Jan 6, 2016 Tallassee Tribune

LOCAL, PAGE 2

OPINION, PAGE 4

Enslen recalls his brush with the Alabama Crimson Tide.

Michael Bird’s book sales reach $23,000 for Troy University Scholarship

fund

OPINION

SPORTS, PAGE 12 Tallasee varsity Boys continues to build

PUBLIC SERVANTS SHOWED COMMITMENT

The Tallassee Tribune DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER TALLASSEE AREA

TALLASSEE, AL 36078

50¢

January 6, 2016

TALLASSEETRIBUNE.COM

VOL. 117, NO. 1

SMS band students take big chair

By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer

Submitted / The Tribune

Honor Band Students pose after the final performance. (Left to Right) Andrew Perkins, Christopher Thompson, Danielle Gray, Samuel Gantt, Delena Dean, Cesar Favela, Breonna Richard, Faith Nelson, Tristin Carter, Haley Taunton, Steele Segrest and Brooke Childers.

Southside Middle School students Alisha Miller and Beth East topped the audition ranks at Troy where more than 400 middle school students from 30 different middle schools around the southeast competed for top chair placements. Miller was the first-chair trombone in the entire honor band; East was second-chair trumpet. Miller, East, and Andrew Perkins were chosen

for the Gold Band, comprised of the top 100 players at the event.

The Southeastern United States Honor Band is exactly what the name implies. It’s the top band students from the Southeastern United States, which were selected by the university to represent their school.

“In honor band there are three groups of 100 students from five or six states in the southeast. It’s not just the best in Alabama,” said Michael Bird, band direc-

tor at Southside Middle School.

“Most of the students were from Alabama, Georgia and Florida.

They had these three groups, one called the gold band, which is the top 100 of all, then there is the silver and the cardinal, cardinal being the other school color and silver.”

Not only are the students the cream of the crop, so are the honor band instructors. The instructors along with the talented See BAND • Page 2

Tallassee’s Public Library looks forward

County assessing road closures

2016 holds an array of programs

By CARMEN ROGERS Staff Writer

Estimated $700,000 cost to repair road damages Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune

By JOHN PEELER Managing Editor

(Below) John and Jeana Huggins assess the damage to Holley Mill Road after the latest heavy rainfall, which only added insult to injury from excessive rainfall seen over the Christmas holidays.

Nearly a week following the rainfall and flash floods took their toll on Elmore County roads, five roads are still closed with four closed until further notice and Holley Mill Road between Landers Swink Road and Alabama state Route 63 still closed indefinitely.

Elmore County engineer, Richie Beyer, said initial assessments have shown a lot of damage throughout the county.

“We have three roads in the county, and the last two are in the City of Wetumpka, that are closed,” he said. “Once we meet with (the state) then we will be ready to get FEMA on the ground with us here for a full assessment.”

Richie said the estimated damage was in the “ball park” of close to $700,000 worth of damage.

“Our biggest site is Holley Mill,” he said. “All we can tell (about the site) is the rainfall in the area was well more than what the pipe was designed See ROADS • Page 2

Heavy downpours create havoc around Elmore County

By CARMEN ROGERS Staff Writer

Gold Branch runs through the Red Hill and Kowaliga areas of Eclectic. During the torrential downpour of rain on Christmas Eve the normally small and serene stream was transformed into a raging rapid. The water rose so quickly and moved with such force that it completely washed away a small span of Holley Mill Rd. Red Hill Assistant Fire Chief Chad Moore said it was a broken “water main that fed Red Hill”, See HAVOC • Page 2

First recruit from Tallassee accepted into Auburn Student Firefighter Program STAFF REPORT Tribune Staff

Chase Cannon, son of Louis and Starr Cannon, all of Tallassee, graduated Dec. 17 from the East Alabama Fire Training Recruit School after completing 17 weeks of training.

He received his certifications from the Alabama Fire College in Firefighter I and Firefighter II. Chase Cannon is now employed by the Auburn Fire Department

C &S

DEER PROCESSING –Whaley Family–

88199 Tallassee Hwy. (1 Mile from the old Johnny G’s) •Vacuum-seal

See LIBRARY • Page 3

Left to Right: Auburn Fire Division Training Chief Anthony Gilmore, Tallassee Fire Department Chief Travis Jones, Auburn Fire Department Fire Fighter Chase Cannon, Auburn Fire Division Chief John Lankford, and Phenix City Fire Department Capitan Tommy Cox.

as a student firefighter and will be attending college at Troy University in spring to further his education and pursue his hopes of becoming a physical therapist. The Auburn Student Fire Program will pay for college tuition for up to six years.

