Dec 28, 2016 Wetumpka Herald

INSIDE TODAY Brown trains for Team USA tryouts

As year ends let’s remember those like Nola Ochs

SPORTS, PAGE A12

244-7778

OPINION, PAGE A4

THE WETUMPKA HERALD Elmore County’s Oldest Newspaper - Established 1898

Wetumpka, AL 36092

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WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 28, 2016

THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM

VOL. 118, NO.49

Mercer fills District Four commission seat

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Gov. Robert Bentley’s office has appointed Wetumpka businessman Bart Mercer to fill Elmore County’s District Four commission seat.

Mercer’s appointment letter was signed by the governor last

Wednesday. His appointment became effective on Monday.

Mercer, who owns Jenilyn’s Creations in Wetumpka, takes over the seat vacated by former Commissioner Joe Faulk who resigned several days after the general election. Faulk entered a guilty plea to felony ethics violations

Year end marks pivotal time for River Region United Way

for using his public position for personal gain.

Mercer owns a Wetumpka business and, according to its website, is the Chairman of the non-profit Elmore County Economic Development Authority, or ECEDA. According to Sonny Brasfield, executive director of the Association

AND A HAPPY NEW YEAR

Today’s

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a k p m Wetu

Submitted / The Herald

The new officers and board members of the Elmore County Art Guild are (left to right) Manju Kumar, Doris Bell, Shirley Esco, Kathy Atchison and Rebecca Grice.

Elmore Art Guild installs new officers

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

As the time inspires acts of charitable giving, the holiday season was described as a highly important period for local charitable institutions as they try to reach their funding goals before the end of the year.

The River Region United way serves five counties in Alabama – Elmore, Autauga, Montgomery, Lowndes and Macon.

In Wetumpka alone they help support at least five different non-profit organizations.

The Arc of Eastern Elmore County, Boys and Girls Clubs of the River Region, Brentwood Children’s Home, Community Action Agency of Central Alabama and the YMCA all receive some amount of support from the United Way. Jimmy Hill, president and CEO of the River Region United Way, said the organization was, “Trying to wrap up the current campaign.”

“Every dollar counts at the end of the year,” said Hill.

He said the end of the year was a crucial time for the United Way as it receives an influx of donations around this time.

“There’s always a surge in end-of-year giving,” Hill said.

And outside of the Christmas compassion, he said there were practical reasons for some to give at this time.

“A lot of people choose See UNITED WAY • Page 3

of County Commissioners of Alabama, Mercer will serve a twoyear term before a new election for the post would be held in 2018. The winner of that election would then serve another two-year so that all commissioners elected in 2020 would be on the same four-year cycle.

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Carmen Rodgers / The Herald

Fireworks explode above the Coosa River at last year’s Wetumpka New Year’s Eve celebration. Some 2,000-3,000 revelers stayed up late last New Year’s Eve to ring in 2016 at Gold Star Park.

City to usher in new year with solemnity, celebration

By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor

The City of Wetumpka will usher in 2017 on Saturday with a mixture of solemnity and celebration.

The event will include a salute to those who have served as prisoners of war or are missing in action, music and dancing, a video tribute to 2016 and the midnight dropping of Wetumpka’s one-of-a-kind New Year’s Eve meteor.

The events will take place behind the Wetumpka Civic Center, except for the PWO/MIA tribute, which begins at 9 p.m. in the Circle of Flags adjacent to the Elmroe County Courthouse.

“What we do is we just have a brief ceremony,” said Gardner Perdue, who See NEW YEAR • Page 3

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New officers and board members for 2017 were installed at the Elmore County Art Guild’s (ECAG) most recent meeting.

The elected officers are Doris Bell, president, Shirley Esco, vice president, Kathy Atchison, secretary; and Libby Christensen, treasurer.

Elected Board Members former the coming year are Manju Kumar, Carla Luck, Mark Harris, Rebecca Grice and Steve Garst.

The mission of the Guild includes providing opportunities for artists to display their artwork; helping the development of the artistic skills of community youth and adults; awarding scholarships to youth; and showcasing members’ artistic skills by providing juried shows.

The Guild was formed in 1985 by a devoted group of volunteers that wanted to share their unique skills and talents, meet people with similar interests and passions, plus help strengthen local community arts.

Volunteers are always needed to assist in furthering the Guild’s mission of promoting the visual arts and local artists within Elmore County and Central Alabama.

The ECAG meetings are held on the second Tuesday of each month. New members are welcome regardless of skill level or area of artistic interest. For more information visit the ECAG Web site at www.elmorecountyartguild.com.

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PAGE A2 • DECEMBER 28, 2016

Obituaries Joan Darnell Finney

FINNEY, Mrs. Joan Darnell; a resident of Tallassee, Alabama was born on November 17, 1943 and passed away on Friday, December 23, 2016 at the age of 73. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, December 28, 2016 from 12:30 p.m. until 2:00 p.m. at Redland Baptist Church.

Funeral services are Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. at Redland Baptist Church with Rev. Bryce Cox officiating. Interment will follow at Rock Springs Baptist Church Cemetery.

Mrs. Finney is survived by her husband of 56 years, William H. Finney; daughter, Jinith Lynn Mayer (Timothy A.); grandchildren, Bryce Austin Mayer, Autumn Skye Mayer, and Dakota Chase Mayer; uncle, J.B. Davis; aunt, Emily Parker; sister-in-law, Shirley F. Hinton; four nieces; and numerous cousins. She was preceded in death by her parents, Marshall M. and Vondell Darnell. Pallbearers will be Timothy A. Mayer, Bryce A. Mayer, Dakota C. Mayer, John Huggins, Michael Cone, Timothy Esco, and Mark Scanlan.

Honorary pallbearers are the deacons of Redland Baptist Church. In lieu of flowers memorial contributions are requested to the Redland Baptist Church building fund.

Special thanks are extended to Cindy Davis Stokes, Carol Slay Garnett, Gettys Darnell, and Alacare Hospice for the love and care given. Mrs. Finney was a beloved wife, mother, and grandmother. She was a charter member of Redland Baptist Church in Wetumpka. Joan loved her family and her church family very much. Online guestbook available at www.gassettfuneralhome. net

Eugene ‘Gene’ Cole

Mr. Eugene “Gene” Cole, a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama, passed away Monday, December 19, 2016. Funeral services will be Wednesday, December 21, 2016, at 4:00 p.m. from River Road Baptist Church, Tallassee, Alabama, with Rev. Josh Cullars officiating, Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Gina “Renee” Cole; son, Travis Cole; daughters, four Samantha Baker (Joseph), Savannah Ledbetter, Victoria “Tori”

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Ledbetter and Jessica Cole; thirteen grandchildren, Bailee Ward, Shyla ward, Taylor Pritchett, Madison Cole, Kristopher Cole, Briana Cole, Michael Cole, Brycen Parker, Ian Johnston, Harley Wallace, Elizabeth “Liza” Wallace, Camden “Cami” Baker and Jace Baker; grandmother, Frances Cullars; two sisters, Bobbye Jean Ray and Brenda Allison and several nieces and nephews.

Gene was a hard working husband and father who loved Jesus and his family dearly. In lieu of flowers, the family would like memorial donations to be made through Gene’s obituary page @ jeffcoatfuneralhome.com, to assist with funeral expenses, by clicking on donate now. The family will receive friends, Wednesday, December 21, 2016 from 3:00 p.m. until service time at River Road Baptist Church.

Online condolences are available at: www.jeffcoatfuneralhome.com Jeffcoat Funeral Home Directing Tallassee, Alabama

Mary Christine Goodin Dobson “Mama Chris” December 25, 1938 – December 21, 2016 Mary Christine Goodin Dobson, 77, of Wetumpka Alabama, died at 7:18 p.m., Wednesday, December 21, 2016 at The UAB Palliative Care Center in Birmingham, Alabama. She was born December 25, 1938 in Covington County Alabama to Arthur Curtis Goodin and Mamie Etta Powell Goodin. Christine was blessed with three brothers and two sisters.

Lander Goodin DOB Dobson 11-09-28 (Deceased) Emmy Goodin Smith DOB 06-20-1930 (Deceased) Jean Goodin King DOB 04-04-1932 (Freeport, Florida) Glenn Goodin DOB 04-18-1935(Fayetteville, Tennessee) Arvel Goodin DOB 02-06-1941 (Dothan, Alabama)

The Wetumpka Herald

She was a graduate of Kinston High School, The University of Montevallo and Auburn University where she completed her double masters in Special Education.

She married William “Bill” Dobson on September 29, 1961 and he survives.

From their marriage, they had two children that are also surviving.

Monetta Dobson Reyes (Eddie Reyes), their three children and grandchildren.

Natalie Reyes McWilliams (Cecil McWilliams), Gage, Rileigh, Gavin.

Jared Reyes (Crystal Reyes) Tyler Turner Ricky Glenn Dobson (Michele Stewart Dobson), their two children.

Katlyn Allen Sullivan (Chris Sullivan) Nathaniel Brooks Dobson Mama Chris, as she was lovingly referred to by many of her adopted children and grandchildren.

