SPORTS: Wetumpka baseball sweeps Valley in first round, B1 Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
WEDNESDAY, APRIL 27, 2022 | VOL. 124, NO. 17 | $1.00
FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00 Commission welcomesWEDNESDAY, high schoolers for government day
Holtville High School basketball coach arrested
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Elmore County CommisBy Cliff Williams sion conducted Staff Writer business in front of a larger than normal crowd Thursday. A virtual teacher at Elmore ItCounty might be surprising at program the size School’s Edge ofhas the been crowd, especially arrested and considcharged ering meeting was helddistribat 10 withthe school employee uting material todid a stua.m., butobscene the commission so todent. accommodate a visit from ElElmore Sheriff Bill more CountyCounty high school senior Franklin Emmanuel classes for said government day.Andre The Wilson 32,isof aim of theII, visit to Montgomery give soon to himself into authorities beturned high school graduates an opTuesdaytoafternoon. portunity see the government
at work and visit with county officials and organizations. Commission chair Troy Stubbs explained commission Wilson the wascounty the head basketoperates on basic principles and ball coach at Holtville High expands from there. School and was “An excellent placed on ad- community is sustained by five pillars,” Stubbs ministrative said at Thursday’s leave Jan. 13 commission meeting. “Those according to El- five pillars that more our County support community are infraSchools healthcare, superstructure, education, intendent Richpublic safety and economic deard Dennis. velopment.” WILSON “Wechair had of a reAs the commission port,” assigns Dennis Stubbs areas of focus to said. “We had a preliminary the commission.
“It does not mean they are the sole source of information for that area nor are they solely responsible for and thathanded area,” Stubbs investigation it off said. “They do serve as a liaison to the appropriate authorities. for was the departments that work in He also placed on administhat area. Each of those areas trative leave at that time.” affect you on InfraDennis saida daily schoolbasis. officials structure, you drove on a road follow the same procedureto get here. Economic development when administrators receive a report of with allegations against has to do where you go to school staffyou and employees. eat, hotels stay at. Education, “Once weare hand it over,Public we all of you in school. know about what safety,very law little enforcement, we is are going on,” Dennis “We all impacted by that said. and healthcooperate with authorities if necessary.” See COMMISSION, Page A3
Play ball!
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 to contend someone had the the head track coach and assisCLIFF WILLIAMS / THE HERALD security code to his phone and tant football coach. Elmore County Commission annual government Elmore heThe was not responsible. Thereheld itsDennis said other day staffwhere would School seniors commission meeting, visit with the duties of Wilson at the isCounty other High information we attend can’t a county fill in for various departments agencies county and enjoy the historic Holtville while helunch is onatadmindisclose now but I and don’t thinkin the it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave. county courthouse.
Chamber holds luncheon
welcoming members By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its annual luncheon to install new officers and board members for the first time in a while Thursday. The COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gatherings but the chamber celebrated the successes of business in Wetumpka. City and baseball, softball league “We haven’t been able to‘mutually do this for the last couagree’ to end lockout ple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your Bypeople CLIFF WILLIAMS attendance is an indication want to get back Writer to see each together and have these Staff opportunities
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon. CLIFF WILLIAMS/ THE HERALD
JustCHAMBER, hours afterPage theA3 City of WetumpSee ka had locks changed out on the fields teams from the Wetumpka Youth Baseball and Softball League play on, players, parents and league officials found themselves protesting the decision at city hall. After an hour and a half meeting of the league’s board and Wetumpka city attorney Justin Edwards came to a deSee LOCKOUT, Page A3
Police continue investigation, man no longer suspected By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer 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 in the driver seat of his vehicle. According to Wetumpka police chief Greg Benton, this was not a random shooting. “This was not random, not a random act,” said Benton. “We believe the victim and the perpetrator knew each other.” This is the first homicide in Wetumpka in over three years. The last homicide in the city took place in 2018. “It’s not a good way to start out the new year,” said Benton. Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
Hines proud of litter pickup effort By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer Elmore County commissioner Henry Hines was grinning from ear to ear. His smile was the result of three days of litter pickup across Elmore the school culture from that of a shift in a positive direction. The County. school struggling with low mo- school experienced a 62 percent “It went well I think,” Hines rale, achievement and attendance decrease in discipline referrals, said. had decrease teams outin picking to a school that strives for excel- 50“We percent chronic up trash all weekend all across the lence. By collaborating with staff, absenteeism, 7 percent increase county.” many of the school’s issues were in the graduation rate, 33 percent brought competition to perthe identified and addressed. Futral’s Hines increase in CCR rate and a 20 event and he didn’t justproficiency sit back leadership style of listening, encent increase in ACT and in watch everyone else. couraging, supporting, organizing the last five years. and challenging the staff and stu- “I was out with a team Friday,” Hines said. See “I was [Saturday]. PRINCIPAL, Page A3I dents, caused the school culture to
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year schoolwide assembly at Holtville High School. Elmore County SuThe Alabama Association of perintendent Richard Dennis was Secondary School Principals in attendance for the presentation. (AASSP) named Holtville High “Kyle Futral is an exceptionSchool principal Kyle Futral the al principal and is very proac2022 Alabama High School Prin- tive and innovative in his thinkSUBMITTED / THE HERALD cipal of the Year. ing and approaches to managing Litter was placed in bags and an Elmore The High School Principal of his school,” Dennis said, County crew came by later to pick it up and the Year award was presented to As principal of Holtville High dispose of it properly. Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a School, Futral has transformed Staff Report
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will be out Sunday afternoon with Seetoo.” SHOOTING, Page A3 my church To help with Hines’ campaign cleanups were held on Lake Jordan and Lake Martin. “We had the Lake Jordan HOBOs cleanup all across the lake Saturday,” Hines said. “Russell Lands and the Lake Martin Resource Association helped out on Lake Martin too.” Hines and other Elmore County officials helped get supplies such as bags, pickers and vests out and also organized efforts for road crews from Elmore County to pick up the bagged litter for proper disposal.FUTURAL
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