Chase Cannon was the first recruit to be accepted into the Auburn Student Firefighter Program from the Tallassee area. Retired Chief Steve Dennis of the Friendship Fire Department introduced Chase Cannon to the fire department when he was 15 years old.

LINVILLE MEMORIAL

F U N E R A L

Tallassee’s library is an asset to the community. It offers many services for children and adults. Many come to the library for one simple reason: it’s a quiet, peaceful place to think.

“A lot of people do their homework here,” said Margret Lumpkin, director of the Tallassee Public Library. “We have several college students that come here to do their studying. We have high school students that come too but we have a lot of college students that come here to study. We have ministers that come here and prepare their Sunday school lessons.”

There are many services offered at the library. Beside the wide selection of books in all genres, the library offers access to computers, office services and legal

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Havoc

www.TallasseeTribune.com

continued from page 1

which caused the span of roadway to wash away with floodwaters. Numerous residents were without water while crews repaired the water lines.

John and Jeana Huggins live on Alabama state Route 63 and Gold Branch runs through their property.

“This comes off of several properties around here,” John Huggins said. “Our property is on 63 and it runs through our property and then it’ll go back to 229, all this (water) will end up at 229.”

The Huggins’ have lived in the area for many years through many different weather changes, they said. Through the various weather perils witnessed by the Huggins’, none held a punch like the most recent deluge. Proving, again, just how powerful water can be.

“It’s never blown out like this, but it has done this before on our side when the hurricanes came through,” John Huggins said. “I’ve seen it back up but usually it’ll go down. I’ve never seen it like this.”

As for why this deluge caused more damage than those in the past, John Huggins said he believes it was people who contributed to the roadway collapse.

“It was probably trash and debris,” he said. “It probably backed up and washed over the road.”

The Huggins’ home did not have any flooding, but their cows did not fare so well.

“Our pasture flooded,”

Jeana Huggins said. “They (the cows) are still here.

They’ll get to the highest point in the pasture. They really are smart.”

The heavy downpours also affected other area residents. Nancy Lightsey, who lives in Eclectic said she became concerned about her mother’s home and began digging a trench around the house to divert the water. The precautionary measure worked and Lightsey managed to avoid potential devastation.

“I didn’t want it to go into momma’s house because she sits down low,” Lightsey said. “I dug a hole where water could drain under the fence. I just dug a trench with my sharpshooter. Not much of a trench, but enough to keep the water out of the house and to keep the water flowing so it could go on down.”

As to why the area seems to flood more often than not during heavy downpours, Lightsey said she believes poor infrastructure is to blame.

“People around here have a time when it rains so much because everything’s been here for so long,” she said. “Water came up to the house. You can still see where it came up. There’s debris, cut grass and mulch and you see where it had gone up the front of the house. If it ever gets dry again, which could be April or May, I’m going to have some French drains done so that it will drain better.”

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THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Michael Bird’s “Fanfare” raises $23k for scholarship fund

By CARMEN RODGERS Tallassee Tribune

As president of the Troy University Band Alumni Association, Michael Bird was responsible for a benefaction fund to assist with funding student scholarships.

After two years of serving and with less than $10,000 in the fund, Bird decidBird ed to publish a book of essays from former band members and give all the proceeds from his book to the fund. Little did he know, his book would become an overnight success. In only two days, the book raised $23,000 for the scholarship fund.

“I served two years as president of the organization,” Bird said.

“In 2009 one of my predecessors had signed up for building an endowment fund with the Troy University foundation. The endowment was to permanently fund scholarships for music students for Troy University and we had to have $20,000 raised by

the year 2015 or we would lose what we had put in it. So we were struggling to get $2,000 in there.

We just never could get over the hump with fundraising.”

Before coming up with the idea for his book, Bird said he and the Alumni Association had tried many different things to raise money. None, however, would reach as far as “Fanfare.”

“We tried selling bricks, golf tournaments, plasma donors, anything,” he said. “We tried everything to raise money, but nothing would work. Five years went by and there was still only around $3000 in it. I think we got it up to $7,000 last year but that was after four and a half years of work. We knew we had to do something big.

We decided to have a “Sounds of the South” reunion and it was the 75th anniversary. We rounded up all the people that we could find that had been in the program who were willing to write essays or contribute pictures.”