Jeff LaDage (Wetumpka, Al) Brian and Michelle Gibbons, Adam and Jake Gibbons (Orange Beach, Al) Homer Lee (Montevallo, Al) Jeff Chism (Montevallo, Al) Nathan Stamps (Montevallo, Al) Christine Dobson lived 28,486 days on earth. Christine will be laid to rest in a private (family only) ceremony in The Alabama National Cemetery, Tuesday December 27th, 2016 at 11:00 a.m. A celebration of life event including brunch will be held on January 14th, 2017 in honor of her life. Please call 334-322-3117 for time and location after Jan 4th, 2017. IN LIEU OF FLOWERS, DONATIONS TO PANCAN.ORG. She would share anything and everything she had to use and enjoy with others.

If you were down, she extended a helping hand and encouragement to meet the challenge ahead. She brought light and joy into each relationship. She saw no color, only character. Making a wonderful impact in the lives of others, her friendship was a blessing. She brought a bright cheery smile to all that knew her despite the challenge of Pancreatic Cancer. Chris always remained positive and faith-filled.

During the past 2 weeks of her life she struggled with unbearable pain and never shed a tear. Not one tear! What moved

her to tears….the beauty of life. Butterflies, flowers, sunsets, her children. No greener thumb ever existed. Her plants and flowers, some of which were over 40 years old.

The Farmers Almanac was always part of planning her gardens. Her support for her husband as a multiple business owner was critical in their success. When her children were small, she stayed home and supported her husbands efforts to provide. Money was a tool that she learned how to use.

She took great pride in being resourceful and practical. She knew that through this discipline there was a greater ability to give. She believed that ones life should be lived as a sermon, the evidence obvious by actions and not by lofty words. Chris was an amazing example of a Proverbial Woman. A gentle and quite spirit clothed with strength and dignity. Chris enjoyed making meals for others and giving away everything she grew in her garden. Making homemade butter, fried pies, canning and freezing her harvest. She loved with her hands and her heart. A double masters in education, focusing on home economics and teaching children with learning disabilities. As a teacher, she loved nothing more than teaching others with learning disabilities. Being phonetically challenge with words and spelling, she found great JOY in teaching children how to overcome any obstacle. Empowering others with confidence that all things are possible.

Everyone learns differently and is assigned a great purpose. There was no such thing as stupid or can’t learn. She took great pleasure in the accomplishments of her student’s, their achievements and they loved her for it. Her reputation as a velvet hammer paved the way for her to pour out love that spilled over to other teachers. She was a mentor for other teachers.

Chris was respected because she respected. She believed in authority and priority.

Without these boundaries love was limited.

As you look around this cemetery you can see that she traveled the road of tough love. She was a non- conventional person.

Her husband was respected an honored by her and her children called her blessed.

Her presences here will be greatly missed.

Acknowledging political icons who said goodbye in 2016

t the close of every year my tradition is to acknowledge the passing away of significant political players from the political stage in Alabama.

We have lost some Icons from politics in the Heart of Dixie this year.

Lucy Baxley passed away in October in Birmingham at 78. She was born on a farm in rural Houston County in the community of Pansy. She went to school at Ashford.

After graduation from high school she went to work at the courthouse in Dothan and worked for Judge Keener Baxley.

When Judge Baxley’s son, Bill, got elected attorney general in 1970, young Bill Baxley asked Lucy to come to Montgomery to be his administrative assistant.

Eight years later she and Bill married. She was an integral part of Baxley’s first campaign for governor in 1978. Bill became lieutenant governor in 1982, then lost again for governor in 1986. Soon, thereafter, Bill and Lucy ended their ten year marriage.

Lucy then began her own career in Alabama politics. She was elected state treasurer in 1990 and spent eight years in that post.

She was a natural campaigner. One of the best one-on-one campaigners I have ever seen. She worked the state during those eight years as treasurer, especially among senior citizen groups.

She parlayed that campaign into being elected as the first female lieutenant governor in history. In that

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STEVE FLOWERS Political Columnist

1998 campaign, she coined the campaign phrase, “I Love Lucy.” Her signs were all over the state. Her name identification was so pronounced that her lieutenant governor’s parking space simply said “Lucy.”

She was the Democratic nominee for governor in 2002, but lost to Republican Bob Riley. She finished her political career by serving on the Public Service Commission. Lucy loved Alabama and folks loved her.

Judge Perry O. Hooper, Sr. passed away in his hometown of Montgomery in April at the age of 91.

Hooper’s career paralleled the growth and dominance of the Republican Party in

Alabama. He was indeed one of the founding fathers of the modern Republican Party in the Heart of Dixie.

He was a Republican before it was cool. One time when he was state party chairman, Hooper would joke that he could call a meeting of the state GOP in a phone booth.

Hooper was a Marine.

His lovely wife, Marilyn, was a Montgomery native and they raised four fine boys. As a pioneer Republican he led the Goldwater landslide of the South in 1964. That crescendo propelled him into the Montgomery probate judge office. He was reelected to that post in 1970 and in 1974, he moved to a Montgomery Circuit judgeship.

Twenty years later Hooper broke the ice of control that the Democrats and trial lawyers had over the State Supreme Court. He became the first

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Republican chief justice of the Alabama Supreme Court. Democrats and Republicans alike noted at his funeral that during his years as a judge he treated everyone fairly.

Jim Bennett was the longest serving secretary of state in Alabama history. Jim passed away in Birmingham in August at age 76, shortly after being diagnosed with cancer. Jim was a writer, reporter, state representative, state senator and secretary of state.

He became a reporter for the Birmingham Post Herald after graduation from Jacksonville State.

He covered the civil rights protests in Birmingham in 1963 and stood next to Bull Conner when he ordered fire hoses turned on protesters, including children. He once told me he interviewed George Wallace, Bull Conner and Martin Luther King in the same day.

He ran for and was elected to the state legislature in 1978. We served together in the House. He later moved to the Senate.

He was first appointed secretary of state in 1993. He won the election in 1994 and served two four-year terms through 2003. He is not only the longest serving secretary of state, but is also the only one to have been elected as both a Democrat and as a Republican.

He was a longtime member of the Jacksonville State University Board of Trustees and was chairman of the board when he passed away. Jim Bennett was a true public servant.

Have a happy New Year!

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. He served 16 years in the state legislature. He may be reached at www.steveflowers.us.

THE WETUMPKA HERALD

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DECEMBER 28, 2016 • Page A3

United Way

Submitted / The Herald

Santuck Volunteer Fire Department The Santuck Volunteer Fire Department recently held its annual appreciation banquet. Honored at the banquet for their service to the community through the fire department were, left to right, Allen Nummy, Russell Chavers and Milton Stewart.

New Year set up. One of them will be saying thanks to the folks that support the city and will be scrolling through the names, a second will have photos from this past year and all the activities that go on around Wetumpka, That’s a lot of fun. People enjoy seeing those, you know, and that’s one of the things that we get a lot of comments on every year. That they’re glad they get to see those kinds of things.

The third screen, Perdue said, will be Shawn Singleton’s music videos.

The countdown to the meteor’s run down a 300-foot zipline and into the new year – the event everyone will be anticipating – will begin at 11:50 p.m.

“DWI made the meteor,” said Perdue, who started assisting Jack Devenney, when he created the meteor drop, back in 2004,. “This is the second year this one is being

used. It is counterweighted and rolls on top of the zipline for 300 feet.”

Perdue said that this year’s meteor promises to be more impressive than last year’s. He estimates that somewhere between 2,000 and 3,000 people will be on hand to witness the meteor’s run, which will end with a simultaneous eruption of fireworks from across the river.

Perdue said that people are welcome to bring their fire pits and pop-up tents, scout out a spot and set up on Saturday morning.

“We’ll have about eight or 10 folks that will do that every year, bring their stuff, build a fire in their pit and celebrate,” Perdue said.

“It’s a nice family atmosphere to ring in the new year,” said Tiffany Robinson, Wetumpka’s events and tourism director.

Boy Scout Troop 50 will provide concessions for the event and coolers are welcome, said Perdue.

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collects donations throughout the year and then allocates amounts to the multiple organizations it partners with over its five counties.

“United Way uses people from the community to make decisions about which organizations get funded,” Hill said.

The decisions are made locally through volunteers that he said chose which organizations received funding.

Hill said the idea was to use community volunteers and resources to improve the areas where those volunteers lived.

“They know much more about the needs of their community,” Hill said.

The majority of their money raised, Hill said, came from employees who donated through their workplace’s involvement.

He said anyone can donate by going online to riverregionunitedway.org and clicking the donate button.

continued from page 1

coordinates the New Year’s Eve event for the city. “Boy Scout Troop 50 will light the eternal flame prior to the singing of “God Bless America” and the “Star Spangled Banner.”

And then we’ll have Words from the front, Ken “It’s about a 30-minute program and it’s just to say were it not for those who served, we wouldn’t be able to celebrate the way we do in this country. So it’s kind of what we kick off the new year with. It’s kind of a solemn program, but it’s the beginning of the celebration.”

