06-15-22 Tallassee Tribune by Tallapoosa Publishers

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JUNE 15, 2022

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VOL. 124, NO. 24

Tallapoosa County collects $28 million in property taxes BY CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer When Tallapoosa County Revenue Commissioner Eva Middlebrooks closed the books on property taxes for 2022 she noticed two things — the amount and how close the books were. “We collected about $28 million,” Middlebrooks told the Tallapoosa County Commission at its Monday meeting. “We were also only off by three cents and I believe that is due to rounding.”

Middlebrooks said her office had also collected several tax accounts that were past due where the businesses had closed. The Tallapoosa County Commission also recognized the work of the Tallapoosa County Department of Human Resources (DHR) for efforts in recognizing and preventing elder abuse. Tallapoosa County DHR director Brenda Floyd said there are four things everyone should know to help combat the emotional, physical and financial abuse of those over 50.

“Learn the signs of elder abuse and how we can solve the issue together,” Floyd said. “Prevent isolation by calling or visiting our older loved ones and asking how they are doing on a regular basis. Talk to friends and family members about how we can all age well and reduce abuse with programs and services like law enforcement, community centers and public transportation. Sign up to be a friendly visitor to an older person in our

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE TRIBUNE

The Tallapoosa County Commission poses with the employees of See TAXES, Page A2 the Tallapoosa County Department of Human Resources who help to investigate claims of elder abuse.

Cooke wants to bring servant heart to auditor’s office BY CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer Stan Cooke wants to serve Alabama as its state auditor. He grew up in the coal mining area in Sumiton and worked in mining pits while still in high school. “Times were hard,” Cooke said. “I know what it means to grow up poor, to have one pair of blue jeans to start the school year with. You wear them all year long, they get washed every night. Come May and school See COOKE, Page A3

Allen tauts experience in campaign for secretary of state BY CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer Wes Allen knows Alabama elections and vital documents and wants to bring that experience to the office of Alabama Secretary of State. The Tuscaloosa native and Pike County resident believes his political experience makes him uniquely qualified for the office. “I’m the only candidate in this race that has the experience of probate judge,” Allen said. “No other candidate in this race has been chief elections official. I can run that office when I step in there on day one.” Allen was appointed probate judge in Pike County in 2009 by then Governor Bob Riley. In 2012 he was elected to the office. With nine years as probate judge, Allen has helped oversee elections in and around Troy.

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE TRIBUNE

Tristan Moon has opened Moon’s BBQ on Jordan Avenue and hopes to convert the building into a sit down restaurant.

MOON BRINGING OLD FAMILY BBQ TO TALLASSEE BY CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

ristan Moon wants to be more involved in Tallassee after moving to town following retirement from the military. Moon and his family wanted to do something for the

town. “We are here in Tallassee,” Moon said. “We want to continue to build and try to bring more things to that community.” Moon has opened up Moon BBQ on Jordan Avenue. “I’ve brought my family

recipe,” Moon said. “It’s my grandfather’s from Talladega. I never got a chance to meet him but have heard many stories about him.” Moon has been working on a building on Jordan Avenue See BBQ, Page A3

See ALLEN, Page A6

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Obituaries THOMAS BOULWARE Mr. Thomas “Tom” Davis Boulware, a resident of Clanton, Alabama, passed away Saturday, June 11, 2022, at the age of 83. He was born in Reeltown, Alabama to Mr. Algie and Clarice Boulware. Mr. Boulware is survived by his son, Kelvin Boulware (Kim); daughters, Gina Willis (Ken) and Ellen Doughty (Vernon); five grandchildren, Laura Varden (Aaron), Heather Shropshire (Blake), Luke Willis (Hailey), Russell Boulware, Perry Boulware; three great grandchildren, Ryley Willis, Abram Willis and Camille Willis. He retired from Alabama Power after 40 years of service. Mr. Boulware is preceded in death by his wife of 61 years, Mrs. Jean Boulware and his parents, Mr. Algie and Mrs. Clarice Boulware. The family will receive

friends Wednesday, June 15, 2022 at 10:00AM until 11:00AM at Jeffcoat Funeral Home. Graveside services will be held at 11:30AM, in Rose Hill Cemetery, with Erron Price and Randall Mims officiating. Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing. JAMES BENJAMIN JONES James Benjamin (Ben) Jones, 85, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by family after a long battle with COPD on June 6, 2022. He was born on March 30, 1937, in Tallassee, Alabama, and graduated from Tallassee High School in 1955. After graduation he enlisted in the Army and served for three years. Following his military service, he returned to Tallassee and worked for Mt. Vernon Mills for over 40 years, serving as their Purchasing Manager prior to his retirement.

Ben enjoyed playing cards and dominoes, tending his garden, baking homemade bread, collecting coins, and gathering with family and friends. He is preceded in death by his wife of 39 years, Voncile Davis Jones; his parents, Curtis A. and Esther Jones; his brother, Curtis E. Jones; and his sister Louise Shaw. He is survived by his wife of nine years, Fay Lock Jones; his daughter, Karen (Gary) Hall; his son, Cliff (Ashley) Jones; his grandchildren Colby (Paige) Jones, Abigail Jones, Emily Jones, Matthew Hall; his great grandson, Luke Allen Jones; his sister, Mary Ruth Webster; and stepchildren, Randall (Janice) Lock, Wendell (Jan) Lock, Kendell (Terry) Lock and Ramona (Jeff) Fray. Funeral services will be Wednesday, June 8, at the First United Methodist Church in Tallassee with Rev. Clint McBroom offici-

ating. Visitation is from 122pm and the service is at 2 pm. Burial will follow in Carrville Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions can be made in his name to the charity of your choice. FIDENCIO OROZCO Mr. Fidencio “Fido” Orozco, a resident of Tallassee Alabama, passed away Sunday, June 12, 2022, at the age of 62. He was born in Raymondville, Texas to Mr. Luis and Mrs. Gabina Orozco. Mr. Orozco is survived by his wife of 27 years, Mrs. Nancy Orozco; sons, Charles Bradley Peeples (Juanita), Justin Orozco (Brittany), Eric Gamble (Ashley); daughters, Norma Linda Orozco, Krystal Marie Orozco, Annabelle Grace Orozco and Melany Renae Orozco; sisters, San Juanita Orozco, Margarita Hernandez (Daniel), Mary Mosqueda

TAXES

(Manuel); brothers, Reginaldo Orozco (Adela), Alexandro Orozco, Eduardo Orozco (Mari) ; eleven grandchildren; many nieces and nephews and special longtime friends, Mike Gunn family. He is preceded in death by his parents, Mr. Luis and Mrs. Gabina Orozco; sisters, Carolina Meza and Petra Rodrigues and brother, Jose Luis Orozco. Mr. Orozco was an avid gardener and enjoyed sharing with the community. He was an accomplished carpenter and loved fishing. Mr. Orozco also loved the cotton gin and was an awesome “Pawpaw” and loved them chingos. The family will receive friends on Friday, June 17, 2022, at Jeffcoat Funeral Home Chapel from 10:00am until service time at 11:00am with Rev. Keith Ray officiating, Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing.

come in time to hear the next round of hearings later this month.