Publishing a book was new to Bird, he said, and the process was a learning experience. While the book was originally supposed to be published by a publishing company in Montgomery, instead it was self-published.

Band

“The girl who worked with me, Leigh Farrior, she owns a design firm in Montgomery and she was the layout person for this book,” he said. “ She did a beautiful job.

We decided to publish the book.

We partnered with River City Publishing in Montgomery. When it came down to time to do it they wanted to use their designer and I wanted to use mine. So they gave me the name of a printer and I self-published it through their printer.”

It didn’t take long after publication for the book’s proceeds to fulfill the mandatory $20,000 needed by 2015.

“We were able to get the books done and here in a timely fashion and in two days we raised $23,000 to give to the foundation,” Bird said. “We actually funded our scholarships through perpetuity.

The next generation wont have to worry about that.”

Through the entire project, Bird said he made no profit from the hefty book sales.

“I didn’t make one cent from the production, editing or writing of the book,” Bird said.

“However, it is very satisfying to know a volunteer effort like that raised that kind of money.”

continued from page 1

group of students work hastily in order to prepare for the performance, Bird said.

“They have conductors come in from around the country and they work on music that is a whole lot harder than they are ever going to see here,” he said.

“They work on it in one day and then put on a concert. It’s a pretty big deal and you have to be pretty advanced to do that.”

Southside Middle School did very well at this year’s SEUS honor, better than any previous years.

SMS brought home three top honors.

“This year we had the top rated trombone player in the whole event,” Bird said. “Her name is Alisha Miller. We had the second highest rated in the gold band Beth East. She was a trumpet player. It’s hard to get in those things and sit that high. To have the first and second in the top group is something we’ve never had, so I was proud of that. We’ve never had that before.”

Following Troy University’s SEUS Honor Band competition, the same group of students traveled north for another competition where SMS would continue to be well represented.

“The next week the same kids went up to the University of Alabama for their honor band,” Bird said. “We had a first chair flute player at that one.

Her name is Anslee Osborne. We’ve never had a first chair flute in anything, she was our first one. In Tuscaloosa they are even more select because you have to audition on the All-State band music, which is your best of the best.

“I was real proud of Anslee and Alisha, she came in second up there and Beth was seventh in

Roads

Tuscaloosa. They did good. They were on the front row with their section and they were proud of that.

They achieved something really awesome for their grade level and for our school because we don’t normally have people who are at the top. We do as a team. We have the robotics team, the volleyball team did real good this year, but in the band the individual honors, we usually aren’t seeded that high and to have so many. This group has a lot of talent.”

Looking ahead in 2016 Southside Middle School Band is planning to attend upcoming band competitions and Bird said he is betting on his students to take those competitions as well.

“We have a couple more coming up,” he said. “We have Auburn University and Montevallo University in February and March and the Alabama All-State band, which is also next semester. These same people are also auditioning for that. My prediction is that Alisha Miller and Beth East will run the table. I think they’ll make everything and I think they’ll do well at everything.”

The success the students achieved came only through hard work and dedication. Bird said he believes practice and private lessons contributed greatly to the success of his students.

“They’ve been taking lessons with my wife, Sena Thibodeaux Bird, since before they started sixth grade band,” Bird said. “They are very loyal. When you take private lessons you have somebody to hold you accountable because there’s someone listing to you one-on-one.”

continued from page 1

for and caused the road to scour out and then you also have the water line that kind of complicated things. …

It looks like the road would have been damaged whether the water line was there or not.”

One area, Joiner Road, Richie said is just waiting for the area to dry out.

“On Joiner, we just have to let it dry out,” he said. “It got so saturated people were going through there, more or less, mud riding. We can’t get our own equipment in there until it dries up some.”

Pipes on both Jug Factory Road and Holley Mill Road have been ordered, but will require additional work before the roads can be opened, Richie said. Holley Mill Road, he said, will be closed for the longest period of time.

“We have to lay the banks back so we can get out equipment in there and safely work and compact everything,” Richie said. “That’s going to be a pretty long project. The one on Jug Factory is not as large a site on

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Updates on road closures, as they become available, can be found by visiting www.elmorecoema.org.

Current roads closed are: Elmore County •Joiner Road from 200 Block to Loboe Road is closed until further notice.

•Jug Factory Road from 2721 to 2221 is closed. This area is just south of Owens Road on Jug Factory. It will be closed until further notice.

•Holley Mill Road between Landers Swink Road and Alabama state Route 63 – closed indefinitely due to river flooding along the Tallapoosa River.