Local disc jockey Shawn Singleton will bring his sights and sounds to the stage to entertain the crowd beginning at 9:30 p.m.

“We’ve used a DJ for the last five years and Shawn is doing it for the second straight year,” Perdue said. “He’s just a local disc jockey.

He’ll have video production and live music for dancing.”

“We’ll have three big screens

One Spot.

this time of year to make a conscious decision to help others,” Hill said.

However there is the added incentive of writing it off as tax-deductible.

Hill said so far under their current yearly campaign they had raised about $3.6 million, which is about 78-percent of their goal.

He was quick to say, however, that the real number of interest was the amount of lives the sum would impact, which he said currently would be about 105,539 individuals.

Hill said although the United Way had a monetary goal, “Our goal is to try to make as big a difference as we can for people.

“It’s very easy sometimes for people to focus on the dollar sign.”

And he said the more people that participated in their campaign, the greater that impact could be.

Ultimately the organization

continued from page 1

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OPINION

Page A4 • DECEMBER 28, 2016

“Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it.”

--Thomas Jefferson

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The Herald strives to report the news honestly, fairly and with integrity, to take a leadership role and act as a positive influence in our community, to promote business, to provide for the welfare of our employees, to strive for excellence in everything we do and, above all, to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves.

Letters to the Editor

As year ends, let’s remember those like Nola Ochs

Reader disagrees with views on Russian hacking presidential campaign

E

Dear Editor, All of the blabbering about Russia hacking during the presidential campaign is stupidity gone to seed.

When Nikita Khrushchev was running Russia he said the US had to be destroyed from within. So there was no need to do any hacking.

That started when Obama became president. Two of his professors at Columbia University taught him everything he needed to know to destroy democracy. One of his 1983 classmates told me that. It is easy to see that he is working hard to do just that.

In addition to Obama, the ignorant jerks who want to do away with the Electoral College are working day and night to get rid of it.

If it were not for the Electoral College small states would have no say in what is done nationally.

Our founding fathers knew that so they created the Electoral College in 1919.

So unless you give your readers those facts and ask them to contact the elected employees in Washington and tell them to stop the socialists we all will lose our freedom.

P.S. People in elective positions whether City, County, State or Federal Government are simply management employees of the legal citizens hired by the board of directors, the voters to serve us and not for us to serve them.

Thank you in advance for giving your readers this information.

Edwin Slaten Wetumpka

YOUR VIEW Want to share your opinion on a situation, topic, etc.?

WRITE: Your View, The Wetumpka Herald, P.O. Box 99, Wetumpka, AL 36092 EMAIL: News@TheWetumpkaHerald.com Include your name, address and phone number. Only your name and city will be printed. We reserve the right to edit or to refuse to publish any submission. You may submit one letter per month, limited to 300 words or less.

very year around this time we stop and think about some of the legends we’ve lost since the previous New Year’s Eve. Each year, the loss seems greater than imaginable.

2016 is no different.

Look at the music industry alone. Among those who left us in 2016 were David Bowie, Glenn Frey, Merle Haggard, Prince, Leonard Cohen and, most recently, George Michael.

Put simply, that’s a heckuva playlist taken from us.

You can find the lists on the internet. There were many famous people who died in 2016.

Dan Haggerty, Abe Vigoda, Nancy Reagan, Joe Garagiola, Muhammad Ali – the list goes on and on.

And then there are people like Nola Hill Ochs.

Bet you never heard of her.

Well, Nola Ochs died on Dec. 9 at the age of 105. Almost 10 years before, in May 2007, she had been certified by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living college graduate. A native of Jetmore, Kansas, Ochs began her college career at what was then Kansas State College in Fort Hays, Kansas, in 1930. She and her husband, Vernon, raised a family of four sons on their Kansas farm. The sons gave

DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor

them 13 grandchildren and they gave the Ochs 15 great-grands.

Vernon Ochs died in 1972 and Nola, her children grown, went back to school, this time at Dodge City Community College in Dodge City, Kansas.

Later, she learned that she was only 30 hours away from her bachelor’s degree in general studies, so she moved the 100 miles to Fort Hays and graduated from Fort Hays State University on May 14, 2007. She told a reporter at the ceremony that she wanted to be a storyteller on a cruise ship.

But Nola never made it to the cruise ship. Instead she began working on her master’s in August of that same year and received her master’s on May 15, 2010 at age 98, becoming the oldest person to ever receive a master’s.

As of her 100th birthday in November of 2011, Nola was a graduate teaching assistant at Fort Hays State.

Ochs said she didn’t keep track of her age, “but I can tell

you I was born in November of 1911. I’ve led a long, interesting life. We (Nola and Vernon) went through the dust storms. We had some difficult times in our marriage, financially. But it’s been the Lord’s will that I’ve lived this long life, and I thank Him kindly for it.”

Nola’s life wasn’t a piece of cake. In addition to the Dust Bowl days and the financial hard times, imagine the work that goes into raising four sons. Then imagine two of those sons – sons you had protected and nurtured – preceding you in death.

Nola lost her first son in 1972. Her second died just nine months prior to his mother.

So as we remember 2016 and the stars that we have lost – in the music world and other areas of popular entertainment – let’s remember those like Nola Ochs, too.

She never had a Top 40 hit.

She never starred in a movie.

She never made a name for herself in politics or wrote a bestseller.

But despite having never done any of those noteworthy things, her life is truly one to emulate.

David Granger is the managing editor for the Elmore County newspapers under Tallapoosa Publishers.

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T

What a difference a year makes

his time last year, I wasn’t doing very well. It was a blue Christmas in every way. I don’t think I left my house on Christmas day. I wasn’t happy about life. I was eating and drinking way too much.

I was pretty much miserable.

I didn’t even watch National Lampoon’s Christmas Vacation.

I usually watch it four to five times throughout the holidays.

My, oh my! What a difference a year makes. I watched it a half-dozen times this year.

In September of last year, I went to the Auburn - Louisville game at the Georgia Dome with my best friends. There were another 73,000 people there, too, yet I felt all alone. I watched just a couple of minutes of the first quarter before I had to leave. I sat alone on the floor with my back against the wall for the remainder of the game. The drinking and the depression was winning the battle. I’m bummed now that I didn’t watch Lamar Jackson play. He, of course, being this year’s Heisman Trophy winner.

The remainder of the fall was the same way. I just didn’t want to be around anyone and if I did, it involved the consumption of copious amounts of alcohol. I wasn’t drinking for fun; I was drinking to drown the proverbial sorrows. I wasn’t drinking every day, but when I did drink, I made up for the nights I didn’t. I

JODY FULLER Guest Columnist

wasn’t an alcoholic, but one doesn’t have to be an addict to have a problem. Thankfully, I recognized that there was a problem and decided to do something about it.

In early December, I went to the VA to see about getting right.

It wasn’t necessarily an immediate life or death situation, so they scheduled an appointment for me. The appointment could have been any number of days, but the first available slot was the last available slot on Christmas Eve. I’m fairly certain there was some divine intervention involved with the scheduling. Merry Christmas to me.

I went to several clinics for a range of tests, and the results were not very good. My cholesterol was high and my liver tests were a little high because of all the alcohol.

My final stop of the day was with a counselor. I really wasn’t sure what to expect. I’d spoken with a Christian counselor a few months earlier, and while it was very positive, due to scheduling conflicts, I never followed up.

That was not the case with the

counselor at the VA. I’ve seen him twice a month for the past year.

He and I have so much in common. I think I’ve become as much a counselor for him as he has been for me. We all need someone to talk to, and we all need someone to listen. Far too often, we deal with our issues in destructive ways, but there’s always a better way.

I went back three months after those initial series of tests for a follow-up. My cholesterol was well within range, and my liver tests were normal. I started eating healthier and didn’t drink for about six months and felt no pressure to do so. I now drink occasionally, but it’s not to drown any sorrows.

What a difference a year makes. Like everyone, I still have my battles but have found more productive ways to deal with them: counseling, daily devotions, and prayer, to name a few. I encourage anyone who’s struggling to talk to a professional. Much like the Jelly of the Month Club, it’ll be the gift that keeps on giving the whole year.

Jody Fuller is a comic, speaker, writer and soldier with three tours of duty in Iraq. He is also a lifetime stutterer. He can be reached at jody@jodyfuller.com.

For more information, please visit www.jodyfuller.com.

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TheWetumpkaHerald.com

DECEMBER 28, 2016 • Page A5

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THE WETUMPKA HERALD

Ringing out the old

G

reetings from the corner of Bridge and Bridge. It feels a lot like Christmas in the Caribbean this year in Wetumpka. The only problem is that we have the heat and humidity, but we are not in the Caribbean.

Jimmy Buffet will have to tell us about it.

Movies and other expressions of popular culture have extensively played on the idea of having a fresh start each new year. There are endless avenues for making predictions about what the new year will hold. Traditions of New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day will be observed and presented as making a difference for the future.

As a general rule, I am not a person who dwells on the past or advocates for the practice. I come from the school

of “What’s done is done” and I believe it is healthy to recognize the fact that none of us has the power or ability to change what has already taken place. Despite the obvious futility of it, the human tendency to try and alter the past is strong.