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communities.” said people should call DHR at 256-825-3700 if elder abuse in any form is suspected. ARPA FUNDS TO HELP RENOVATE SEPTIC SYSTEMS Commissioner T.C. Coley asked for $60,000 allotted to District 1 through the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) to be set aside to assist property owners with septic systems. The county is using, and has already used, funds to help with renovations and additions to water systems. Alexander City is using ARPA funds to help with sewer issues. “A lot of people in rural areas are on septic,” Coley said. “This would create a program to financially assist residents to repair septic systems and field lines.” Coley said residents could apply for up to $4,000 in assistance. Coley said many in his district were on septic systems as are many across the county. The commission approved the measure. TEMPORARY APPOINTMENT TO BOARD OF EQUALIZATION Haley McKelvey will serve a 45 day term on the Tallapoosa County Board of Equalization. The board hears arguments over appraisals from the Tallapoosa County Revenue Commissioner’s Office. Middlebrooks said McKelvey is awaiting appointment to the board from Governor Kay Ivey’s office but it will not

In other action, the Tallapoosa County Commission: • Approved minutes of the May 9 meeting. • Approved warrants and purchase orders. • Approved an indigent burial. • Approved a budget amendment in the amount of $114,000 for the courthouse water project. The amendment was needed because the money was budgeted for expenditure last fiscal year but spent this year. • Authorized applying for Department of Homeland Security Grants. • Designated ARISE as the transportation authority in Tallapoosa County. • Approved a one-time COLA adjustment for county retirees totaling $25,000. • Approved a letter of concurrence for the Coosa County public transportation authority ACTS to transport clients into Tallapoosa County. • Approved a final plot for the Stillwood subdivision. • Approved lowering the speed limit on Midway Circle to 20 mph after 17 of 18 property owners signed a petition. • Approved following Gov. Ivey’s move to declare the holiday and declared June 20 a county holiday for Juneteenth. • Reminded the courthouses of Tallapoosa County would be closed June 20 and July 4 for holidays. The next meeting of the Tallapoosa County Commission is scheduled for 9 a.m. Monday, July 11.

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BBQ

Continued from A1

and is currently using the location as a commissary, but Moon has plans beyond selling to-go boxes. Tallassee Mayor John Hammock helped connect Moon with a few people. “He has some of the best tasting BBQ around,” Hammock said. “He was looking for a spot. I knew a guy that knew a girl that had a spot. Now he has got the spot. It’s the old T-shirt and sign shop.” Every Saturday morning Moon sells his BBQ while slowly renovating the building during the week. “I got an architect to draw up plans,” Moon said. “I have been slowly working on it. It will be a sit down restaurant open five days a week once we are done with construction.” Moon has big plans for the 3,900 square foot building. “There is a lot of work to be done,” Moon said. “I figure it would be a great thing for Tallassee and give us another place to sit down, relax.” Hammock said he remembers the

Jordanville community in Tallassee was once thriving. “We had the meat market, cleaners,” Hammock said. “I would love to see this area redeveloped. I think it would be great for the people working in the industrial park to come up and actually be able to grab some lunch.” Tallassee Mayor Pro Tem Bill Godwin is Moon’s neighbor and believes Moon is on to something. “We hit it off from the moment he got here,” Godwin said. “He has a great family and great BBQ. We are proud to have him in Tallassee. He told me when he first got here he wanted to do something for the community. He’s doing it. We appreciate what you are doing.” Councilman Terrell Brown believes Moon’s efforts will encourage others to follow through on ideas. “The citizens of Tallassee have been begging for a sit down place for years,” Brown said. “It is something they talk about all the time. I’m a big believer in the ripple effect. People start seeing how successful your business is then other investors will see Tallassee is open for business. They will be encouraged to open a place.”

COOKE

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gets out, you cut your jeans off and have your shorts. That is what you have all summer. You do it again after Labor Day.” It was in those days of having little and valuing everything Cooke took steps to better himself. “I know what it means to work,” Cooke said. “While other kids were at football, basketball and baseball, I would get out of school, go home, do my homework and then drive to Drummond Coal. I would work in the strip pit for six to seven hours a night to save money to buy another car and pay my way through college. I did that for several years. It paid off.” Cooke’s investment working in the coal pits paid for six degrees, including two doctorates from different universities. Cooke now pastors a church and is a district bishop. It’s all following an early investment in his business in Israel. “I have a small business located in Jerusalem,” Cooke said. “We have a world missions program in the Middle East, primarily in Israel where we help Jewish people come back home, where we provide doctors and clinics and dentists and translators. We do all these things.” Cooke has 35 years in the ministry but has worked in the private sector as a house manager, inventory control manager and property manager for the likes of Fisher Scientific. Immediate Business Systems and Medical Laboratory Associates. “That is what sets me apart from my opponent,” Cooke said. “I have 20 plus years of experience doing the job that the state auditor actually does and that is property management and inventory control. The state auditor looks after all the property bought with your tax money, $500 or more, all across the state. It is a major job, a major undertaking.” Cooke said there are

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE TRIBUNE

Alabama State Auditor Stan Cooke speaks to the Elmore County Republican Party. Cooke is running against Andrew Sorrell in the June 21 runoff.

many improvements that could be made to the office of state auditor. “The budget needs to be increased, not because I believe in big government, but because it has been reduced and the auditor can not function like the constitution demands,” Cooke said. Cooke is 61 and said he has no plans to use the office of state auditor to

seek higher aspirations. “I’m not interested in anything else. I’m not interested in grandstanding or using this as a stepping stone,” Cooke said. “I’m 61 and by the time I get through eight years, that puts me at 69. It’s not a political zeal to climb. I want to do service for the people of Alabama. I’m not running to be a leader, I’m running to be a servant.”

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atie Britt is headed to a likely victory to fill our U.S. Senate seat in next Tuesday’s June 21 runoff. The 40-year-old, first time candidate garnered an amazing 45 percent of the vote against two major candidates on May 24. She finished far ahead of second place finisher Mo Brooks at 29 percent and third placeholder Mike Durant at 23 percent. She almost beat them without a runoff. Katie Britt carried 62 of the 67 counties in Alabama and barely lost the other five by a slim margin. Katie won overwhelmingly in most of the populous GOP counties in the state. As excepted, she ran very well in her native Wiregrass receiving 63 percent in her home county of Coffee. To the contrary, her opponent in the runoff, second place finisher Mo Brooks, barely carried his home county of Madison by a 39 to 36 margin. In adjacent Limestone, a suburb county of Madison, the vote count was 7,130 for Brooks to 7,100 for Britt – a 30 vote margin. In short, Brooks lost his own congressional district to Katie Britt. It appears that home folks know you best. Those of us who have followed politics in Alabama and especially in southeast Alabama have watched Katie grow up in Enterprise. We have all said she has had governor or senator written all over her. She has been a leader her entire life. She was the leader of everything at Enterprise High School, she was Governor of Girls State, then she was President of the Student Government Association at Alabama. Soon after graduating from law school, she went to Washington and served five years as Chief of Staff to Senator Richard Shelby. She is about to take that seat in the U.S. Senate.