Wetumpka •Company Street between Mansion Street and Green Street is closed until further notice.

•900 Block of Jackson Trace Road is closed until further notice.

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

www.TallasseeTribune.com

January 6, 2016 • Page 3

Obituaries John Scroggins

Mr. John Scroggins, a resident of Selma, Alabama, formerly of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away Monday, December 28, 2015, at the age of 68. Funeral services will be Wednesday, December 30, 2015, at 11:00AM from Jeffcoat Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Derek Gentle officiating. Burial will follow in Carrville Cemetery, Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing.

Mr. Scroggins is survived by his mother, Mrs. Ruth Mayer Scroggins; brother, James Scroggins; aunt, Dorothy Mayer Zukowski and cousins, Diane Zukowski Crim and Charles Zukowski. Mr. Scroggins is preceded in death by his wife, Peggy Seevers Scroggins and father, Willie Esther Scroggins.

The family will receive friends Tuesday, December 29, 2015, from 5:00PM until 7:00PM at Jeffcoat Funeral Home. Online condolences are available at jeffcoatfuneralhome.com.

Walter Berti

Walter (Gator) Bertl, age 77, a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away at the home of his daughter, Anne Bertl, in Detroit, Michigan, Dec. 6, 2015. He is survived by his wife Bertie, four daughters, six grandchildren and one great grandchild. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Multiple Sclerosis. A memorial service will be held at a later date at his home in Tallassee.

Mr. Charles Curtis Clark 1931-2016

Funeral service for Mr. Charles Curtis Clark, 84, of Goldville, will be Monday, January 4, 2016 at 2:00 pm at the Chapel of Radney Funeral Home. Rev. Harold Cummings, Rev. Bennie Lee Yates and Rev. Mike Stonbraker will officiate.

Burial will follow in the Zion Hill Baptist Church Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Sunday, January 3, 2016 from 2:00 pm to 5:00 pm at Radney Funeral Home.

Mr. Clark passed away on Friday, January 1, 2016 at his residence. He was born on September 1, 1931 in Daviston, Alabama to George Franklin Clark and Lucenda Rilla Butler Clark. He worked as a fixer for Russell Corp. for 35 years. He was a member of Zion Hill Baptist Church and had attended New Site United Methodist Church. He was a big fisherman, enjoyed yard work, western movies and books, and dancing.

Mr. Clark loved to have people around and was very accepting of everyone. He loved all animals especially his dog, Ginny.

He is survived by his wife of 19 years, Dorothy Hamlet Clark of Daviston; sons, Charles Rodney Clark of Daviston, Steve Orval Clark of Eclectic, Billy Frank Clark (Vickie), of New Site, Philip Allen Clark of Daviston, Joseph Earl Clark (Shannon), of Daviston, Bruce Edgar Harry (Lesa), of Goldville, Alan Colvin Harry of New Site, daughter, Susan Lee Patterson of Kellyton; Sixteen Grandchildren; Twenty- Eight

Great Grandchildren; One Great- Great Grandchild; and his beloved dog Ginger “Ginny� Clark. He was preceded in death by his parents; first wife, Mayfred Dabbs Clark; son, David Wayne Clark; sisters, Annie Ruth Simpson and Willie Harte.

The family will accept flowers or memorial contributions may be made to New Site United Methodist Church 103 Church Road, New Site, AL 36256 or to Rocky Creek Baptist Church 779 Sanford Road, Alexander City, AL 35010.

Memorial messages may be sent to the family at radneyfuneralhome.com. Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Melissa Deanne O’Daniel

Melissa “Lisa� Deanne O’Daniel, 43, of Tallassee, died Thursday, Dec. 31, 2015, at her home. Graveside services will be Sunday, January 3, 2016, at 3:00 P.M. at Victory Baptist Church Cemetery. Visitation will be prior to the service at 2:00 P.M. in the church. Mrs. O’Daniel is survived by her husband Blue Peek; her daughter Serenity Angel Peek; her son Christopher Harold Webb; her sister Amy Lanelle Welcher; her father and step-mother Woodrow and Charlene O’Daniel; her nieces Savannah Lanelle Welcher and Haley Olivia Meeks; and her step children Korina Michelle Peek and Channin Bennie Winslett. She leaves numerous loved ones, family and friends behind.