The biblical witness for avoiding our human tendency is quite powerful. God does not dwell in the past. As a matter of fact, most biblical scholars and theologians emphasize the future tense of God’s word.

God is present in every dimension of time, but God’s presence is most prophetic in the realm of what has yet to take place.

As one of my Bible professors from seminary, Eugene March, consistently declares, “God is standing in the future urging us all forward into what

Wetumpka Church of Christ 408 West Bridge Street

Jason Chesser Minister

Central Baptist Church 3545 W Central Rd Wetumpka, AL 36092 Hwy 9 & W. Central Sun: 10 Bible Studies 11 Worship 6 Worship www.CBCWetumpka.com 239.233.0341 Pastor “g”

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REV. JONATHON YARBORO First Presbyterian

has yet to be revealed.” I find this image powerful. I imagine God standing ahead of where we are, urging us to let go of whatever keeps us rooted in the now and moving towards a more powerful not yet.

The only problem with this image as I experience it in the earthly kingdom is that we humans are insistent on labeling. Assigning labels or names to everything helps us make sense of things. At least we think it does. Perhaps what the earthly kingdom needs most is to embrace the labels God

assigns and let go of our own.

The earthly kingdom at the time of creation was given one label by God. That label was good. God gave Adam the responsibility of naming everything, but God kept the authority of labeling. God labeled everything that was made good.

God’s gift of free will, which we all must remember is part of God’s good creation, carried with it the need for additional labels. When humanity chose to follow its own path, God determined the need for two additional labels; sacred and profane. Sacred refers to the things in keeping with divine intention. Profane refers to the things that are not.

Beyond that, God does not assign any more labels to the earthly kingdom. Additionally, it is essential to recognize that

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God never assigns the labels sacred or profane to people.

The word of God applies those labels to words, actions, and institutions only.

As another new year approaches, it seems wise for every child of God to let go of the labels we use to make meaning and rely on God’s instead. Our system of labeling results in division and separation. Adhering to God’s labels results in unity, mercy, and forgiveness.

May 2017 be a year we all focus on the image of God inherent in us all, and may we all call it good.

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CEDARWOOD COMMUNITY CHURCH 10286 U.S. Hwy. 231 Wallsboro 567-0476 www.worshipcedarwood.org

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Anthony B. Counts, Pastor InterimWorship Pastor Leader Angie Gallups, Billy of Students AngieReinhardt, Gallups, Min. Worship Leader

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Send your church news and happenings to: news@The Wetumpka Herald.com _________ Call or Molly Call Jayne Shannon at 567-7811 to advertise your church’s services in this space

Beauty and Beau pageant Holtville High School’s yearbook staff recently held its annual Beauty and Beau pageant. Shown here are the five beauty winners (left to right) freshman Blakley White, sophomore Haley Galloway, Top Beauty Brantley White, junior Rachel Ward and senior Madison Law.

Submitted / The Herald

THE WETUMPKA HERALD

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

DECEMBER 28, 2016 • Page A11

Pets and fireworks do not mix

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

W

e hope everyone is having a wonderful after-Christmas holiday. The shelter will close again early at noon, Dec. 31, for New Year’s Eve. Now while New Year’s Eve is fun for us humans the reality is that fireworks and pets are not a good mix and many pets get lost on New Year’s Eve as they try to escape from scary fireworks or loud parties.

Prevention is always the best method, so how do you keep your pet safe this coming weekend?

Easy - just bring your dogs and cats inside before any fireworks start and keep them in until well after all of the flashes and bangs are finished for the evening. They may still be scared and hide in a quiet spot in the house, but at least they will be safe at home. If your pet cannot come in the house, then consider containing it in your garage or shop or barn but please make sure to put items hazardous to pets out of their reach. Once the fireworks are done you should then be able to safely let your pet back outside but be prepared to contain your pet(s) again possibly Sunday as well.

Since it gets dark so early this time of year, don’t delay bringing your pets inside as that first volley might cause your pet to panic and take off. And be aware: thinking your pet is ok because it is in a fenced yard does not always work. When dogs are petrified they can scale a fence or go under it in an instant to escape what is scaring them.

Please bring them inside. Cats too!

Making sure your pet has identification on their collar will go a long way to getting them back home – current rabies tag, a personalized ID tag (remember, we can make these for you at our shelter), or writing your phone number on their

collar in indelible ink can often get your pet back home without the shelter ever getting involved.

Make an appointment with your veterinarian to have your pet microchipped as that truly helps us get pets back home in the event they lose their collar. If your pet does become lost (or you find a pet), please call us at the shelter at 334-567-3377 as soon as possible so we can take a report; if we do not answer, please leave a message and your phone number. If you are a Facebook person, don’t delay posting pics and info (where, when lost, phone numbers to contact you) on any of a number of Lost/Found Pet sites. Ours is “Lost & Found Pets in Elmore County” or you can post to our shelter page “Humane Society of Elmore County.” Or you can private message us on either of those pages if you don’t want to make a public post. Our Facebook admins can then post for you if necessary and will also start cross-posting to other pet/community pages you might not even know about to maximize the number of people knowing your pet is lost (or found). You can also report a lost/found pet directly to us via email at hselco@bellsouth.net. Photos of your pets make a HUGE difference as we work to reunite pets and their families, so if you don’t have any, take them this week!

Many families also have brand new pets in their families from Christmas so please realize that these pets are still adjusting to their new surroundings. If new pets escape, they have no idea where they are or where to go for safety. To reemphasize, please, please, please keep your pets inside and make sure they have collars and tags on them.

We wish everyone a safe and fun New Year’s Eve! And come see us at the shelter after Jan. 1 to purchase Getting Down with the Dawgs drawdown ticket(s) and your chance to win $10,000 on Feb. 18.

Meet Loki - Pet of the Week Loki is a 19-month-old husky/bulldog mix who weighs about 70 pounds. He is quite striking and it is hard to resist that patch over his right eye. Loki is good with cats, dogs of all sizes and both sexes and he loves children. He is a smart boy who also loves water.

Our adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $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 and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian.

To meet all the great pets at our shelter come to 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka or go to our website at www.elmorehumane.org. For more information, email us at hselco@bellsouth.net or give us a call at 334-567-3377.

We are open for adoptions this week Tuesday through Friday 10 a.m.-5 p.m. and Saturday 9 a.m.-noon.

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SPORTS

PAGE A12 • DECEMBER 28, 2016

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THE WETUMPKA HERALD

Kennedy talks season at Bama, playoff matchup

By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald

A year-and-a-half in, Brandon Kennedy finally tasted collegiate football.

The Alabama redshirt freshman offensive lineman came in to help clean up the season opener against Southern Cal in Arlington, Texas on Sept. 3. With the No. 1-ranked Crimson Tide rolling through its schedule to 13-0, winning an SEC championship and securing a College Football Playoff berth, Kennedy has turned his first snaps into seven appearances this year, including playing in four SEC contests.

“This season has been long, but it’s been a great season,” Kennedy said Dec. 13, after talking to the Wetumpka Boys and Girls Club. “The memories I have, I’ll have them forever. I feel like I had a lot of fun playing out there.

I got to play in my first

game, first collegiate game against USC. I just had a lot of fun. It’s a whole different experience out there on the field.

“My biggest memory, we had an inside zone play and I came up and had a pretty big hit on a linebacker. That’s my best memory in that first collegiate game.”

Rated as high as the nation’s top center prospect coming out of high school in 2015 and a January enrollee, Kennedy (6-foot3, 301) has practiced at center as well as both guard positions on the offensive line through two springs, summer workouts and two preseason camps at Alabama. While the Wetumpka High graduate has been patiently waiting his turn, he’s absorbed a lot.

“I think being versatile is great. Being able to snap the ball and move over to the left, move over to the right,” Kennedy said.

“I’ve filled in at different positions so if anybody went down or anything like that, I can fill in that position for them if they need me to. Whatever they need me to do, I’ll do.

That’s been my mentality.

“My thing is you have to prepare yourself like a starter, so every week you have to know your team’s plays, your team’s intentions and how they want to play the game. But you also have to know the defense you’re playing against and the other team inside and out. I’ve been using that tool and watching behind greats like Ryan Kelly and Cam Robinson, seeing how they prepare. I just take after them.”

Kennedy, along with the rest of the team, returned to their respective homes for a break a week after Alabama defeated Florida, 54-16, in the 25th SEC Championship Game Dec. 3. The Crimson Tide

Photos By Cory Diaz / The Herald

Former Wetumpka High standout and current Alabama redshirt freshman offensive lineman Brandon Kennedy speaks to the Wetumpka Boys & Girls Club Dec. 13.

reported back to campus Dec. 16 and opened practice in preparation for their Chick-Fil-A Peach Bowl semifinal matchup against No. 4 Washington on New Year’s Eve at 2 p.m. at the Georgia Dome.

For the Tide to extend its winning streak to 26 games, Kennedy said the team needs to continue to focus on the gameplan, a strategy that’s resulted in an undefeated regular

season.

