Annual Horizons magazine highlighting progress in Elmore County Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
WETUMPKA
MILLBROOK
We’re All In HORIZONS
ECLECTIC
TALLASSEE
The River Region
Progress 2022
sa Publishers, Inc. A special edition from Tallapoo
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In 2022 Horizons • We’re All
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 16, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 7 | $1.00 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00
Mardis Gras coming to Wetumpka again Holtville High School basketball coach arrested By CLIFF WILLIAMS “I went to a ball and helped a little The fun starts at 9 a.m. Saturday Staff with awas parade,” Bellbasketsaid. “I was like Feb.and 26 handed with vendors Gold Starsaid investigators ByWriter Cliff Williams Wilson the head Wilson was released on a investigation it off at Franklin is a at lot Holtville of fun. It was be appropriate Park. Lineup for the parade Staff Writer withwill thestart Elmore County Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes afball this coach Highgreattotothe authorities. There is no need to travel to Mo-School ableand to socialize. The ball wasHe like a also at 11 a.m.on at administhe farmersiff’s market. The Office have the alleged vic- ter turning himself in accordwas was placed bileAorvirtual New Orleans part inplaced promon andadthe parade was fun.”trative leave parade starts at 1 p.m. and will crossAuthorities collect- ing to the Elmore County Jail teacher to at take Elmore tim’s phone. at that time.” Carnival. Bell said there will be floats,Dennis golf the turn ontoedHill Streetphone as well. County School’s Edge program ministrative Wilson’s website. saidbridge schooland officials has been and charged The Orderarrested of Cimmaron is onceleave carts, horses andsame make its way back to Main “YouStreet. could see a conversaJan. 13 and cars. Dennis said Wilson also follow the procedure withbringing school employee distribtion between when administrators receive again a family fun parade toaccording “I’m to notEl-a car guy, but the Capital “It’s the same routeaas Christmas on the two,” Frank- coached other sports at Holtreport of the allegations against uting obscene material a stu- more said. “Mr. Wetumpka just before FattoTuesday. CityCounty Corvette Club will be there,” Coosa,” Bell said. “Itlinwill take a Wilson is going ville schools including being school staff and employees. dent. to contend Schools superCraig Bell has moved from just at- Bell said. “Those are some really nice float about 25 minutes, or so, to makesomeone had the the head track coach and FILEassis/ THE HERALD “Once we hand it over, we Elmore County Sheriff Bill security code to his phone and intendent Richtant football coach. tending the parade to helping orga- cars. There will also be several Jeep A woman throws a handful of Moon Pies into the crowd at the know very little about is GRAS, Franklin said Emmanuel Andre ard Dennis. he was not said otherWetumpka. staff would Seewhat MARDI Page A3responsible. nize the fun. clubs too.” 2020 MardiThere Gras paradeDennis held in downtown WILSON going on,” Dennis said. “We is other information we can’t fill in for the duties of Wilson at Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery “We had a recooperate with authorities if disclose now but I don’t think Holtville while he is on adminturned himself into authorities port,” Dennis Tuesday afternoon. it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave. said. “We had a preliminary necessary.”