Johnnie Mae Gilmer

Mrs. Johnnie Mae Gilmer, a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away Saturday, December 26, 2015, at the age of 94. She was born October 03, 1921, in Tallapoosa County, Alabama. Funeral services will be Saturday, January 02, 2016, at 11:00AM from Reeltown Missionary Baptist Church with Rev. M. A. Moss officiating. Burial will follow in Reeltown Missionary Baptist Church Cemetery, Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing. Mrs. Gilmer is survived by her special nephew, Robert Porch; special niece, Alesteen Porch; numerous nieces, nephews, relatives and friends. She is preceded in death by her mother, Mattie Porch; two brothers and four sisters.

Johnnie Mae accepted Christ as her Saviour at Reeltown Missionary Baptist Church, where she served as a faithful member, an usher and a member of the choir. She was an awesome person who loved her family and friends. She also was a wonderful caregiver and took on the roll as a mother to her nephew, Robert Porch and her nieces, Dorothy Porch and Alesteen Porch.

Mrs. Gilmer will lie in state at the church one hour prior to services.

Online condolences are available at: jeffcoatfuneralhome. com.

Library services. “We provide faxing.

Most people don’t know it, but I am a notary, so we can notarize here,�

Lumpkin said. “We have public computers that are open to the general public and we have some that are reserved for members.�

Internet access has proven to be very helpful to the community, she said. With the library computers, people have access to the world through the World Wide Web and the ability to search and access just about anything. “A lot of people use them (the computers) for job applications,�

Lumpkin said. “We have free WiFi. So people can bring their own computers and use them.�

The library has an annual summer program that the community adores. This program is in the works for the upcoming summer season. There will be three separate classes for ages 2 through 15. There are several actives planned for the upcoming program. “Crafts, stories ‌ we have entertainers, usually we have animals and at the end we have a pizza party with prizes,â€?

continued from page 1

Lumpkin said.

By far, the most popular part of the summer program, Lumpkin said, is the water party put on by the library along with the Tallassee Fire Department. “The very last Wednesday of July, the fire department sprays

water and we have a big wet party,� she said.

There are several months before the summer program will begin; in the meantime Lumpkin said she is planning to begin a Lego Club for kids and adults alike. “We are about to start a Lego club,� she said.

“We’ll provide the Legos and they can come build models and we’ll display them at the library for parents, grandparents and friends to come in and see them. It’s a way for kids, dads and moms to have a class to go to that’s not stressful where they can be creative.�

James Thomas Hornsby

Mr. James Thomas (J.T.) Hornsby, 95, of Tallassee, passed away Sunday, January 3, 2016. He was born June 25, 1920.

Visitation will be Tuesday, January 5 from 5 to 8 pm at Good Hope Baptist Church. Funeral services will be Wednesday, January 6 at 1:00 pm at Macedonia Christian Church with Rev. David Hooks and Rev. Kenny Hill officiating.

Burial will follow at Macedonia Cemetery with military honors, Linville Memorial Funeral Home directing.

After almost twenty years of military service, J. T. retired as a Master Sergeant from Alabama Air National Guard. He also served in the United States Air Force and in the CCC. J. T. was a member of Good Hope Baptist Church. He was also a member at Macedonia Christian Church where he served as deacon and treasurer for 20 years.

He is survived by daughters, Brenda Moseley (Jeff), Gloria Anderson (Sanford), Connie Sherman (Larry) and Kathy Evans (James); stepdaughter, Debbie Chalker (Ricky); stepson, Larry Deloney; sisters, Jeanette Lambert, Jean McCarty, Ruth Wallace and Thursie Mae Woodfin; brother, Wayne Hornsby; fourteen grandchildren, twenty-one great grandchildren and three great great grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his wives, Esther Brewer Hornsby and Anna Hornsby; daughter, Patricia Jean Taylor; brothers, Armistead Hornsby and Charles Hornsby; sister, Mavis Fuller; grandsons, Mark Moseley, Shawn Sherman and Brian Sherman; and granddaughter, Deetra Anderson Norman.

Online condolences at www.linvillememorial.com.

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Tallassee

Page 4 • January 6, 2016

www.TallasseeTribune.com

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Our

Opinion

Public servants showed their dedication during the recent floods Last year ended with the state of Alabama uncertain of the “actual” effects the December rains brought. Because accurate damage assessments couldn’t be completed until some of the water receded, we left the Christmas and New Year’s holidays with a little doubt and a lot of hope.

Today, we aren’t a lot closer … but, we are closer than we were — and it could have been worse.

So much time is spent on all the negative things we see in the media, it is often difficult to see the good news or the good news goes unnoticed.