“I feel like our coaches do a great job of creating a gameplan for us to follow.

We as players have to take it upon ourselves to learn that gameplan and be able to facilitate it,” he said.

“Everybody needs to know what they need to do to be a valuable part of the team.”

If Alabama were fortunate to advance to its second straight national

championship game, Kennedy said it doesn’t matter if the Tide gets a rematch with last year’s opponent Clemson or Ohio State, they’ll be excited.

“There’s really no preference for me. I just want to focus on the first game first, and then after that, whatever comes I’ll be happy with it,” Kennedy said.

Brown training for Team USA tryout

By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor

It’s the same game.

Whether she’s getting ready to begin her first season with the national collegiate powerhouse University of Alabama softball team or preparing for the biggest tryout of her life, Elissa Brown approaches it all the same.

Since receiving an invitation in late October to participate in the 2017 USA Softball Junior Women’s National Team Selection Camp from Dec. 31 through Jan. 2 in Clearwater, Florida, the current UA freshman hasn’t implemented any changes in her training.

“I’ve gone out and pretty much done the same thing with my training,” Brown said Tuesday morning during a workout at her alma mater, Elmore County High School. “From what I’m doing and what I’ve seen, I’ve gotten better. It’s the same game in my mind no matter how I’m working out or what I’m getting ready for.”

Starting the week after Thanksgiving, Brown has been training nearly every day for two hours on her own – sometimes with her dad, Primus – lifting weights, conditioning and core training based on a regime provided

by the Alabama coaching staff. She puts in work on the field, too, taking pop flies in the outfield at the left and centerfield positions, as well as taking groundballs at second base and shortstop. In the batter’s box, Brown averages about 225 cuts a day.

Brown said even with a shot on making the Junior National Team looming, she already felt confident her current workout will prep her.

“I feel stronger and that’s given me a boost in confidence with my hitting. I already felt confident and I feel I’m getting better,” she said.

Along with her family, Brown will leave Thursday for Florida for the tryout. The USA Women’s Selection Committee will chose among 34 invitees and the team will compete this summer in the 2017 Junior Women’s World Championship July 24-30 in Clearwater.

There among the best in her age group, the Eclectic native will rely on the same things that’s got her where she is.

“I’m really excited about the season (at Alabama) – the season starts next week. And I’m excited about the tryout,” Brown said. “I’ll see where I’ll measure up with the other girls that are there.”

Cory Diaz / The Herald

Current University of Alabama freshman and former Elmore County High star Elissa Brown trains Tuesday for her upcoming Junior National Team tryout on New Year’s Eve in Clearwater, Florida.

Local stars land All-State selections

By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor

Tallassee’s run to the quarterfinals brought some life to a collective down year in football for the Wetumpka Herald and Tallassee Tribune coverage areas.

With their deepest postseason trip since 1999, the Tigers also landed Elmore County’s lone first-team All-State football player. Senior lineman Jake Baker earned a Class 4A first-team defensive lineman spot, the Alabama Sports Writers Association released Saturday night.

Baker (6-foot-1, 295) forced Tallassee’s opponents to account for him on every snap, as he led the defense with 23 tackles-for-loss and five sacks to go along with six blocked kicks. The senior, who picked up first-team All-Area defensive lineman honors last week, finished with 77 total tackles.

Three other locals players from three different schools garnered All-State second-team spots.

Stanhope Elmore junior center Jake Andrews (6-foot-2, 280) nabbed one of the

6A second-team offensive line positions.

Wetumpka junior running back Kavosiey Smoke ended up at 6A second-team athlete position.

On the 4A team, Elmore County High senior Will Venable was named second-team at defensive back.

Andrews, who holds an offer from Troy University, was the Mustangs best offensive lineman and pieced together one of the best seasons of any lineman across the state, grading out at 90 percent and amassing 50 pancake blocks.

Smoke (6-foot, 210) contributed to Wetumpka’s best regular season in six years and was a part of the Indians’ 3,000 rushing-yard year. The junior scored 11 total touchdowns and had 1,028 all-purpose yards and has offers from Florida, South Carolina, Virginia Tech and Cincinnati.

Though quarterback is his natural position, Venable (5-foot-11, 165) embraced his free safety role on Elmore County’s defense. The senior finished tied for third in the state in interceptions with 7, and offensively, totaled 1,291 yards and 10 scores for the Panthers.

Jake Baker

Jake Andrews

Will Venable

Kavosiey Smoke

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Eclectic Observer The

WEDNESDAY • DECEMBER 28, 2016

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Vol. 27, No. 52

Gas prices rise slightly in area

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Average retail gasoline prices in the Montgomery area – including Elmore County – have risen 2.5 cents per gallon in the past week, averaging $2.08 per gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy’s daily survey of 205 gas outlets in Montgomery.

This compares with the national average that has increased 2.7 cents per gallon in the last week to $2.28 per gallon, according to gasoline price website GasBuddy.com.

The average price of gasoline in Elmore County is right at the state’s average of $2.082 per gallon.

Including the change in gas prices in

Montgomery during the past week, prices yesterday were 31.7 cents per gallon higher than the same day one year ago and are 18.8 cents per gallon higher than a month ago. The national average has increased 16.5 cents per gallon during the last month and stands 28.4 cents per gallon higher than this day one year ago.

According to GasBuddy histori-

Officers urge take caution in holiday traffic

Youth league begins fundraising for season

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

Eclectic Youth Baseball season is speedily approaching and the board members of the town’s league will soon prepare the ball fields for tryouts and practices as hundreds of local youths get ready to play t-ball softball and baseball.

The EYB League President Patrick Burkett said the league board members would meet in less than two weeks to begin preparing the fields. For their kickoff meeting Burkett said roughly 24 teams of 4-12 year olds comprised in the league.

The Eclectic Youth Ball League and its home at Aaron Field have been the subject of a number of town council meetings recently as the town looked for ways to replace aging lights.

The project was reported to come at a roughly $230,000 price tag, however the town council voted to begin the application process for a federal grant that could cover up to half of the price.

Mayor Gary Davenport said that would leave a remainder of about $115,00 to be paid in installments to the lighting company.

It was an amount he said could be offset through other grants and by the fundraisers of the teams that play at the park.

The soda selling efforts by the teams of the EYB is one such fundraiser mentioned at the meeting.

Burkett said it was an annual effort where the team members sold Coca Cola products to raise money for the teams and the variety of costs that come with the league and the park.

“For us to keep playing, it takes a lot. You’ve got field maintenance, you’ve got umpire bills,” said Burkett.

He said the league was under contract with Coca Cola

cal data, gasoline prices on Dec. 27 in Montgomery have ranged widely over the last five years: $1.70 per gallon in 2015, $2.17 per gallon in 2014, $3.02 per gallon in 2013, $3.13 per gallon in 2012 and $3.06 per gallon in 2011.

Areas near Montgomery and their current gas price climate include: See GAS • Page B3

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

David Granger / The Herald

Verdie Nummy, left, and Kitty Hopkins browse the objects for sale in the Eclectic Public Library’s new gift shop. The gift shop is one way the library raises funds to operate, Another is the current blanket sale, where customers can “snuggle up with a good book” and a $7 blanket.

BLANKETS & BOOKS

Eclectic Library urges readers to snuggle up with a good book

By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor

The Eclectic Public Library is asking you to snuggle up with warm blanket and a good book and help support your library.

Betty Coker, librarian at the Eclectic library, said the library is in the midst of a blanket sale to help support the library.

“Blankets are $7 each and, you know, everything we sell helps to keep us in business and opening the doors,” Coker said. “People have been so good to suuport us and to donate stuff because the town only pays my salary and some on the electric bill. And other than that we have to earn everything, so we have as many fundraisers as we can.”

Coker said that the library’s recent shoe fundraiser proved a good one for the library, but that Eclectic will likely not participate this year.

“We did have that big shoe fundraiser that brought in $1,500,” Coker said.

“That’ll help us get through this next year. That was probably our biggest fundraiser that we’ve had so we were happy about that.

“They called back this week and wanted to know if we’d do it again and I said, ‘Oh, give us another year.’

Because that was a big job, you know, to have that many bags of shoes with 25 in a bag and we had probably 200

bags. It was very lucrative, but it was hard because everybody had to wear gloves and then put rubber bands around the shoes and put them in the bag and then we had to store them.”

So, for the time being, Coker is depending on the blanket sale, the sale of donated books and the library’s new gift shop in the new annex to raise funds for the library.

“We have a new gift shop in the back,” Coker said. “We sell like-new items that have been donated in there.

We have a lot of brand new CocaCola items in there that my daughter (Dawn) donated and some other great items.

“We’ve opened the new annex that we got a grant for. It’s a meeting area and a classroom. We have a movie projector with a big screen so that we can show movies. We also sell hardback books for $1 and paperbacks four for $1, cheaper than you can find anywhere. These are great books that have been donated.”

Open since 2010, the Eclectic Public Library is located at 50 Main St. in Eclectic. It features a collection of more than 12,000 books and 600 DVDs and books on CD. It has six computers available for public use with free wifi for connection to the internet.