only imagine how popular he was in the Alabama House. Mo could not STEVE have passed a bill or gotten anything FLOWERS done for Huntsville if he had wanted to. In fact, if we had a bill to pass we Columnist would quietly say to Mo, “I’d like for you to vote for my bill, but please don’t speak for it.” Mo has built on his reputation as She is scripted for the role. Katie will an ineffective right wing nut during hit the ground running and will be his tenure in Washington. They have an effective, conservative voice, and written him off as a crazy gadfly. Both advocate for Alabama. the Republican and Democratic U.S. One of the primary reasons Katie Senate leadership in Washington would won so overwhelmingly is that she put Mo off in a corner and laugh at outworked all of the others. She him. This would not be good for a started over a year ago, and worked state that depends on federal defense all 67 counties in the state – especially dollars to endure. He would be an the rural counties. She won the albatross for our state. When asked endorsement of the Alabama Farmers about our U.S. Senate race a year ago, Federation the old fashioned way. She when Mo looked like a player, the got out and earned it. She started early witty and wise Louisiana Republican and stayed late. She built a grassroots Senator John Kennedy quipped “A organization throughout the state, and it U.S. Senate Seat is a terrible thing to propelled her to a tremendous lead on waste.” May 24, and it will carry her over the Folks, under the entrenched Senate line next week. Seniority system, Alabama would Katie’s opponent, Mo Brooks, is probably be better served with a 40 a colorful character almost comedic. year old vibrant, able and conservative During his almost 40 years in Alabama senator who can build power and politics, he has built a legacy as a seniority than a 69 year old gadfly right-wing, ineffective, ideological relegated to the corner of the Senate, gadfly. He has never passed a bill in who would continue to vote against his 16 years in the legislature or 12 Alabama interest like defense and years in Congress. He is unbelievably agriculture. Mo’s allegiance would unashamed of his lack of effectiveness be to the clandestine, right-wing Club or achievement. He likes the mantle of for Growth rather than the interests of being a right-wing ineffective nut. Alabamians. Mo and I served together in the Alabama House of Representatives See you next week. for 16 years. He was immediately recognized as someone who wanted to Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading accomplish nothing for his Huntsville political columnist. His weekly district but wanted to sit on the back column appears in over 60 Alabama row and keep our voting record and newspapers. He served 16 years in the rank as us on how conservative we state legislature. Steve may be reached were based on his criteria. You can at: www.steveflowers.us.

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State parks, jewels of nature By BETH CHAPMAN

hen 77 percent of voting Alabamians passed a statewide amendment to improve our 21 state parks, they did us a favor. Of the $85-million bond approved, $80 million will go toward modernizing the parks and investing in infrastructure to improve them. The funding will make the parks more profitable and improve their position as premiere tourism destinations. The other $5 million will help the Alabama Historical Commission maintain acquire and construct historical sites. The amendment approved by voters May 31 originated from the passage of House Bill 565, which was sponsored by Reps. Nathaniel Ledbetter and Wes Kitchens. These legislators showed great foresight to recognize the tens of thousands of tourists the parks lure to our state each year and the need for the updates and renovations to keep the parks attractive. The bond issue is truly an investment in our state’s future - both economically and environmentally. With interest rates so low, it was the perfect time to make such a move, financially speaking. The bill passed the House by a vote of 97-1, and it passed the Senate by a vote of 29-0 on an amended version. The final version passed the House 98-0. Thank you, Representatives Ledbetter and Kitchens, for finding a much-needed issue that the majority in both chambers could also agree upon – unanimously, a rarity in the Legislature. Our state parks are a division of the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, and the 21 parks encompass approximately 50,000 acres of land and water in our state. They range from the Gulf Coast beaches to the Appalachian Mountains. They provide golf courses, hiking trails, restaurants, camping, fishing, conference centers, lodging and more. The parks are beautiful wonders of nature and provide the best Alabama has to offer. They are found in the following cities: Bladon Springs, Clio, Grove Oak, Woodville, Delta, Auburn, Gallion, Ft. Payne, Florala, Opp, Gulf Shores, Rogersville, Guntersville, Coker, Eufaula, Spanish Fort, Huntsville, Pelham, Selma, Warrior, Camden and Alexander City. For more information on these Alabama jewels of nature, visit www.alapark.com.

Wednesday, June 15, 2022 • Page A5

The time to support local news is now news organizations, but it will support local news organizations and help them invest in their ongress has an newsrooms in order to continue opportunity to pass to cover the issues that impact legislation that benefits local cities and towns. The all local citizens, businesses and result is a bill that provides a even protects our democracy. bridge for local newspapers as The Local Journalism they continue to evolve their Sustainability Act, LJSA for business models. short, should be included as part So why is it so critical for of any upcoming reconciliation Congress to pass the LJSA bill that Congress is considering. now? Quite simply, the future The LJSA is a well-thoughtof local newspapers in many out bill that would provide areas of the country hangs in needed support to local news the balance. In the past 15 organizations, including local years, more than a quarter of all newspapers, to ensure their newspapers have disappeared, viability as they continue to and many more have been forced make progress toward a digital to make staff reductions that future. have diminished the coverage Many members of Congress of topics that impact local have seen what happens when citizens. Local newspapers a newspaper closes in their continue to be impacted by the district, and they see the impact Big Tech companies that use it has on the community. That their original content without fair is why many of our leaders, compensation. To make matters including Senators Cantwell, worse, newspapers, like many Schumer, Manchin, Wyden other industries, were financially and others have stepped up in impacted by the pandemic, even support of the LJSA. And while though the coverage provided by others in Congress may not local newspapers was more vital have signed on as cosposonors than ever. of the bill yet, many recognize The current economic the importance and the need challenges have only hastened to maintain strong local the need for Congress to act on news organizations in their the LJSA quickly. As inflation communities. is impacting everyone, it has To understand what the made the environment for LJSA is, it is important to local newspapers even more understand what it is not. This challenging. The cost of is a temporary measure to help retaining employees has gone newspapers at this critical time, up. The cost of newsprint has and it sunsets after five years. increased 30% over last year, The LJSA won’t help national and the cost of gas used to By DEAN RIDINGS CEO AMERICA’S NEWSPAPERS

Lucy and Desi

s hard as it may be to believe, what is generally regarded as the greatest situation comedy of all time, “I Love Lucy,” began 70 years ago this season. There have recently been two high-profile productions that celebrate the magic of that series and the real-life couple behind it: Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz. One is a dramatic film written and directed by Aaron Sorkin starring Nicole Kidman as Lucy and Javier Bardem as Desi, called “Being the Ricardos.” The other is a documentary produced and directed by comedienne Amy Poehler called “Lucy and Desi.” I highly recommend this documentary. Poehler’s approach is so refreshing when compared to other documentaries – the ones where some verbose comedian talks about how funny so-and-so was, or people with no relation to the subject make pithy comments like they were expert witnesses. Poehler goes to the source. For this documentary film, the only people doing the talking are their children Lucie Arnaz Luckinbill and Desi Arnaz, Jr., and close friends like Carol Burnett, Norman Lear, Charo, and Bette Midler. Most of the film is comprised of archival recordings of interviews with Ball and Arnaz in later years, as well as never-before-seen home movies released to

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MICHAEL BIRD Columnist Poehler by the family. Desi Arnaz had come from privilege as the only child of a wealthy family in Cuba; had the 1933 revolution not occurred, he would likely have worked for Bacardi Rum, the family company. The Arnaz family was tight with the Machado family, but Machado was overthrown and replaced by the Batista regime. Desi’s family escaped, without a cent in their pockets, to the United States. As a musician, Desi Arnaz was fortunate to have been hired by Xavier Cugat, who was perhaps the most influential Latin American musician of his day at the height of the Big Band era. Cugat took Desi under his wing and taught him the business. After a few years, Arnaz was able to set out on his own and was a hugely successful bandleader and entertainer. He is credited with popularizing the “conga” craze of the 1940s and played a major role in how Latino musicians were portrayed in films. Lucille Ball had come from nothing. Originally from Jamestown, New York, Ball’s family was beset with financial problems for various reasons and, as a teenager, she went to