State Emergency Management Agency Director Art Faulkner made note of some Alabama municipalities possibly not being able to recover from the damage with federal assistance, which is why he stressed the point of getting damage assessments to the state as fast as was feasible.

Now for the good news — Elmore County is one of the

T

few counties I have seen where governmental agencies pulled together so quickly and seamlessly to serve their public.

Activation of the new Emergency Operations Center and going “on line” came just in the nick of time.

Under the continuous watchful eye of many different agencies and first responders, damages to homes, property and loss of life was minimized to the extent possible, save Gold Star Park and an unforgiving swollen river. All the credit goes to those behind the scenes that coordinated the accurate and timely flow of information to the public.

As the waters recede and the roads begin to open back up, make sure you think about all the city and county workers it took to make it possible, most of which gave up their own time with families and possible rain and flood issues to take care of the people they work for first — the public.

They deserve your thanks.

Regardless of reality, you still want to believe

he advent of so many viewing options on satellite/cable programming as well as internet programming has resulted in, not unexpectedly, a plethora of opportunities for hucksters and con artists to scam viewers. It’s an ongoing facet of the Information Age, as pioneered by e-mails from deposed Nigerian dictators.

I’ve had a permanent and annoying semi-medical condition for decades, for which there is apparently no real “cure” (or perhaps “relief” might be more appropriate).

Said condition came about due to a type of trauma, and is not contagious.

The, er, sensory annoyance seems to have worsened in the last few years and while some adjustments can be made, after all these years it’s become apparent that it isn’t going to get any better.

So, I figured that I’d have to endure it for the rest of my life.

However, a few weeks ago I happened to be perusing a news organization website.

The organization has a defi-

nite political bent, which is also found on its cable/satellite channel, but I do not monitor the channel or news site on a regular basis.

What’s disingenuous—or perhaps even deceptive— about the site is that certain ads are listed right in the mix of the news stories— same font, headline style, etc., which means that some persons may think they’re checking out a story if they click on the link, when in fact they’re landing on a commercial.

That said, I knew exactly what I was doing when I clicked onto something that stated, in bold letters and an exclamation point, that the malady I’ve had for decades could be cured.

I knew up front that I could be going to a dubious realm, but felt like I had enough of a cautionary journalistic perspective to maintain an open mind (at least, at the outset).

And what I encountered was basically an infomercial/ lecture on the Internet. The, er, “host” of the presentation

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The SoCalled Column

By Willie G. Moseley proclaimed himself to be a veteran of a particular career field, and cited his experience with the same problem, which had interfered with his career.

Then, he cited a new product that he and another “expert” had developed that cured the malady in a unique manner, rendering other treatments such as medication and/or surgery obsolete.

Hmm… He provided details about how the product worked, and interpolated brief testimonial videos from “cured” individuals who had used the product. To what extent those persons were legitimate is, of course, questionable, as is the case with many other infomercials.

When the “host” got around to discussing the cost of the product, the amount wasn’t displayed onscreen. I was reminded that this was an Internet infomercial when one of those yellow “Add to Cart” logos abruptly popped up beneath the “host,” whose pitch was synchronized with its display (“…that you see on your screen right now,” he intoned).

For some reason, this sequence, including the lack of a display of the price, struck me as Strike One regarding the infomercial’s credibility (which isn’t to say that the presentation was believable up to that point).

Moments later, the “host” ominously informed viewers that doctors and certain medical companies didn’t want the public to know about the product, and urged wouldbe customers to act quickly, because “…this site could be taken down in a couple of weeks.” That may not be an exact quote, but it’s close, as I recall.

Uh-oh. A (public) conspiracy theory about a so-called

revolutionary cure? Strike Two. I logged off soon after the “warning” from the “host.”

I do not know if the price of the product was ever displayed and/or there was some other facet of the program that could have qualified as Strike Three.

Subsequent personal research on the Internet revealed a mixed bag of opinions about the product… but the lack of credibility of the ‘net itself figures into the validity of such research, so I guess the jury’s still out on this particular item.

It’s human nature to seek non-traditional solutions to alleviate physiological problems. It’s also a given that snake oil salesmen have made the transition to the Digital Age. Accordingly, “caveat emptor” now includes whether or not to click “Enter” on a computer keyboard.

Willie G. Moseley is the former news editor of the Tallassee Tribune and is a regular columnist for the paper.