The library’s hours are 1 p.m.-5 p.m.

Monday, Tuesday and Thursday and 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday. The phone number is 334-639-4727.

State law enforcement officials report a large increase in traffic-related deaths compared to statistics through Christmas of 2015, and they announced earlier in the month a greater holiday presence on the roadways through grants.

State troopers announced during this year’s Thanksgiving holiday there were 14 deaths in a five-day period and during the two-week period of Christmas last year there were 26 traffic deaths.

However, according to numbers from the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, through Dec. 25 state troopers have investigated 658 fatalities.

There were roughly 519 through the same time last year, showing an increase of about 139 fatalities.

“That’s something that should alarm the public,” said ALEA Sgt. Steve Jarrett.

Jarrett did not attribute the rise to any single factor but said the main goal was to avoid the behaviors state troopers see that contribute to fatalities.

Those are speeding, driving under the influence, distracted driving and not wearing a seatbelt.

Local law enforcement report the holidays have so far been in line with others on accounts of impaired driving.

Captain Robert Sliwowski with the Wetumpka Police Department said he had not seen an influx of intoxicated driving locally.

Over the last four days Sliwowski said there had been only a single instance of “driving under the influence,” or DUI. He said they were not planning for extra patrols in preparation for New Year’s because usually there was no major increase of DUI-related activity in the city.

However he said they would have about four officers to provide security at the city’s New Year’s celebration.

Sliwowski said the WPD did have extra officers and extra traffic enforcement available as a result of a grant obtained through the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.

Sgt. Jarrett also said ALEA had procured grant funds through ADECA and the Alabama Department of Transportation.

See TRAFFIC • Page B3

See FUNDRAISER • Page B3

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PAGE B2 • DECEMBER 28, 2016

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

CommunityCalendar December 31

The City of Wetumpka will hold New Year’s Eve Celebration behind the Wetumpka Civic Center. There will be a POW/MIA Recognition at 9:00 p.m. at the Old Elmore County Courthouse. Then at 9:30 p.m. Shawn Singleton will perform.

The New Year’s countdown will begin at 11:59 p.m. followed by the Meteor Strike and Fireworks.

Today is

December 28, 2016 Today’s Event

• There will be a FREE estate planning and asset protection workshop at the Archibald Senior Center located at 115 E Jefferson Street in Montgomery. The educational workshop

The Wetumpka Herald

Submit calendar items: Participate in your Herald

and Observer by calling 256-234-4281, faxing them to 256-2346550, sending your event to the.editor@thewetumpkaherald.com or logging on to http://www.thewetumpkaherald.com/.

will be presented by local attorney Raley Wiggins. Topics covered will include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advanced directives, living wills, long-term care, Medicaid qualification, and probate administration. They will also cover how to protect your assets from divorce, remarriage, creditors, bankruptcy, and nursing homes. Registration is required. Please call (334) 625-6774 or visit www.redoaklegalpc.com for more information.

December 31

Ring in the New Year with the Downtown Countdown New Year’s Eve Street Celebration! The festivities will take place in the Commerce Street Entertainment District from 9 p.m. – 1 a.m., featuring live entertainment plus fireworks and confetti once the clock strikes twelve. Don’t miss this exciting downtown celebration in Montgomery! For more information, call 334-625-2100.

December 31

Living Word Wetumpka, located at 500 AL Hwy. 170, Wetumpka, is excited to invite you to be a part of our 3rd Annual New Year’s Eve Gospel Singing Celebration on December 31 at 8 p.m.

What better way to close out the old year and welcome the new than by singing praises to our Lord and Savior? This year we will be featuring local talent from our church as well as the community. There will also be plenty of good old-fashioned congregational singing. We are looking forward to a great time of fellowship as we sing and worship together. Refreshments will be served. No admission charge; a love offering will be received. Come join us for this celebration and be ready for a blessing! Don’t forget to bring a friend!

Everyone welcome!

Submitted / The Observer

January 7

• Ivan Parker, a Southern Gospel Artist, will be in concert at Calvary Baptist Church, located at 504 W Osceola Street at 6 p.m. There will be a love offering taken.

• Central Alabama Community College Baseball Team will be hosting a baseball/ softball camp. Ages 4-12 will attend from 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Ages 13-18 will attend from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The cost is $10 per player. The kids will get a chance to learn baseball and softball fundamentals from current and former MLB players and coaches. Every aspect of the game including base running, fielding, hitting, pitching, and game strategy will be taught. For more information contact CACC Baseball coach Larry Thomas at (251) 533-4059.

January 7

Ivan Parker, a Southern Gospel Artist, will be in concert at Calvary Baptist Church, located at 504 W. Osceola Street at 6 p.m. There will be a love offering taken.

• Central Alabama Community College Baseball Team will be hosting a baseball/ softball camp. Ages 4-12 will attend from 8:30 a.m. - 12 p.m. Ages 13-18 will attend from 1 p.m. – 4 p.m. The cost is $10 per player. The kids will get a chance to learn baseball and softball fundamentals

Anita Holley delighted Alan and Katrina Mitchell when she told them their yard had been chosen as December’s Yard of the Month by the Eclectic Twilight Garden Club. Mr. Mitchell usually begins decorating for the Christmas holiday two months in advance. However, this year, thanks to scheduling conflicts, he had only two days to put up Santa, a nativity scene and lights. At nightfall, a fairyland of delights appears at the Mitchell home. from current and former MLB players and coaches. Every aspect of the game including baserunning, fielding, hitting, pitching, and game strategy will be taught. For more information contact CACC Baseball coach Larry Thomas at (251) 533-4059.

January 8

The Elmore County Historical Society is pleased to welcome Prattaugan Museum Curator Barbara Gaston as their guest speaker. The topic will be the shared history of Elmore and Autauga Counties and where to find the records before and after the 1866 split. The meeting will be at 2:30 p.m. at the Elmore County Museum (the old Wetumpka Post Office) and refreshments will be served.

The meeting is free and all are welcome!

January 21

Little Miss Wetumpka Pageant 2017 will be held Saturday, Jan. 21, at 3 p.m. at the Wetumpka High School Commons

held at the Wetumpka Civic Center. This is the Elmore County Food Pantry’s largest fundraiser each year. Call (334) 567-3232 or e-mail elmorecountyfoodpantry@gmail. com for more information.

Festival at Gold Star Park in Downtown Wetumpka. The Festival will open at 9 a.m. and the parade will roll at 1 p.m.

Email oocmardigras@gmail.com for more information or visit their Facebook page.

January 10, February 14 and March 14

ONGOING EVENTS

The Wetumpka Public Library, along with the Elmore County Museum, invites veterans and family members to sign up and participate in a free monthly reading discussion program on the experience of war, beginning September and ending in March. Discussions will be held in the Elmore County Museum from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. on the following Tuesdays: January 10th, February 14th, and March 14th. All books and films will be provided for each participant in advance of each discussion. Recent veterans of the global war on terror are particularly encouraged to participate.

February 25

January 30

The Taste of Elmore County will be

• The Order of Cimarron presents Wetumpka’s Fifth Annual Mardi Gras

• Celebrate Recovery meets at Grace Point Community Church, located at 78223 Tallassee Highway, every Tuesday night at 6:15 p.m. All are welcome! These meetings are a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits, and hang-ups! For more information visit gracepoint.info.

• Celebrate Recovery meets at Journey Church, located at 2960 East Cobbs Ford Road every Monday at 5:30 p.m. There is a meal and childcare provided. Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered 12-step for anyone struggling with addiction or life-challenging issues. Call Larry at (334) 832-5714 or visit myjourneychurch.com for more information.

• Celebrate Recovery meets each Thursday evening at 6:15 p.m. at Santuck Baptist Church, located at 7250 Central

Plank Road. This is a Christ centered 12 step program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hang-ups. Call (334) 567-2364 for more information.

• Fresh Start Recovery meets every Thursday from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. at First United Methodist Church Wetumpka located at 306 W Tuskeena Street. Fresh Start Motorcycle Ministry began when God laid it on the heart of a lifetime biker to minister to those with his background. All are welcome, not a requirement to own/ ride a motorcycle. Format used is the Holy Bible.

For information contact ministry leader Paul Henderson at (334) 201-5428.

• Gamblers Anonymous meets Saturdays at 6 p.m. at Cedarwood Community Church, located at 10286 U.S. Highway 231 in the Wallsboro/ Wetumpka community. Call (334) 567-0476 for more information.

• Beginning on Wednesday, January 4, 2017, the DAC Foundation exhibit located at 219 Hill Street in downtown Wetumpka will be open each Monday and Wednesday from 10:00 am until 12:00 pm.

Our first exhibit at this location, features work by Dixie Art Colony artists Arthur Stewart, Kelly Fitzpatrick, Shiney Moon, Lousie Everton, Karl Wolfe, Billy Wilson and Genevieve Sutherland. Some of the work has never been publicly shown. For information visit DixieArtColony.org or follow us on Facebook. CHILD FIND: The Tallassee City School System is launching its annual campaign to assist children— birth to age 21—who have disabilities and may need special services. The campaign urges parents, service providers, and concerned citizens to contact Child Find, a program to locate, identify and evaluate children with disabilities or children who are believed to have disabilities.