New York City and began a modeling career. She took on any work she could in attempts to support her struggling family. Lucy began to appear in motion pictures and, early on, showed no sign of working in comedy. She was a dramatic actress but her reputation was such that she sometimes did not even receive screen credits for movies in which she appeared. As time went on, however, she became a part of the studio system and was known as the “Queen of the B’s” due to her appearance in so many B-level pictures. It was on a movie called “Too Many Girls” in 1940 where Arnaz and Ball met for the first time. They both had parts in the film and shared scenes. Within six months, they were married, and their unbelievable ride at the top was ready to begin. Lucy’s star didn’t really begin to rise until she was chosen to appear in a situation comedy called “My Favorite Husband.” It was while working on this radio show that she came into contact with producer-director Jess Oppenheimer; writers Bob Carroll and Madelyn Pugh; and co-star Gale Gordon. All of these people would play tremendous roles in her life and in the development of what we now know as “I Love Lucy.” The pair blazed a trail in those early days of television, without realizing how groundbreaking it was all going to be. In what may be the most important invention of them all, Arnaz made the decision to film

deliver the newspaper is up more than 50% in the past two years. Many newspaper carriers drive hundreds and even thousands of miles each week. These increases have driven many local newspapers closer to making further reductions or even ceasing operations. Who wins with the passage of the Local Journalism Sustainability Act? Clearly, local newspapers win by obtaining the support needed to continue their investments in reporting on local news. But the real winners are the communities that keep their local newspaper. From watching the actions of local government, reporting on the state of local schools, tracking local health trends or providing the latest restaurant reviews and sales information, local newspapers keep a community connected and informed. We encourage everyone to reach out to their representatives [Senator Tommy Tuberville, Senator Richard Shelby, Representative Barry Moore and Representative Mike Rogers] in Congress and ask them to support local journalism. Whether it is inclusion of the LJSA in the budget reconciliation bill, or a stand-alone bill, the time for action is now. It’s a rare opportunity for government to act on something that benefits us all. America’s Newspapers is the trade association for newspapers across the United States. www. newspapers.org

the episodes rather than record them on poor-quality kinescopes, and he hired the finest cinematographers and makeup artists Hollywood had to offer as their product was prepared. This led to good-looking programming that could be seen coast to coast, as well as the invention of the rerun. How could Arnaz have known 70 years ago that we would still be watching their little sitcom? Additionally, the interracial marriage of Arnaz and Ball was somewhat taboo; however, once CBS made the deal with them, there was no turning back. They also knew that Lucy worked best in front of an audience, so they created the “live in front of a studio audience” concept sweetened with a laugh track. Finally, they developed their own production company called Desilu that became the largest and most powerful independent production company in Hollywood during the 1950s and 1960s. Not bad for people who had been scratching out a living just a few years prior. But these two believed in one another and in the work they were doing. They were married, but they were also partners in every sense. Amy Poehler was interviewed by The New York Times about this project. She said of the couple, “what Lucy and Desi do in their lives is they work very hard on themselves and their craft. They create this beautiful music together. And they go on to continue to create separately, respecting each other and finding ways to work together. So there’s

always that question of, what is a successful partnership? Their marriage ends, but they co-parent and find new love… they showed what it was like to get divorced and show respect for each other.” As Desi’s life was coming to an end, the children asked Lucy to visit. Lucy and Desi screened classic episodes of “I Love Lucy” they had created, and shared laughs together. Their partnership never really went away; though they could not live together anymore, they never stopped loving one another. As influential as “I Love Lucy” continues to be, with a template still followed by many a TV show, the original series only ran for six years. Arnaz went from Cuban refugee to an industry titan, producing “The Untouchables,” “Star Trek,” “The Andy Griffith Show,” “Make Room for Daddy,” and “The Dick Van Dyke Show” among others. Lucy solidified her reputation as she continued working, first with the Emmy-winning “The Lucy Show” and later “Here’s Lucy,” both series also featuring comedy partners Vivian Vance and Gale Gordon. She also worked on Broadway and became an A-list star as she headlined her own movies. It is truly unimaginable to consider all the entertainment we would have missed had these two never met. The story of “Lucy and Desi” is really a triumphant one. It is currently streaming on Amazon Prime. Michael Bird is a music teacher for Tallassee City Schools.

Page A6 • Wednesday June 15, 2022

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Alabama Secretary of State candidate Wes Allen speaks to the Elmore County Republican Party. Allen is in the runoff against Jim Zeigler.

ALLEN

Continued from A1

“I know what it’s like to be at the courthouse at 5:30 a.m. on election day, get the day going, travel to precincts, get poll workers what they

need,” Allen said. “I have appointed poll workers and trained poll workers. I have worked alongside the circuit clerk, the sheriff and the board of registrars. I have done it all from start to finish.” As secretary of state, Allen said if issues arise during future elections he

wouldn’t be lost. “When your probate judge calls me up and says we got a little issue with this or that, it will not be foregin to me about what they are talking about,” Allen said. “There won’t be any on the job training. I can start day one.”

Allen said the business services division of the secretary of state’s office is much like the daily functions of probate judge. Allen said his experiences as the Pike County Probate Judge are useful in this division of the state office. “Every vital document is recorded in the probate office,” Allen said. “One thing we were able to do and I can bring this experience is that we went back and scanned all of our vital documents in Pike County at no extra cost to the taxpayer. We made that available online. You could go look for free.” Allen said this allowed title researchers and attorneys to more easily search important deeds and mortgages for the sale of real estate. “You have to have good records,” Allen said. “You have to turn it around in a timely manner because if you are starting a new LLC, time is money. We want to make sure it’s turned around quickly so people can go to work.” Allen said he is “proud to protect Alabama’s election process. Allen said as a member of Alabama’s House of Representatives voted to make sure there were no drop boxes for voting, no mass mailing of ballots and no internet connection to the ballot machines. “We will always have paper ballots if I’m the next secretary of state,” Allen said. Allen said there is still one measure he would like to see get through the Alabama legislature to further secure Alabama’s elections. “It’s a bill to prohibit ballot harvesting,” Allen said. “That way no one can get paid to help someone that is not their immediate family fill out an application or the ballot. It still allows anybody to help anybody, but they can’t get compensated by some outside group.” Allen faces Jim Ziegler in the June 21 Republican runoff for secretary of state.

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Wednesday June 15, 2022 • Page A7

Gasoline prices continue to climb Staff Report TPI Staff Average gasoline prices in Alabama have risen 8.4 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $4.61 per gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy’s survey of 3,348 stations in Alabama. Prices in Alabama are 45.4 cents per gallon higher than a month ago and stand $1.81 per gallon higher than a year ago. The price of diesel has fallen four cents nationally in the past week and stands at $5.50 per gallon. According to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapest station in Alabama was priced at $4.34 per gallon Sunday while the most expensive was $5.33 per gallon, a difference of 99 cents per gallon. The lowest price in the state yesterday was $4.34 per gallon while the highest was $5.33 per gallon, a difference of 99 cents per gallon. The national average price of gasoline has risen 15.7 cents per gallon in the last week, averaging $5.01 per gallon Monday. The national average is up 57.1 cents per gallon from a month ago and stands $1.94 per gallon higher than a year ago, according to GasBuddy data compiled from more than 11 million weekly price reports covering over 150,000 gas stations across the country.

FILE | THE TRIBUNE

Drivers have seen a steady increase in gasoline prices at the pump the last few weeks.