County explains dirt road policy Elmore County’s unprecedented growth has both positive and negative aspects. One of the negatives deals with unpaved or dirt roads. Many people flee the hustle and bustle of the city for relaxed country living, often leading to the purchase of property on an unpaved road. Citizens relocate to a picturesque piece of Elmore County along one of our 300 miles of dirt roads serving varying volumes of traffic. After a few months, when the “new” wears off and the associated ills of living on a dirt road rear their head, is when most people begin the quest to have their road paved by the county.

In a perfect world, the County Commission could authorize and fund a dirt road paving program to address all the unpaved roads in the county. Unfortunately, the reality is the Commission faces not only trying to make improvements to dirt roads but also must address the mounting number of paved roads that are reaching a critical condition and need resurfacing. The Commission is utilizing its limited funding to address the large investment the county has in its paved road system while at the same time trying to chip away at dirt road improvements.

To utilize the county’s resources most efficiently, the Commission has adopted a policy that would implement measures to provide structure to a dirt road improvement program. The plan requires landowners on a dirt road to file a petition with the County Engineer to include the signature of all legal

The County Line Elmore County Commission landowners from the road. The petition would inform residents that in order for their road to be scheduled for improvements, all required right-of-way would need to be donated by the landowners to the county, all utilities would need to be relocated to accommodate the new roadway, and the road would be surveyed & designed by the county prior to any improvements. These requirements are designed to place the county’s limited resources on making improvements to the selected dirt roads.

When numerous roads compete for priority, criteria such as households served and traffic volumes determine priority.

While this policy will help identify unpaved roads that the county can improve in a cost effective manner, it is not a cure all. This is just the first step in the process of putting a program in place to address these types of roads and improvements and takes time, years in fact, to accomplish. Citizens who live or are planning to live on a dirt road understand that the muddy, dusty, and sometimes washboard road conditions are inherent to dirt roads.

Elmore County is not alone in its plight of dirt road maintenance. Mobile County has a link on its web page discussing this very issue (www.mobilecountypublicworks.net/whatitmeansframe.htm).

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Talks THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Steve Flowers

F

olks, we are in the midst of a presidential race. It has been ongoing for well over a year. We will select a new president in November. Barack Obama has served his eight-year limit. Thus, the parade of candidates seeking to occupy the Oval Office has been long, especially on the Republican side.

You may have noticed that in the previous paragraph I used the word select rather than elect. That would be the proper term since we do not elect our president.

The Electoral College elects him or her. It does not matter if one person Flowers receives more votes than the other nationwide. The candidate who carries the proper number of states and garners the most electoral votes from those states is declared the president.

Under our current Electoral College System, a Democrat is favored to capture the brass ring of American politics. The demographic changes of the country and concurrent tilt of the 12 swing states make it a narrow needle for a Republican to win.

Only those 12 states matter in the general election. The remaining 38 states have such a predictable propensity for voting for one party’s candidate that they are taken for granted or ignored. Therefore, during the fall, the nominee of each party will only campaign and spend advertising dollars in the 12 battleground states.

The hay is already in the barn in the Deep South. We are reliably Republican. As I have said many times in the past, if Donald Duck were the GOP nominee he would carry Alabama. By the same token the more liberal states of California and New York would vote for Mickey Mouse if he were the Democratic nominee.

Under this paradigm a cursory look at the math tells you that there are more folks and thus electoral votes in California and New York. Therefore, my prediction is and I would imagine that the Las Vegas prognosticators agree, Hillary Clinton will be the Democratic nominee and will more than likely be selected president.

However, the Republican race to carry the conservative GOP banner into the fray has been and will continue to be fun to follow. Our Alabama primary is right around the corner on March 1, so we will be able to participate. We will actually have a say in who the Democratic and Republican nominees will be because we have an early primary date.

Alabama is part of what has been dubbed the SEC primary. It is the nickname given to the primaries of the southern states as a reference to the Southeastern Conference college. Joining Alabama on March 1st, will be Arkansas, Georgia, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.

Hillary Clinton is favored to carry Alabama in the Democratic preference primary. However, the victor in the Alabama Republican Primary is anybody’s guess.

Everybody who ever won a 4-H speaking contest has been running for president on the Republican side. Generally, in a crowded field the evangelical Christian favored candidate carries Alabama. Eight years ago former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee, who is an ordained Baptist minister, won Alabama. However, Huckabee seems to be fading in the chase nationwide and Ted Cruz appears to be capturing the evangelical vote.

