SPORTS: Williamson signs with College of the Desert football Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
WEDNESDAY, MAY 4, 2022 | VOL. 124, NO. 18 | $1.00
Boat operator dies after going overboard Holtville High School basketball coach arrested WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00
Staff Report
By Cliff Williams Troopers with the Alabama Staff Writer Law Enforcement Agency’s (ALEA) Marine Patrol Division virtual teacher at Elmore are A investigating an incident County School’s Edge program has been arrested and charged with school employee distributing obscene material to a student. Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said Emmanuel Andre Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon.
which occurred at approximately 5 p.m. Saturday that claimed the was theman. head basketlifeWilson of a Pell City ball coach at Holtville High A 30-foot Sea Ray SundancSchool and was er was traveling eastbound on placed on Kowaliga Bayadin the main body ministrative leave Jan. 13 according to Elmore County Schools superintendent Richard Dennis. WILSON “We had a report,” Dennis said. “We had a preliminary
Local author to speak at library
on Lake Martin between Castaway Island and Wares Slough investigation and handed it off when the operator went overto the appropriate authorities. board. Another vessel in the area He was also adminisrecovered theplaced victimonfrom the trative leave at that time.” water and transported him to the Dennis said school officials follow the same procedure when administrators receive a report of allegations against school staff and employees. “Once we hand it over, we know very little about what is going on,” Dennis said. “We cooperate with authorities if necessary.”
ing early on and haunted the school and local librarLexi George will talk ies, devouring fairy tales, about book six in her myths and tales of advenpopular Demon Hunting ture. Series — Demon Hunting George currently lives with a Southern Sheriff. in Wetumpka. The series is set in the The Friends of the fictional town of Hannah, Wetumpka Library will Alabama which George host George at 6 p.m., says is a combination of Thursday May 12 at Atmore By andCliff Wetumpka. the Wetumpka Library. Williams George was born in This event is free and Staff Writer south Alabama and grew open to the public. Light up climbing trees, searchrefreshments will be The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its ing for sprites and fairies served. annual luncheon to install new officers and board in the nearby woods will be a drawing members for and the first timeThere in a while Thursday. dreaming The of other worlds. for door prizes at COVID-19 pandemic put a hamperthe onend gathGeorge is the daughter of of George’s presentation. erings but the chamber celebrated the successes of an English teacher a George’s books will be for business in and Wetumpka. small-town judge. George sale shefor willthebelast auto“We haven’t been able toand do this coudeveloped a love of readgraphing them. ple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your attendance is an indication people want to get back together and have these opportunities to see each
Kowaliga public ramp adjacent to Highway 63 where he was Franklin said investigators pronounced deceased. withThe theElmore ElmoreCounty CountySheriff’s Sheriff’s Office have the alleged vicOffice, Russell Lands Security tim’s phone. Authorities collectand Kowaliga Volunteer Fire ed Wilson’s phone as well. “You could see a conversation between the two,” Franklin said. “Mr. Wilson is going to contend someone had the security code to his phone and he was not responsible. There is other information we can’t disclose now but I don’t think it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.”
Staff Report
Chamber holds luncheon
welcoming members
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon.
Department also responded to assist. Wilson was information released onis a No further $6,000 bond 90 minutes afavailable at this time, as ALEA terMarine turningPatrol himself in accordTroopers continue ingtoto the Elmore County Jail investigate. website. Dennis said Wilson also coached other sports at Holtville schools including being the head track coach and assistant football coach. Dennis said other staff would fill in for the duties of Wilson at Holtville while he is on administrative leave.
Police continue investigation, man no longer suspected
LOCAL CANDIDATES By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer
SPEAK
CLIFF WILLIAMS/
THE HERALD
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, CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot wound Circuit Court Judge 19th Judicial Place No. in the driver seatCircuit of his vehicle. 2 candidate JessicaAccording Sanders and Represento State Wetumpka police chief Benton, thisChadwick was not a random tative District No.Greg 31 candidates Smith shooting.District Attorney 19th Judicial and Troy Stubbs and “This was not random, not a random Circuit candidate Jennifer Holton attended a forum act,” said Benton. “We believe the vichosted by the Elmore County NAACPknew Thursday. tim and the perpetrator each other.” The state primary May 24 in Wetumpka This iselection the first is homicide 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
Wetumpka Cub Scout earns Eagle Rank See CHAMBER, Page A3
Webelos Camp at Tukabatchee for three years. In Constructing and install- 2017, Noell was initiated ing information kiosks on into Order of the Arrow, a the Swayback Bridge Trail National Scouting Honor earned Wetumpka’s Will Society, Alibamu Lodge Noell the rank of Eagle. 179. The kiosks benefit the Noell, 18, is a senior River Region Mountain at Montgomery Catholic Bike Alliance, the organi- Preparatory School. Noell zation that runs the trail, got his start in Scouting by allowing them to spread as a founding member information and updates of Cub Scout Pack 429 on the trail as well as those in 2010, chartered at that that use the trail by provid- time by Mulder Church in ing a place to rest in shade. Wetumpka. While at Pack Noell has been part of 429, he earned the Arrow Troop 13 since 2015 where of Light, the highest level he held a variety of leadof achievement in Cub Staff Report ership positions through Scouts.schoolwide assembly at Holtville Highfavorite School.Cub Elmore County Suthe years, including senior Noell’s The Alabama Association of perintendent Richard Dennis was patrol leader, assistant Scouts experience was Secondary School Principals in attendance for the presentation. senior patrol leader, patrol camping in Helen, Georgia (AASSP) named Holtville “Kyle Futral is an exceptionleader and assistant patrol High with Troop 13 in fall 2019. School principal Kyle Futral the al principal and is very proacleader. He also completed The Cub Scouts went tub2022 Alabama High School Printive and innovative National Youth Leadership ing on the Chattahoochee in his thinkcipal of (NYLT) the Year.and has ing and approaches Training River, enjoyed German to managing The High School Principal of his school,” served as a NYLT staff food and stayed in Dennis the said, the Year award was presented to As principal of Holtville High member for three years, as Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a School, FutralPage hasA6transformed See CUB, well as volunteering with Staff Report
See SHOOTING, Page A3
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
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the school culture from that of a school struggling with low morale, achievement and attendance to a school that strives for excellence. By collaborating with staff, many of the school’s issues were identified and addressed. Futral’s leadership style of listening, encouraging, supporting, organizing and challenging the staff and students, caused the school culture to
a k p m u Wet
shift in a positive direction. The school experienced a 62 percent decrease in discipline referrals, 50 percent decrease in chronic absenteeism, 7 percent increase in the graduation rate, 33 percent increase in CCR rate and a 20 percent increase in ACT proficiency in the last five years. See PRINCIPAL, Page A3
FUTURAL
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