Historical gasoline prices in Alabama and the national average going back ten years: June 13, 2021: $2.80 per gallon (U.S. Average: $3.07 per gallon) June 13, 2020: $1.79 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.10 per gallon) June 13, 2019: $2.31 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.70 per gallon) June 13, 2018: $2.60 per gallon

(U.S. Average: $2.90 per gallon) June 13, 2017: $2.04 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.32 per gallon) June 13, 2016: $2.15 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.38 per gallon) June 13, 2015: $2.54 per gallon (U.S. Average: $2.80 per gallon) June 13, 2014: $3.39 per gallon (U.S. Average: $3.65 per gallon) June 13, 2013: $3.30 per gallon

(U.S. Average: $3.63 per gallon) June 13, 2012: $3.18 per gallon (U.S. Average: $3.54 per gallon) “For the first time ever, last week saw the national average reach the $5 per gallon mark, as nearly every one of the nation’s 50 states saw prices jump. For now, the upward momentum may slow down, but prices are still just one potential supply jolt away from heading even higher,” said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. “Gasoline demand, while rising seasonally, is still well below previous records, but remains impressive with prices in all states at record levels. Should the rise in price finally start to slow demand, we could see some breathing room, but for now, it seems like Americans are proving resilient to record highs.” GasBuddy is a voice for gas prices and a source for station-level data spanning nearly two decades. Unlike AAA’s once daily survey and the Lundberg Survey, updated once every two weeks based on a fraction of U.S. gasoline 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.

Summer P-EBT benefits coming to eligible families Staff Report TPI Staff The Alabama Department of Human Resources (DHR) has received federal approval to distribute Summer Pandemic EBT (P-EBT) benefits to an estimated 485,000 children who participate in the National School Lunch Program. The benefits will help feed children enrolled in the program, which provides free and reduced-price meals at school. Eligible families will receive $391 for each child in the program. The benefits are

expected to start rolling out later this summer. “Hunger doesn’t take a summer break,” said Alabama DHR Commissioner Nancy Buckner. “These Summer P-EBT benefits will provide financial flexibility and promote continued food security for students as they transition between school years. We are grateful to our federal and state partners for their ongoing support of our efforts to meet the nutritional needs of young Alabamians.” Although all public school children could access free

meals during the 2021-22 school year, Summer P-EBT benefits are limited to those who participate in the National School Lunch Program by application or through either the Community Eligibility Provision or a Provision 2 school. Families with questions about eligibility should contact the schools their children attend. Summer P-EBT benefits can be used to purchase SNAP-eligible food items at stores that accept Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) cards. Households with eligible

students who received P-EBT benefits previously will access Summer P-EBT benefits on their existing EBT cards. Those who are new to the National School Lunch Program will receive EBT cards in the mail. All recipients should keep their EBT cards in case additional benefits are added in the future. To become eligible for Summer P-EBT, families may apply for the National School Lunch Program by contacting their local schools no later than Aug. 31. Eligible families are encouraged to monitor dhr.

alabama.gov for additional updates, including information about a timeframe for the arrival of benefits. DHR oversees the distribution of Summer P-EBT with assistance from ALSDE. The U.S. Department of Agriculture Food and Nutrition Service administers the program at the federal level. Support specialists are available to answer questions about P-EBT by phone at 1-800-410-5827 and online at dhr.alabama.gov/foodassistance/ from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Religion

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Don’t stop praying I

ncluded in the lists of persuade them. Aristotle called great speakers of the this “ethos,” and it means 20th century are Franklin that we believe the speaker Roosevelt, Ronald Reagan, has our best interests at heart. Martin Luther King Change is a threat, and Adolph Hitler. so unless we trust the The latter addition persuader, all is for may cause us to do a naught. double-take since we Jesus used the recognize Hitler as power of a bad psychotic, or demon example in a parable possessed, depending about prayer in on one’s perspective, Luke’s gospel. MICHAEL but Hitler ranks high He told about a BROOKS as a man whose judge who neither Columnist passion moved a reverenced God nor nation, albeit to cared about others. their destruction. He also Today such a judge would demonstrated one of Aristotle’s be in danger of removal, as principles of rhetoric; namely, a neighboring county did a speaker who gains the trust last year when a judge was of the audience can better removed from the bench for

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

AME ZION Mt. Zion Chapel AME Zion 2340 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka Rogers Chapel AME Zion 709 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka Jackson Chapel AME Zion 4885 Coosada Rd., Coosada Jones Chapel AME Zion 2414 Ingram Rd., Elmore ABUNDANT LIFE Abundant Life Church 9301 U.S. Hwy 231, Wetumpka ASSEMBLY OF GOD Agape Tabernacle Assembly of God 1076 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic Bethel Worship Center 11117 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka Crossroads Assembly of God 2534 AL Hwy 14., Millbrook First Assembly of God 3511 Shirley Ln., Millbrook New Home Assembly of God 5620 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka BAPTIST Abraham Baptist Church 2520 Lynwood Dr., Millbrook Antioch Baptist Church 1115 Antioch Rd., Titus Beulah Baptist Church 2350 Grier Rd., Wetumpka Blue Ridge Baptist 4471 Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka Brookwood Baptist 3111 Grandview Rd., Millbrook Calvary Baptist 504 W. Osceola St., Wetumpka Central Baptist 3545 W. Central Rd., Wetumpka Coosada Baptist 20 Kennedy Ave., Coosada Deatsville Baptist 184 Church St., Deatsville Eclectic Baptist Church 203 Claud Rd., Eclectic Faith Baptist 64 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka First Baptist Church 205 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka First Baptist of Elmore Hwy. 14 Co. Rd. 74, Elmore

Mount Zion Baptist Church 64 Log Circle Providence Primitive Baptist Church 4850 Chana Creek Road Refuge Baptist Church 3098 Red Hill Road Rehoberth Baptist 8110 Rie Range 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

Galilee Baptist 95 Old Georgia Rd., Wetumpka Good Hope Baptist 1766 S. Fleahop Rd., Eclectic Goodship Baptist 1554 Hwy. 143, Millbrook Grace Baptist 304 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka Grandview Pines Baptist 346 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook Green Ridge Baptist 288 Turner Rd., Wetumpka Harvest Baptist 2990 Main St., Millbrook Hillside Baptist 405 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka Holtville Riverside Baptist 7121 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka Lake Elam Baptist 4060 Gober Rd., Millbrook Liberty Hill Baptist 61 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka Lighthouse Baptist 2281 Main St., Millbrook Living Water Baptist 1745 Grass Farm Rd., Titus Millbrook Baptist Millbrook Mitts Chapel Baptist 935 Cold Springs Rd., Deatsville Mt. Hebron West Baptist 150 Mt. Hebron Rd., Elmore Mt. Herron East Baptist Church 4355 Mt. Herron Rd., Eclectic Mountain View Baptist 1025 Rie Range Rd., Wetumpka New Harmony Baptist 3094 New Harmony Rd., Marbury New Home Baptist 1605 New Home Rd., Titus New Hope Baptist 6191 Light-wood Rd., Deatsville New Lily Green Baptist 6504 Deatsville Hwy., Deatsville New Nazareth Baptist Hwy. 143, Deatsville Pleasant Hill Baptist Pleasant Hill Rd., Eclectic Prospect Baptist Prospect Rd., Eclectic

dereliction of duty. Another judge in our state was accused of spousal abuse and faced immediate calls for removal. Nevertheless, this judge was firmly in power when a widow came to him for redress. The care of widows is a biblical principle that this man didn’t acknowledge. He ignored her pleas for a long time. Finally he grew weary that she bothered him so often and decided to grant her petition. Jesus used this story to teach two lessons about a God who is so different from the unjust judge. First, he said God is compassionate. Believers are his “elect,” which means they’re chosen by him and

invited into his spiritual family. Because God is compassionate, it’s ludicrous to think he might grow weary when his children come to him with their needs. We cannot imagine God saying, “Here’s Bill again asking me to help his son. I’m so tired of this!” No, a compassionate God delights when we bring our needs to him. Second, he taught the importance of persistence in prayer. The widow came to the judge continually. She didn’t file her complaint and walk away. She refused to give up. One common failure in our prayer life is bringing requests to God and promptly

