SPORTS: All-County boys basketball team released, B1 & B2 Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 23, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 12 | $1.00 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00 County school board recognizes students in poster and essay contest
Holtville High School basketball coach arrested
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Elmore Board of EducaBy CliffCounty Williams tion member Wendell Saxon was Staff Writer grinning from ear to ear at Tuesday’s A board virtualmeeting. teacher at Elmore Saxon greeting of Countywas School’s Edgemany program thehas students who participated in been arrested and charged thewith second annual Black History school employee distribPoster Essaymaterial contest to fora Elutingand obscene stumore County schools. dent. “We had 87 students particiElmore County Sheriff Bill pate,” Saxon said. “This is aAndre volFranklin said Emmanuel Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon.
unteer program for student participation open to all Elmore County Board of Education students.” Saxon’s students in Wilson contest was thehad head basketgrades three through five create ball coach at Holtville High posters Schooland andthose wasin higher grades wrote essays. All placed on ad-projects were to be about African Americans past ministrative orleave present who13made contribuJan. tions in healthcare. according to ElThrough sponsorships, Saxon more County gave out cash prizes. Schools super“We had tremendous success,” intendent RichSaxon said. “We were able to ard Dennis. WILSON “We had a report,” Dennis said. “We had a preliminary
raise $2,500 and it allowed us to give each student who participated this year a monetary prize.” The top 10 poster contestit wininvestigation and handed off ners: 1st Kendall Allen, Airport to the appropriate authorities. Road School; 2nd He wasIntermediate also placed on adminis-trative Blaiseleave Kessler, Holtville Eleat that time.” mentary 3rd - officials GabryelDennis School; said school la Wright, Airport Road Interfollow the same procedure mediate School; 4th receive - Bethany a when administrators Warnock; - MaKenzee Hicks, report of 5th allegations against Holtville Elementary School; 6th school staff and employees. “Once we hand it over, we CONTEST, Page is A3 know verySee little about what going on,” Dennis said. “We cooperate with authorities if necessary.”
Franklin said investigators Wilson was released on a with the Elmore County Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes afiff’s Office have the alleged vic- ter turning himself in accordtim’s phone. Authorities collect- ing to the Elmore County Jail ed Wilson’s phone as well. website. “You could see a conversaDennis said Wilson also tion between the two,” Frank- coached other sports at Holtlin said. “Mr. Wilson is going ville schools including being WILLIAMS / THE HERALD to contend someone had the the head track CLIFF coach and assisElmore County Board of Education member Wendell Saxon security code to his phone and tant football coach.poses with winners the Black History poster and essay contest. Saxon helped the event. heofwas not responsible. There Dennis said otherorganize staff would is other information we can’t fill in for the duties of Wilson at disclose now but I don’t think Holtville while he is on adminit’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave.
