked the way they make me feel,” she said. “I’m more upbeat and energized, and I don’t feel so dragged down halfway through the day.”

Dales decided to sign up as a Herbalife distributor and she began introducing the beverages to people at her job.

“I started selling teas at work, then I made a Facebook page and it just really grew,” Dales said. “When I started introducing it to other people, I was seeing how it was changing their lives and it just inspired me to venture out.

That’s when I started thinking about opening a storefront.”

Dales’ downtown Eclectic location is 900 square feet. She gave the space a facelift by painting the walls and floor, knocking down a wall and expanding the bar/cash register area.

In addition to the beverages, Dales also plans to have shirts, cups, decals, koozies and Herbalife candy and protein bars available to purchase.

Eclectic Nutrition is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Dales said she’s considering a 6 a.m. opening time when school starts back. Also, be sure to follow Eclectic Nutrition on Instagram @EclecticNutritionClub.

Submitted / The Observer

INSET: Eclectic Nutrition offers several different flavors of teas and shakes.

TOP RIGHT: There was a steady flow of customers on Saturday during the soft opening of Eclectic Nutrition. MIDDLE RIGHT: Store owner Kristen Dales, left, stops to take a photo with a customer on Saturday. RIGHT: Store owner Kristen Dales, right, takes a photo with customers on Saturday.

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