Tallassee Churches 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 First Presbyterian Church 514 Central Blvd 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 Hwy, Eclectic God’s Church, Campre Ministries 209 Barnett Bouelvard The Lord Our Righteousness Center, Inc. 4566 Claud Road Eclectic Tallassee First Assembly of God 185 Friendship Road 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 Oak Valley United Methodist Church 3889 Burt Mill Road

Surrounding Area Churches Redland Baptist 1266 Dozier Rd., Wetumpka Rushenville Baptist 10098 Georgia Rd., Eclectic Saint James Baptist 1005 Nobles Rd., Wetumpka Saint James Baptist 101 Gantt Rd., Deatsville Santuck Baptist 7250 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka Seman Baptist Seman, Alabama Shoal Creek Baptist 13214 Holtville Rd., Deatsville Springeld Baptist Hwy. 7, Millbrook Thelma Baptist 810 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka Titus Baptist 6930 Titus Rd., Wetumpka Tunnell Chapel Baptist 210 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka Victory Baptist 5481 Main St., Millbrook Wadsworth Baptist 2780 Hwy. 143, Deatsville BAPTIST - MISSIONARY Atkins Hill 565 Atkins Rd., Wetumpka Cathmagby Baptist 3074 Mitchell Creek Rd., Wetumpka First Missionary Baptist at Guileld 412 Company St., Wetumpka Goodhope 1389 Willow Springs Rd. Wetumpka Lebanon 17877 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus Mount Canaan 1125 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka Mount Pisgah 16621 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus Mt. Zion 371 AL Hwy. 14, Elmore Mt. Zion #3 1813 Luke Paschal Rd., Eclectic New Home 5130 Elmore Rd., Wetumpka Second Missionary 760 N. Bridge St., Wetumpka Spring Chapel Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka

forgetting them. This might indicate how little importance we attach to them. For this reason many Christians have found a prayer list helpful. It reminds us to pray daily for our needs and the needs of others, and also increases our faith when we see how God has responded to our requests. We’re assured that the Great Eternal Judge both loves us and promises not to disregard our earnest prayers to him. “Reflections” is a weekly faith column written by Michael J. Brooks, pastor of the Siluria Baptist Church, Alabaster, Alabama. The church’s website is siluriabaptist.com.

Sweetwater 163 Michael Lane, Wetumpka Tabernacle Baptist 1020 W. Tallassee St., Wetumpka BAPTIST - PRIMITIVE Bethel Old School 4625 Jackson Rd., Wetumpka Providence 4850 Chana Creek Rd., Wetumpka CATHOLIC Our Lady of Guadalupe 545 White Rd., Wetumpka CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ of Elmore 470 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka Church of Christ Grandview Pines 165 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook Cold Springs Church of Christ 5920 Alabama Hwy. 143, Deatsville Georgia Road Church of Christ 4003 Georgia Rd., Wetumpka Lightwood Church of Christ 251 New Harmony Rd., Deatsville Redland Road Church of Christ 2480 Redland Rd., Wetumpka Wetumpka Church of Christ W. Bridge St. At W. Main St., Wetumpka CHURCH OF GOD Elmore Church of God 10675 Rucker Road, Elmore Gethsemane Church of God 705 Cotton St., Wetumpka Church at the Brook 2890 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Maranatha Church of God 2621 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka Victory Tabernacle AOH Church of God 2080 Main Street, Millbrook Wetumpka Church of God Hwy. 9 N. Wetumpka CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN Cedarwood Congregational Christian 10286 US Hwy 231 N, Wetumpka Seman Congregational Christian 15970 Central Plank Rd., Seman Union Congregational Christian 8188 Lightwood Rd., Marbury EPISCOPAL The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 2602 Gilmer Ave., Tallassee

Oak Valley Station United Methodist 162 Parsonage 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 God’s Congregation Holiness Church 508 Jordan Avenue Claud Independent Methodist Church 81232 Tallassee Highway in Eclectic

Trinity Episcopal Church 5371 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka St. Michael & All Angels Church 5941 Main St., Millbrook HOLINESS New Beginnings Holiness 865 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka Summit Holiness 2050 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Temple of Deliverance Holiness 620 Alabama St., Wetumpka JEHOVAH’S WITNESS Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 9235 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka LATTER DAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1405 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Cobbs Ford Rd., Millbrook LUTHERAN Christ Lutheran Church 2175 Cobbs Ford Rd., Prattville PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church 100 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka Millbrook Presbyterian Corner of Main St. & Coosada Rd. Valley View Presbyterian - PCA 4125 Rie Range Rd. Wetumpka SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST First Elmore Seventh Day Adventist 210 Lucky Town Rd., Elmore INDEPENDENT METHODIST Claud Independent Methodist Church 81232 Tallassee Hwy, Eclectic UNITED METHODIST Cain’s Chapel United Methodist 96 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville Central United Methodist Church 11721 Central Plank Rd. Central Elmore United Methodist Church 40 Hatchet St., Elmore First United Methodist Church 306 W. Tuskeena St., Wetumpka First United Methodist Church 3350 Edgewood, Millbrook Harmony United Methodist Church 8000 Titus Rd., Titus

Mulder Memorial United Methodist 3454 Fire Tower Rd., Wetumpka New Style United Methodist 64 Old Georgia Plank Spur, Wetumpka Pierce Chapel United Methodist 1003 Pierce Chapel Rd., Santuck Providence United Methodist 1540 Providence Rd., Titus Robinson Springs Methodist Church 5980 Main St., Millbrook Trinity United Methodist 135 Little Weoka Creek Rd., Equality Union United Methodist 691 Central Rd. Eclectic Wallsboro United Methodist 11066 US Hwy. 231, Wetumpka CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Millbrook Church of the Nazarene 3251 Browns Rd., Millbrook PENTECOSTAL Faith Deliverance Church 475 Jackson St., Elmore Victory Temple 1173 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka OTHER Central Bible Chapel 3630 Edgewood Rd., Millbrook Chapel of Praise Hwy. 14, Millbrook Cornerstone Full Gospel 9301 US Hwy. 231, Wetumpka East Chapel MP Church Airport Rd., Millbrook Grace Bible Church 2251 Main St., Millbrook Gracepoint Community Church 78223 Tallassee Highway, Wetumpka New Life Church - Millbrook Sanctuary Worship Center 1688 Ceasarville Rd., Wetumpka Servant Fellowship Church Wetumpka The Worship Center 2705 Williams Rd., Wetumpka Time of Refreshing Fellowship 117 E. Bridge St., Wetumpka Words of Life Church 105 Cousins Rd., Wetumpka

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Sports

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Wednesday, June 15, 2022 • Page B1

All-County softball team chosen ond team. The remaining players were added as honorable mentions. The 2021 softball season has The team is headlined by Playcome to an end in Elmore Coun- er of the Year Mya Holt, who ty, and plenty of success and shined in all facets of the game milestones were seen this seathis year. son. 10 players were selected to The Elmore County Coach be on the All-County first team, of the Year is Holtville’s Reese while 10 were added to the sec- Claybrook. Claybrook helped By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

turn Holtville’s program back around as the Bulldogs returned to the AHSAA Class 5A regional tournament a year after winning only seven games. The teams, in alphabetical order, are as follows: FIRST TEAM Chloe Baynes, Tallassee OF