Drop box to prevent Police overdoses Chamber holds luncheon and continue pollution investigation, man no longer suspected
welcoming members
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its CLIFF WILLIAMS / THE HERALD annual luncheon to install new officers and Students of the Elmore County Technical Center hold board the ribbon members for the first time in a while Thursday. before its cutting to officially open the new addition. The COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gatherings but the chamber celebrated the successes of business in Wetumpka. “We haven’t been able to do this for the last couple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your attendance is an indication people want to get back together and have these opportunities to see each
Elmore County Schools cut ribbon on
NEW TECHNICAL CENTER
A small blue box in front of the Elmore County JudiMemberscial Complex serves a large of the purpose in the battle against Wetumpka the opioid epidemic. Chamber of The Council on Substance Commerce Abuse (COSA) is partnerattend the ing with the sheriffs and law chamber’s “A enforcement agencies in ElTaste of Our more, Lowndes and MontHome Town” takeArthur unBy to Jake luncheon.gomery counties Chief Videographer CLIFF WILLIAMS/
By CLIFF WILIAMS Staff Writer
Police are still investigating the fatal shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart parking lot on Jan. 20. Police were dispatched to the parking lot around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. Once there, they found Centell Winston, 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot wound WILLIAMS / THE HERALD in the driver seat of hisCLIFF vehicle. Montgomery County Sheriff Derrick Cunningham,police left andchief Elmore According to Wetumpka Greg Benton, washow not the a random shootCounty Sheriff Bill Franklin talkthis about new drop box is useful in properlying. disposing unneeded prescriptions. “This was not random, not a random act,” said Benton. “We believe the victim and the perpetrator knew each other.” This is the first homicide in Wetumpka in over three years. The last homicide in the city took place in 2018. “It’s not a good way to start out the new year,” said Benton. Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
Elmore County teen dies in Wednesday traffic accident STAFF REPORT A Wetumpka 16-year-old died in a fiery traffic acciABOVE:Wetumpka Fire Chief dent on Old Salem Road. Greg Willis speaks about the traThe Alabama Law Endition of rolling in a new fire truck forcement Agency the schoolinto culture of County a shift in a positive direction. The(ALEA) its bayfrom as thethat Elmore Technical Center opens.moThe truck said thea 62 accident school struggling with low school experienced percentoccurred was donated the departmentdecrease in discipline rale, achievement andbyattendance referrals, 6 p.m. at approximately the school its excelpublic safety50 percent decrease to a schooltothat strivesforfor in chronic Wednesday, March 16. program. LEFT:The lence. By collaborating withplumbing staff, shop absenteeism, 7“The percent increase was fa16-year-old of the Elmoreissues Countywere Technical in the graduation many of the school’s 33 percent tallyrate, injured when the 2007 Center includes a raised platform identified and addressed. Futral’s increase in CCR rate and a 20in perToyota Tundra which the by of students to allowenlearning leadershipbuilt style listening, cent increaseteen in ACT proficiency was driving left the installing water and sewer lines couraging,ofsupporting, organizing in the last fiveroadway years. and struck a tree under structures. and challenging the staff and stubefore catching on fire,” an See ALEA PRINCIPAL, Pagesaid. A3 “The dents, caused the school culture to release
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
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See DROP BOX, Page A3
THE HERALD
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Students are now roaming the halls of the 48,000 square feet addition to the Elmore County Technical Center. Elmore County Board of Education officials are hoping to grow the center even more. “Just a few years ago we only had about 300 students in programs here,” Elmore County Board of Education superintendent Richard Dennis said. “Today we have about 1,000.” The $7.5 million expansion added much needed lab and classroom space for programs such as aviation, public safety and law, medical sciences, welding, HVAC, electrical, building construction Staff Reportand plumbing and pipe-schoolwide assembly at Holtville fitting. High School. Elmore County SuElmore County Technicalof Cen-perintendent Richard Dennis was The Alabama Association ter directorSchool EmiliePrincipals Johnson saidin attendance for the presentation. Secondary the addition was much needed “Kyle Futral is an exception(AASSP) named Holtville High to help fill jobs in the local School principal Kyle Futral the jobal principal and is very proacmarket. 2022 Alabama High School Prin- tive and innovative in his thinkcipal“This of thefacility Year. is a game chang-ing and approaches to managing The High School Principal of his school,” Dennis said, See RIBBON, the Year award was presentedPage to A3 As principal of Holtville High Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a School, Futral has transformed
used prescription drugs off the streets. The drop boxes are located in areas monitored by law enforcement and video. COSA is providing the drop boxes and incinerators to properly dispose of the unwanted drugs. “We are giving access to all of our communities to be able to dispose of prescription medications,” COSA
CLIFF WILLIAMS / THE HERALD
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See SHOOTING, Page A3
teen was pronounced deceased at the scene. The crash occurred on Old Salem Road, approximately 10 miles east of WeINSIDE tumpka, Students, in Elmore faculty share County.” memories ALEA in wake of said noth16-year-old’s death, page B8 ing further is available as Troopers ALEA’s Highway Patrol Division continue to inFUTURAL vestigate.
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