MISSING Donation helps agency move Police TEEN Chamber holds luncheon continue Millbrook police ask for help locating 16-year-old investigation, man no longer suspected By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
welcoming members
The Elmore County Family ReBy KAITILIN FLEMING source Center is moving, thanks in Managing Editor part to a donation from the Alabama Civil Justice Foundation. The Millbrook Police Department is Soon the resource By Cliff Williamscenter will be in a Members asking for the public’s help in locating bigger Stafffacility Writer on Coosa River Parkof the Jolee Elizabeth Kent, who was last way to better serve its growing cliWetumpka seen Feb. 5 at 10 p.m. entele. The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its Chamber of On Sunday, Feb. 6, 2022, the parCommerce annual luncheon to install new officers and board “We are excited about the future of ents of 16-year-old Kent reported attend the the first timemember in a while Thursday. the members resource for center,” board their daughter misschamber’s “A The COVID-19 Angela Cardwell said.pandemic put a hamper on gathing. Kent’s parents Taste of Our erings butthe thecusp chamber “We are on of a celebrated vision thatthe successes of stated that they had Home Town” in Wetumpka. has business been there for a long time. We last seen her on SatBy Jake Arthur luncheon. haven’t ableboard to do this have “We a good staff,been a great and for the last couChief Videographer urday, Feb. 5, 2022 CLIFF WILLIAMS/ ple years,” chairperson Clayalready McConnell said. “Your executive director who has at approximately THE HERALD attendance is an indication people want to get back succeeded in getting funding and writPolice are still atinvestigating the fatal 10 p.m. her resitogether and have these opportunities to see each ing grants.” shooting dence in the in Wetumpka Walmart parkDeatsville, Alabama Civil Justice Foundaing lot on Jan. 20. Alabama. See CHAMBER, Page A3 tion (ACJF) executive director Nikki Police were dispatched to the parking lot Kent was last KENT Tucker Jones said the foundation has around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots seen wearing pa- fired” call. given away nearly $15 million over Once there, they found Centell Winston, jama pants with a the last 30 years with $497,000 to 57 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot woundher multi-colored t-shirt, however, organizations in the past year. in the driver seat of his vehicle. current attire is unknown. Kent is cur“You all do great work and we beAccording Wetumpka police rentlyto homeschooled and ischief known lieve in what you do,” Jones said. Greg Benton, this was not a random shootto frequent the Deatsville and Mill“These grants are possible because of ing. brook areas. the attorneys who participate in donat“This was not have random, not a random If you any information regarding interest from their trust accounts.” act,” saiding Benton. “We believe victhe location of Joleethe Elizabeth The Elmore County Resource Centim and the perpetrator knew eachcall other.” Kent, please immediately the poter executive director LaKesha Ross This is the first homicide in Wetumpka lice or CrimeStoppers using the 24said the organization helps serve unin over three years. The last homicide in hour tip line at 215-STOP (7867) or derserved families in Elmore County. the city took place in 2018. 1-833-AL1-STOP or download the “It’s not a good way to start out the new “We link families to resources in the CLIFF WILLIAMS / THE HERALD P3-tips app. Make sure you receive a Benton. Elmore County Family Resource executive director LaKesha Ross, third from left accepts a donation year,” said tip ID and password in order to diaBenton didn’t want to speculate on the See DONATION, Page A3 from Alabama Civil Justice Foundation executive director Nikki Tucker Davis. log with investigators in case there is a follow-up question. Your tip may lead SHOOTING, Page A3 to a cashSee reward.
Strong to severe storms forecast for Thursdayof the year Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal
By KAITILIN FLEMING Staff Report Managing Editor
Alabama Association AThe dynamic weather system of is Secondary School Principals expected to impact the southern (AASSP) namedincluding Holtville much High states Thursday, School principal Kyle Futral the of Alabama. 2022 Alabama High School PrinThe National Weather Service of the Year. is cipal predicting that strong to severe The HighbeSchool Principal of storms will possible between the Year award was presented to 2 p.m. Thursday and 2 a.m. FriFutral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a
Today’s
Today’s Weather Weather
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day, with the main window for rain and tornadoes on Thursday, in schoolwide at Holtville school culture from that ofwinds, a shift in a positive direction. The Elmore andassembly Tallapoosa Counties theaddition to strong gradient High School. Elmore County Suschool struggling with low moschool experienced a 62 percent open from 4 p.m. until 9 p.m. unrelated to severe storms. Winds perintendent Richard Dennis was rale, achievement and attendance decrease in discipline referrals, The confidence in the overall se- will average 15-25 mph out of the in attendance for the presentation. to a school that strives for excel50 percent decrease in chronic vere threat is still in the air. Many south, with potential for gusts to “Kyle Futral is an exceptionlence. By collaborating with staff, absenteeism, 7 percent increase of the parameters for severe storms 30 or 35 mph. Flooding is not yet al principal and is very proacmany of the school’s issues were in the graduation rate, 33 percent will be in place, such as sheer and expected with this event. tive and innovative in his thinkidentified and addressed. Futral’s increase in CCR rate and a 20 perinstability, but forecasters cannot NOAA’s Storm Prediction Cening and approaches to managing leadership style of listening, encent increase in ACT proficiency be sure on specifics just yet. ter has put a large part of western hisAschool,” Dennis said, couraging, supporting, organizing in the last five years. large part of the state will face As principal of Holtville High and challenging the staff and stuSee WEATHER, Page A3 the risk of damaging winds, heavy See PRINCIPAL, Page A3 School, Futral has transformed dents, caused the school culture to
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