Baynes ended her Tallassee career as one of the best players in the history of Alabama softball. The senior had a .678 batting average with 101 hits, 82 runs and 53 stolen bases. She reached the 400-hit mark earlier in the season, becoming only the fourth player ever to reach the milestone. She finished her

career with 434 hits. Bailea Boone, Holtville OF For the second-consecutive year, the Holtville freshman lands on the All-County team after a stellar season in the outfield for the Bulldogs. Boone had the best batting average on See ALL-COUNTY, Page B4

2022 Elmore County Softball Player of the Year:

Wetumpka’s Holt shines

in sophomore season named the 2022 Elmore County Softball Player of the Year. he talent has always “This was such a big year been there for for me compared to my Wetumpka sophomore freshman year,” Holt said. Mya Holt, but she feels like “The stats were way better she’s held herself back with and the home runs were internal pressure. really big for me. Setting the Holt, who serves as the school record for home runs team’s top pitcher and is was a big accomplishment arguably the team’s best in my eyes. My pitching hitter, just wrapped up one was way better this year as of the most impressive seawell. I worked really hard sons in Wetumpka softball the entire offseason last year, history. and that was a big part of it. In the circle, the star That was a big part of my sophomore finished the year success.” with a 27-8 record with a While her offseason hard whopping 1.08 earned run work was the biggest conaverage. She allowed only tributor to her improving this 30 earned runs the entire year, she also attributes her year, while she struck out success to taking pressure 160 batters in 193.1 innings off herself. pitched. During 2020 when She’s not just a pitcher, COVID canceled the softball however, and was one of the season not even halfway into team’s best hitters. She hit the year, Holt was an eighth .444 with 63 hits, 17 dougrader and had already bles, 16 home runs, and 77 slugged seven home runs RBIs. Her 16 home runs set when the season ended. a single-season school record When she returned for her for Wetumpka. freshman season last spring Her 16 home runs also in 2021, she said she put a ranked fifth across the entire lot of pressure on herself to state, while her 77 RBIs be better than that. When she were third in the state. did that, she started trying For her play, she has been to do too much and swingBy DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

ing at bad pitches. She didn’t have a bad freshman season by any means. She hit .324 with seven home runs and 53 RBIs, but she wasn’t happy with the season and the pressure she put on herself. “I felt like I had more pressure during my freshman year,” Holt said. “I felt like I was older and I needed to be better than the year before. I let that pressure get to me and that made me nervous and more timid in games. I wanted to hit everything and was swinging at everything. This year, I felt like I let the pressure off and just did what I had to do. It’s like I just didn’t feel as much pressure this year. That plays a big difference in the game and that was a really big part in my number improving.” In the circle, Holt was the definition of consistency this season. She allowed three or more runs in only four or her 39 games that she pitched in this season. On the other hand, she held teams scoreless in 23 of her appearances.There was never a hot streak or cold streak for her See HOLT, Page B2

CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE TRIBUNE

Wetumpka’s Mya Holt pitches in the first game of the regional tournament this season. Holt went 27-8 with a 1.08 ERA this season.

2022 Elmore County Softball Coach of the Year: Claybrook leads Holtville back to regional tournament dogs won 41 games in both the 2018 and 2019 season. But for the first time in a Following the 2021 spring long time, Holtville didn’t win softball season, Holtville coach double-digit games and went Reese Claybrook sat his team winless in area play. So Claydown to talk about what needed brook and his team sat down, to be done to get back to Holt- and they decided if they wantville’s standard. ed to get back on track, they Holtville went 7-24 in Clay- would have to work harder than brook’s first season as head any other team in the state. coach in 2021. That wasn’t So they worked, and they what Holtville fans had been worked, and they worked some used to seeing from their softmore. ball program. The Lady BullAnd that hard work started By DALTON MIDDLETON Sports Editor

to pay off this year as Holtville finished 21-16, won two games in the area tournament to clinch a regional berth, and won two games in the regional tournament. Because of the success and turnaround Holtville displayed this season, Claybrook has been named the 2022 Elmore County Softball Coach of the Year. “It really all goes back to the girls,” Claybrook said. “It’s their work ethic and what they were able to do. The product

that we put on the field before wasn’t indicative of our talent or skill level or of our program. We were young this year, but we had some experience at the varsity level. At the end of the day, it was going to be hard work and selflessness that got us to where we needed to be this year.” Holtville’s success was seen extremely early this season, and the Bulldogs matched their win total from a year ago just eight games into the season.

Holtville started its season with a 12-2 overall record, but then fell into a bit of a lull. They lost eight of their next nine games, and were sitting with a 13-10 overall record and were 1-3 in area play on April 19. Then they got back to their winning ways. Holtville won five of its last seven regular season games, including wins over Marbury See CLAYBROOK, Page B2

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Wetumpka’s Mya Holt hit .444 this season with 16 home runs, a single-season school record, and 77 RBIs. She finished Top 5 in the state in both categories.

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in the circle, just pure dominance. At the plate, however, she ran into quite the hot streak in the middle of the season. Entering the month of April, she had seven home runs on the season. On April 1, she hit another one to give herself a new career high with eight. That was the start

of the hot streak. Two games later, she hit two home runs in an area game against Stanhope Elmore. Then hit one against Central-Phenix City the next day. The next week, in games against Tallassee, Beluah and Holtville, Holt homered four times to give herself eight in the two week span. That gave her 15, which broke the single-season school record. During that two-week

stretch, she recorded 16 hits and only hit under .500 in a game once. “That stretch was funny,” Holt said. “A lot of people were saying I was seeing the ball like a beach ball, and it really seemed like that from my perspective too. Everything that was in the zone, I was going to drive it. The whole stretch felt good and I was seeing everything great. I was never swinging at bad pitches.”

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Holtville second-year coach Reese Claybrook celebrates a home run with freshman Avery Goff (4). Claybrook has been named Elmore County’s Coach of the Year after leading Holtville back to the AHSAA Class 5A regional tournament.

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and Jemison, to finish with a 3-3 record in area play and entered the area tournament as the No. 2 seed just a year after finishing winless in area

play. “There was a time in the middle of the year where we had a little skid and seemed to get complacent, but we quickly were able to right that the last three weeks of the regular season,” Claybrook said. “We just had

to remember what it took to get there. Winning a lot of times is like a snowball rolling down a hill. It picks up momentum and they began to see what it takes to win. Once you figure out how to do it and figure out what it takes, it’s almost addictive being on that side. It makes you want to continue working harder.” As the No. 2 seed in the area tournament, Holtville beat Marbury twice, 7-4 and 11-7, to clinch a spot in the championship game. They lost to Elmore County in the championship, but did enough to clinch a spot in the regional tournament. It was in the regional tournament where Holtville really was able to prove they belonged. In the opening game, Holtville upset Area 8’s No. 1 seed, Shelby County, 10-6. After losing to Tallassee and falling into the loser’s bracket, Holtville fought off elimination for one more game by beating Central of Clay County, 5-3. They eventually were eliminated by Brewbaker Tech in the 5A central regional semifinals, but they showed they could compete with the best teams in the region. And they did so with only starting two upperclassmen. Most of Holtville’s team consisted of freshmen, sophomores and a few eighth graders. “I had some people tell me that we were playing ahead of schedule, but I just told them ‘No, we’re just finally playing up to our potential,’” Claybrook said. “We are right where we belong to be. May we have snuck up on a few teams? Possibly. But we knew what we were capable of. And I was so excited that the girls were able to go out there and show everyone the team that they were. They showed who we were as a program.”