The Tallassee City School System wishes to notify you of the availability of special education services in our public schools. If you have questions regarding our programs, or if you wish to refer a student, please contact Lynell Carr at (334) 283-5675 or Child Find (Alabama Department of Education) at 1-800-5482547.”

AMERICA THE BEAUTIFUL: A Photographic Celebration of Places, Faces and Activities is the new exhibit featuring Libby Christensen, John Jacobs, Wayne Atchison, Mit Fontaine, Kay Brummal, Sue Mehearg and Barbara Bryan. The gallery is opened from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm Monday through Friday at the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery 408 South Main Street in Wetumpka. The exhibit will close on January 20, 2017.

SATURDAY NIGHT JAMBOREE: Every second and fourth Saturday of the month is the Highway 231 Saturday Night Jamboree at the Alabama League of the South Cultural Center Building at 12814 Highway 231 North in Wetumpka. There will be country, gospel, and rock and roll music in a good atmosphere. Doors open at 5:30 p.m. with music from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m.

There will be line dancing, no alcohol, no smoking and no charge. Donations accepted for upkeep of the building.

Contact Ray Funderburk at R&R Music and things at 334-991-4682 or 224-8509804 with questions.

Shoe is now on other foot for state board after grad rates misreported

W

hen State Superintendent of Education Mike Sentance told the state school board Dec. 8 that the Office of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Education had determined that the state’s high school graduation rate was inaccurate, reaction was swift and true to form.

Members of the legislature who consistently oppose public education were quick to tell media that there should be consequences for deceiving the public. (Would this include the 22 senators and 51 house members who voted for the Alabama Accountablity Act in 2013 and told the public that this was all about “helping poor kids stuck in failing schools by their zip codes?”)

Senator Del Marsh said the graduation rate issue “is all the more reason for school choice.”

But it was the reaction of state school board members that really got my attention. Mary Scott Hunter told the Decatur Daily that there will be consequences for dishonesty.

Take the time to go on the ALSDE web site and watch the video of the work session and you will hear these comments from board members: “I never believed our graduation rates were accurate.” “I can’t speak.

I was lied to.” “I have been betrayed.” “We all hate to be blindsided.” “The public has been left out.” “We must pay attention to ethics.”

“We’ve put our credibiity on the line.”

All of these comments would ring legitimate–if we erased the last six months from this board’s record.

Here is what they want us to forget.

The deadline for applicants for state superintendent was June 7. On June 27, Mike Sentance informed ALSDE legal counsel Juliana Dean in writing that he was withdrawing his name from consideration. According to Sentance, Dean called him shortly thereafter and told him that board members wanted him to reconsider. Dean works for the entire board. She did not ask them if she should call Sentance. He left her a voice mail on June 28 that he still wanted to be considered.

Mary Scott Hunter told the Decatur Daily that she expressed her disappointment to Dean that Sentance had withdrawn but could not remember if she asked Dean to call Sentance or not.

What no one ever mentions is that another candidate, Dr. Steven Paine, former state superintendent for West Virginia, also applied and withdrew. Unlike Sentance, who has no training in

LARRY LEE Guest Columnist

education and did not meet the “required qualifications” the state board said an applicant had to have, Paine has three degrees in education, is a former teacher, principal, local superintendent and state superintendent and oversaw a $2.4 billion budget. No one called and asked him to remain a candidate.

Someone made sure board members got an anonoymous “smear sheet” at the July 12 board meeting. This was intended to discredit applicant Craig Pouncey, Jefferson County superintendent and former chief of staff for state superintendent Tommy Bice.

By the end of the week, this info made its way to the Ethics Commission, which in turn wrote Dean a letter naming Pouncey as the object of the letter.

Dean distributed a copy of the Ethics Commission letter to all board members and shortly thereafter, the media had a copy.

This incident prompted creation of a legislative committee who are now trying to determine what took place. All eight elected board members have appeared before this committee. Six of them

said they paid little attention to the info because it was not signed and could not therefore be investigated by the Ethics Commission. However, members Matt Brown and Hunter told the committee they were very concerned with the allegations.

Hunter stated that she gave the info to interim superintendent Phillip Cleveland on July 13 and asked him to give it to Dean. She also called Tom Albritton, executive director of the Ethics Commission and discussed it with him.

When Sen. Gerald Dial asked Hunter if she knew that an unsigned complaint could not be acted on by the Ethics Commission, she said, “I did not know the rules” However, earlier that same day member Cynthia McCarty stated that the board had a retreat in February 2016 and one of the speakers was Tom Allbritton.

Hunter also confirmed to Dial that shortly after this incident she told him at a meeting of the Business Council of Alabama that Pouncey would not be considered for state superintendent because of the Ethics Commission complaint.

However, this was untrue as there has never been an actionable complaint submitted to the Ethics Commisssion. (And had the info given to the board members been

signed, the statue of limitations has long since expired regarding the supposed offense.)

The state board voted to hire Sentance on Aug. 11. He was nominated by Hunter and received votes from her, Matt Brown, Betty Peters, Stephanie Bell and Gov. Robert Bentley.

To say this hire stunned the education community is an understatement of the highest order. If a single educator in Alabama recommended Sentance to a state board member, I have not found him/her. Which is what makes the cries of “betrayal” coming from the state school board almost comical.

The day after the work session last week, board member Hunter sent out a newsletter by email.

She states, “Trust has been broken and must be rebuilt.” She could have sent this out the day after she voted to hire Mike Sentance and it would have been just as true.

We sent out an on-line survey with 23 questions on Nov. 29. To date, we’ve had 970 responses (Since there is no way to control who responds, this cannot be considered what some call a “scientific” poll where respondents correlate to local demographics. In this case, 90 percent of respondents are white, 69 percent are female, 70 percent work for a

school system and 61 percent have children or grandchildren in a public school. However, trends are certainly valid, especially as to how educators feel.)

Question no. 16 in our survey was “What grade would you give the Alabama School Board?”

Out of 904 respondents (66 skipped this question), 3 said A, 39 gave the board a B, 219 said C, 373 said D and 270 said the board had failed, giving it an F. So 4.6 percent give the state board an A or B, while 95.4 percent say C, D, or F. Couple this with the fact that 92 percent disagree with the Sentance hire, 70.8 percent say a state superintendent should have previous experience in Alabama schools and 75.4 percent say a state superintendent should have experience as a local superintendent and you quickly see that this state school board squandered whatever trust or credibility they had with the public last summer.

Ironic that the shoe is now on the other foot and board members now say they have the same feelings the public had back in August.

Larry Lee follows topics related to education in Alabama and is the author of Lessons Learned from Rural Schools.

The Wetumpka Herald

Gas

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

DECEMBER 28, 2016 • PAGE B3

continued from page 1

• Pensacola at $2.31 per gallon, up 3.1 cents per gallon from last week’s $2.28; and • Birmingham at $2.06 per gallon, up 3.9 cents per gallon from last week’s $2.02.

Alabama’s highest gas prices can be found in Perry County at an average of $2.27 a gallon. The lowest prices are in Pickens County with an average price of $1.99 per gallon.

“While the benchmark West Texas Intermediate crude closed last week near $53 per barrel, it’s doubtful that we’ll see any momentum this week since trading is generally low volume between Christmas and New Year’s Day,” said Gregg Laskoski, senior petroleum analyst for GasBuddy. “Similarly, expect the aggressive escalation that we saw for retail gasoline prices through much of December to stall out in the final week of the

Traffic

year.”

“Overall, the national average price of gas is 28 cents higher than where it was a year ago on this day and prices in most metros and states across the country are higher too; with the remarkable exception being California whose statewide average today is 13 cents lower than last year and the Los Angeles’ average, believe it or not, is 27 cents less than a year ago,” Laskoski noted.

GasBuddy is the premiere source for real-time local gas prices. Founded in 2000, GasBuddy.com developed as an initiative to provide consumers access to local, current gas prices. Through the GasBuddy.com website and the free GasBuddy mobile app, users can find and share gas prices with fellow drivers, saving big money at the pump.

continued from page 1

“Thanks to highway safety partners at ALDOT and ADECA, they both give grant money for holiday travel so troopers can work overtime through grants,” Jarrett said.

It was how they managed a higher presence on the roads during a time in which Jarrett said they were extremely understaffed.

“We desperately need the public’s help in reducing traffic fatalities,” Jarrett said.

He said from their observations so far this holiday season, too, had been normal, however normal meant a

Fundraiser to use its products for that purpose.

“That’s our part to put towards the payment every year,” Burkett said.

On average, Burkett said the teams sold about 1,200 cases of Coke and raised about $4,500-$6,000.

At the last town council meeting he spoke about the effort and said, “When you’re trying to deliver 1,200 cases of cokes, it’s a pain. It’s pretty intense.”

Burkett said the fundraiser would begin as soon as the season starts. League tryouts are currently set for Feb. 10-11 and opening day is scheduled for April 1.