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Pet of the Week - Piper

Piper is a two-year-old Australian Cattle Dog/Dachshund mix female, 25 lbs so a great size! She is good with children and other dogs, is housetrained & wants to be a lap dog. She is definitely a house dog but does have a tendency to be destructive in the house if left unattended, so crate-training and some appropriate chew toys might be in order. Our adoption fees are $100 for dogs & $50 for cats under one-year-old; cats over one-year-old can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, de-worming,

microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, free health exam with your participating veterinarian. If you are interested in meeting Piper or any of our pets, our first step is our Adoption Application you can do here: https://elmorehumane.org/adoption-application-online-form2.html . Once approved, we will coordinate with you to set up an appointment to meet & adopt. We are located at 255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka, AL, 36092, our phone number is 334-567-3377 and our website is www.elmorehumane.org for more information.

Troy University freezing tuition prices again stands in contrast to the of Chancellor Dr. Jack tuition and fee models Hawkins, Jr. and the in place at many instituBoard of Trustees and For four straight tions, in which numerous the decisions that have years, Troy Universifees are tacked onto the made Troy an adaptive ty has kept prices level tuition rate,” said Dr. and affordable institution for students, reflecting Jim Bookout, Senior focused on meeting the what the university calls Vice Chancellor for needs of students and the a “commitment to proFinancial Affairs and community. viding an affordable, TROY Online. “We have “Ongoing efforts to high-quality education.” eliminated all of our ‘rightsize’ the univer“At TROY, the most mandatory enrollment sity have resulted in important thing we do is fees that most universisignificant cost savings, take care of students,” ties have long adopted enabling university leadsaid Dr. Jack Hawkins, as standard pricing strat- ership to provide students Jr., Chancellor in a press egies. The advantage to with an affordable, flexrelease. “In a time of eco- students and families is ible, and quality educanomic inflation, when the transparency in our pric- tion,” the report states. prices of so many coning. Unlike some instiTroy University was sumer goods are rising, tutions, Troy University founded in 1887 by an we feel it is our responsi- cannot freeze tuition rates act of the Alabama Legisbility to keep our tuition while simultaneously lature as a college to train as low as possible for our increasing an array of teachers. Today, TROY students.” enrollment fees.” has grown into an interAccording to a recent Troy University has national university with press release, Troy Unibeen recognized as a more than 170,000 alumversity froze tuition rates national model for proni worldwide. TROY in fall 2019 and fall viding quality, affordable offers more than 200 2020. In fall 2021, the education in a new report degree options across its university established from the Partners for five colleges — the Cola new pricing structure College Affordability and lege of Arts and Sciences, that created one tuition Public Trust. the Sorrell College of rate for all undergraduate The case study, pubBusiness, the College of students and eliminated a lished in December Communication and Fine host of enrollment fees, 2021, is part of a project Arts, the College of Edumeaning the total price focusing on affordability cation and the College of enrollment stayed the strategies employed by of Health and Human same for most students. the governing boards of Services. Degrees are For fall 2022, university five public universities. offered at the associate’s, leaders have once again For TROY, the study bachelor’s, master’s and frozen tuition rates and examined the leadership doctoral levels. are retaining the pricing structure which has done away with all mandatory enrollment fees. The updated pricing structure, called the Clear Cost Plan, reflects the university’s Protect your patients against vaccine preventable diseases. commitment not only to affordability but to As healthcare professionals, it is up to you to disrupting the higher ensure your patients remain up to date with education pricing model. The pricing model withtheir vaccines. in the Clear Cost Plan The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention eliminates a host of (CDC) and The Alabama Department of Public fees, including all lab Health (ADPH) recommend the following fees, course fees, regisvaccines for adolescents: tration fees, recreation fees and more. It also • Tetanus, Diptheria, Pertussis establishes single tuition • Human papillomavirus rates for undergraduate, • Meningococcal disease graduate and doctoral • Influenza classes whether online or in-class. For more information, please visit alabamapublichealth.gov/imm “This pricing model Staff Report TPI Staff

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Holtville’s team, hitting .545 with 66 hits, nine doubles, two triples and 22 RBIs. She also scored 45 runs and stole 19 bases. Lindsey Brown, Edgewood Academy INF/C Brown, which has also been named All-County in volleyball and basketball this year, makes

this list for the second consecutive season. The sophomore played both shortstop and catcher for Edgewood Academy this year, and she hit .366 with 15 extra base hits and 21 stolen bases this year. She had a .442 on base percentage and .936 fielding percentage. Ashlynn Campbell, Wetumpka INF Wetumpka’s star shortstop, a Purdue commit, recorded 86 hits this

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season while hitting .537 with a .601 on base percentage. She had eight doubles, 10 triples, one home run and 22 RBIs. She was a huge threat on the base paths as she scored 75 runs this year and 55 stolen bases. Belle Haynes, Tallassee INF Haynes did everything for the Tallassee softball program this year. The star senior shortstop hit .432 with 57 hits, 12 doubles, eight home runs, 60 RBIs, and 23 stolen bases. She finished her career with 306 hits, 232 RBIs and 160 stolen bases. Mya Holt, Wetumpka P Holt, only a sophomore, was the area’s biggest dual-threat player. As a pitcher, she went 27-8 with a 1.08 earned run average with 160 strikeouts. She allowed only 30 earned runs the entire year. At the plate, she hit .444 with 16 home runs and 77 RBIs. She is

the 2022 Elmore County Player of the Year. Kelbi Johnson, Stanhope Elmore INF Johnson, one of the best overall athletes in the entire county, was also named All-County in basketball and volleyball. After dealing with an injury early in the season, she returned and hit .338 with 27 hits, eight doubles, three home runs, 22 RBIs, 33 runs and three stolen bases. She had a .471 on base percentage. Avary Lumpkin, Tallassee INF Lumpkin had already proven herself as one of the area’s best power hitters, but the senior infielder had one of the best batting averages in the county this year as well. She finished her senior season with a .475 batting average, 65 hits, 15 doubles, 10 home runs and 74 RBIs. Anna Catherine Segrest, Elmore County INF Segrest, the Panthers’

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shortstop, led Elmore County in nearly every batting category possible this year. She had 73 hits this year with 22 doubles, six triples, three home runs, 53 RBIs and 21 stolen bases. As good as she was at the plate, she was just as good in the field as she had a .890 fielding percentage. MacKenzie Smith, Elmore County INF Smith, a Snead State commit, also had a stellar season to help lead Elmore County to its second consecutive state tournament appearance. Smith hit .429 this season with a .476 on base percentage, 66 hits, four home runs and 46 RBIs. She had a .958 fielding percentage at first base. SECOND TEAM • Madelyn Becker, Elmore County INF • Chloe Davidson, Tallassee INF/P • Anna Guillot, Edgewood Academy INF

• Jada McLeod, Stanhope Elmore INF • Ashtyn Pannell, Elmore County OF • Jasmine Russell, Wetumpka INF • Abi Snider, Holtville INF • Molly Snow, Edgewood Academy OF • Kylie Snowden, Holtville DP • Ella Watson, Wetumpka P/UTIL HONORABLE MENTION • Cassidy Bowers, Wetumpka C • Kennedy Bradshaw, Holtville DP • Lily Davenport, Wetumpka UTIL • Avery Goff, Holtville C/INF • Summer Hutcheson, Holtville OF/P • Khloe Jones, Stanhope Elmore INF/C • Brooke Royster, Tallassee C • Alexis Walls, Tallassee P Shakeria Washington, Stanhope Elmore C/INF