Burkett said this was his third year as league president and the board is largely made up of parents of the players who worked to maintain the park along with some volunteers.

general increase of DUIs. “It’s nothing unusual this year,” Jarrett said.

But then he also said, “There are drunk drivers out there 24 hours a day seven days a week.”

Jarrett said ALEA was working with legislators to find funding through legislation to hire more troopers.

And he said he felt there was a connection with the year’s trend and their absence.

“I feel strongly that the lack of Troopers out there on the highway is a contributing factor,” he said.

continued from page 1

In their off season, Burkett said they had replaced the sod of a number of the fields.

Burkett said there were no requirements for a youth to play.

“Everybody makes the team,” he said.

He said he was not originally from Eclectic, but in his time there he learned that the beginning of the season was sort of a town tradition.

On opening day, Burkett said a parade was scheduled to make its way through town with each vehicle decorated by a different team.

“It’s just been a tradition here forever, I reckon,” Burkett said.

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PAGE B4 • DECEMBER 28, 2016

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

NEW YEAR WORD FIND

The Wetumpka Herald

1HZ <HDUÂśV 'D\ LV WKH ÂżUVW KROLGD\ FHOHEUDWHG HDFK \HDU LQ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV People welcome in the New Year with friends and family by following traditions and making resolutions to improve their health and lifestyles. Many people stay XS XQWLO DP WR ULQJ LQ WKH 1HZ <HDU -DQXDU\ ZDV ÂżUVW GHFODUHG WKH ÂżUVW day of the year during the Roman Empire with the creation of the Julian calendar.

Many traditions, such as resolutions, surround New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s. A resolution is a decision you make in order to improve yourself. The most common New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolution is to lose weight. Others may resolve to eat healthier, keep their home or RIÂżFH FOHDQHU RU WR GR PRUH FKDULWDEOH DFWV 2WKHU 1HZ <HDUÂśV WUDGLWLRQV LQFOXGH eating special foods for good luck, e.g., black-eyed peas and collard greens in America and doughnuts in the Netherlands. Parades are also a common New <HDUÂśV WUDGLWLRQ 7KH ÂżUVW 7RXUQDPHQW RI 5RVHV 3DUDGH RFFXUUHG LQ &DOLIRUQLD LQ 1886 to celebrate the orange crops. The Rose Bowl was added to this tradition in 1902 and is still a popular New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s celebration. The famous Waterford Crystal Ball drop in New Yorkâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Times Square is televised each year on New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve and is watched by people around the World. A smaller, but similar, festivity is the Peach Drop in Atlanta, Georgia.

Words: HAPPY Cake NEW YEAR Clocks CROSSWORD Confetti Solve the puzzle Countdown using the clues Ball provided. Each clue Drink gives a hint to a New Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s resolution.

Family Food Friends Hats Kisses Midnight Music Noise Makers Clues: FINISH THE SONG 4. Try toAcross Radio spend less what?

The popular song, Auld Lang Syne, is ofStreamers ten 7. Help the Earth by starting sung at the stroke of midnight on New to do what?

Television Yearâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Eve. Complete the song.

2017

8. To move your body more.

9. Eat healthier foods.

Down Clues: 1. To put things in order.

2. To treat other people with more ___________.

3. To not be late or tardy.

5. Lose excess _______.

6. To ____ your car, home, RU RIÂżFH

Crossword Ans: Across4)money 7) recycle 8) exercise 9) diet Down-1) organize 2) kindness 3) timely 5) weight 6)clean

Connect the dots to see the 2017 animal of the year.

(1) Should old ___________ be forgot and never brought to mind?

(2) acquaintance be forgot Should ____ and days of Auld Lang Syne.

(3) For Auld Lang Syne, my _____, for Auld Lang Syne, (4) weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take a cup of ___________ yet (5) for _______ Lang Syne.

And surely youâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll buy your pint cup!

(6) and surely Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll buy ______!

And weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ll take a cup oâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; kindness yet, (7) Syne. for Auld _____

Song :1) acquaintance 2)old 3)dear 4)kindness 5) Auld 6)mine 7)Lang

CHINESE NEW YEAR ANIMAL

Did you know that the Chinese calendar assigns an animal to each Chinese Year?

The 12 animals are Horse, Rat, Ox, Monkey, Snake, Rooster, Dog, Tiger, Dragon, Rabbit, Pig, and Goat (or Sheep). People born within a year of a particular animal are said to have characteristics like that animal. This year, 2017, is the year of the Rooster.

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77744 Tallassee Hwy. 14 East Wetumpka, AL

EGGF=Q K Paint & Collision Center

SHAWS GARDEN CENTER AND LANDSCAPING

334-285-6434

Autoâ&#x20AC;˘Homeâ&#x20AC;˘Life

AMBULANCE 2530 East 5th Street Montgomery, AL

334-265-1208

Dr. Mary Battistella, DVM 8610 Kowaliga Road â&#x20AC;˘ Eclectic, AL

(334) 857-1816

www.wholehealthpetcare.com

Mon. - Fri. 10-6; Sat. 10-4 Closed Sun.

B&Bâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Health Boutique is here for women who need professional assistance with their hair and bra Âżtting as well as prosthetics 100 Court Street (334) 478-5090 Wetumpka

256-820-8000

ANGIE CARTER

Offering Short Term Rehab and Long Term Care 1825 Holtville Road â&#x20AC;˘ Wetumpka, AL

Auto Motorcar Service & Sales, LLC 334.567.3600

3295 Wetumpka Hwy. â&#x20AC;˘ Montgomery, AL

Scott Mooney tracey@mooneyspaintandbody.com www.mooneyspaintandbody.com 2331 S. Main Streetâ&#x20AC;˘Millbrook, AL

â&#x20AC;&#x153;GROWING TO PLEASE YOUâ&#x20AC;?

Phone: 334-244-0506 Howard Shaw â&#x20AC;˘ Judy Shaw 334-799-8519 Mark Shaw 334-799-6721

PET CARE & RESORT

ALIGNMENTS

www.claytonhomesanniston.com

JERRYâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;S AUTO GLASS

KOWALIGA WHOLE HEALTH

CertiÂżed Public Accountants

alantaunton@tauntoncpa.com

567- 4 70 0

www.tallasseeautomoti ve.com

www.cathythornton.remax-alabama.com

James Hamner 26 Cambridge Dr. Wetumpka, AL 36092 (334) 567-5156 jhamner@alfains.com

1533 GEORGIA ROADâ&#x20AC;˘WETUMPKA, AL

334-262-2544

WETUMPKA HEALTH AND REHABILITATION, LLC

J. Alan Taunton & Company, LLC 200 Executive Park Drive Tallassee, AL 334.283.2567

1618 Gilmer Ave. Tallassee AL.

Cathy Thornton

(334) 399-1052

á&#x20AC;Ł ÂŚÂĄ Â&#x160;Â&#x2DC;Â&#x201C;Â&#x2014;­ Â&#x160;ÂĄÂ&#x201C;Â&#x161;Â&#x2018; Â?Â&#x153;ÂĄ Â&#x153;ÂŚÂĄÂŁá&#x20AC;¤

TANK LINES, INC. jmtankjobs.com or call Jeff Sandlin @ 205-245-3933

Cornerstone Realty

2304-B Gateway Drive (Hwy. 280) Opelika, AL Feet Hurt at All? Call Dr. Paul!

334-741-7600

www.alfootcare.com

5376 U.S. Hwy. 231 Toulouse, AL

1745 U.S. Hwy. 231 Wetumpka, AL

334-567-0012

334-514-0455

â&#x20AC;&#x153;EVERYTHING ROTATES AROUND YOUâ&#x20AC;? [ WWW.WETUMPKATIREPROS.COM

Elmore Co. Farmerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Co-Op 355 QUEEN ANN ROAD WETUMPKA, AL

Locally Owned & Operated by Jeff Martin and Tim Martin 1280 Holtville Road â&#x20AC;˘ Wetumpka, AL

(334) 567-4321

334.478.3333

Email: jeff@martincollision.biz

PEAVY PLUMBING

Commercial & Residential Byron Peavy, Licensed Plumber 4144 Central Plank Rd. â&#x20AC;˘ Wetumpka, AL 334-567-9941 or 334-324-0884 peavyplumbing@yahoo.com

PRATTVILLE

AUTO & RV REPAIR CENTER, LLC

15 Cousins Court|Wetumpka, AL

334-567-7877 334-399-2681 www.macstree.net

â&#x20AC;&#x153;Honest Labor â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Fair Pricesâ&#x20AC;?

We Offer Mobile Service!

504 West Osceola Street 334.567.4729

Rev. Anthony Rhodes â&#x20AC;˘ Senior Pastor Sarah Swedenburg â&#x20AC;˘ Worship Ministries Derek Blankenship â&#x20AC;˘ Student Ministries

74 Commerce Street â&#x20AC;˘ Montgomery, AL

334-834-6640 www.aldridgeborden.com

Macâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Tree Service

1259-C South Memorial Drive â&#x20AC;˘ Prattville, AL

334-365-5085 w w w. p r a t t v i l l e r v. c o m