In the past, the South has been inclined to have a southern flavor when it comes to GOP primary voting, but this year we are trending almost parallel with the rest of the nation. Outspoken New York businessman, Donald Trump, has been the surprise wild card in the nationwide horserace. He continues to sit atop the polls in many states and maybe even in Alabama. He drew a record crowd in Mobile a few months ago and appears poised to do well in the Heart of Dixie.

National polling indicates the horserace rankings have Trump in the lead with young Senators Marco Rubio and Ted Cruz in second and third place. Rubio from Florida and Cruz from Texas have Hispanic origins, which make them more electable candidates than Trump. The Hispanic vote will comprise 18% of the electorate but it will be tough to draw them into the fold after Trump’s abrasive attacks. They will paint all Republicans with the same brush in the fall.

That is the reason Trump is unelectable in a general election. Jeb Bush is within striking distance and John Kasich, the Governor of Ohio, is still kicking. Gov. Bentley has endorsed Kasich, a fellow Governor, but Bentley’s endorsement appears to have little effect. Chris Christie could get some traction after New Hampshire.

The political interest in Alabama is unparalleled. We are actually getting to see candidates.

See you next week.

January 6, 2016 • Page 5

YEAR IN REVIEW II: The sequel

Inside the Statehouse

Electoral College: Selection vs. Election

www.TallasseeTribune.com

L

ast week, I presented my opinions for the best music and biggest news stories of 2015. Continuing this week, a few more observations about what cousin Rendell calls “info-tainment”.

BEST MOVIE: I saw several films in the movie theater this year, but hands down, by far, the one I enjoyed the most was Star Wars: The Force Awakens, which is episode VII in the series. With the characters from the original trilogy, made between 35 and 40 years ago, returning for this installment, expectations were high. And they are met. J.J. Abrams directed a screenplay

by Lawrence Kasdan, who also wrote my favorite entry in the series, The Empire Strikes Back, in 1980. These guys don’t disappoint. And whereas the prequel trilogy helmed by writer-director George Lucas was cool to look at, somehow the sequences seemed less about propelling a characterdriven story than promoting a video game appearance. In other words, the soul and spirit of the originals were missing.

It’s back. Highly recommended. Don’t read any spoilers before you go see it.

LOUDEST MOVIE: Another throwback. This year, the studios decided to raid history and see if people would come to the movie theaters again. Jurassic World, for a time (until The Force Awakens opened), had the biggest opening weekend of all time. Ever.

Now, for those who hated on Jurassic World for being derivative, hey – it was supposed to be. It was good, old

I

Bird’s Eye View

By Michael Bird fashioned, popcorn-munching action. It won’t win an Oscar, but it was good.

BEST DOCUMENTARY (TIE): Last year, I was raving about Muscle Shoals, which set a new gold standard for music documentaries. This year, I enjoyed a film that was actually made a couple of years back but did not hit the Netflix queue until 2015: Still Alive. Singer-songwriter Paul Williams may have been short in stature, but he was a giant of 1970s pop culture. An obsessed fan, movie director Stephen Kessler began following Paul Williams around and trying to befriend him. At first, Williams is annoyed. Later, he grows closer to Kessler and a real bond is formed.

The lesson learned: Paul Williams, composer of “An Old Fashioned Love Song,” “I Won’t Last a Day Without You,” “Rainbow Connection” and other classics, never looks back. He is continuously pushing forward. And, it turns out, Williams is just a good guy.

BEST DOCUMENTARY (TIE): Keith Richards is the star of Under The Influence.

It’s not what you think. Keef, the most indestructible rock and roll creature ever created, is the cornerstone of the Rolling Stones. His guitar licks “define rock rhythm

guitar — not to mention rock guitar rhythm,” Rolling Stone magazine said. The Chuck Berry-styled guitar leads propelled nearly every Stones song. And in this documentary, we begin by seeing Keith light a cigarette and then head to his large collection of vinyl records. Tears fill his eyes as he puts old jazz and blues records on the turntable; in a profound moment, he has difficulty finding the right words to describe how much these songs mean to him. So, deep down inside this satanic rocker beats one of the most musical hearts in the world. Who knew?

BIGGEST MOMENT ON TELEVISION: I usually don’t laugh out loud at the TV. My wife occasionally cackles, but I usually snicker. That wasn’t the case on the night Jimmy Fallon had Arnold Schwarzenegger as a guest on The Tonight Show. (And, as it turns out, the episode was a repeat I hadn’t seen, during the period when Fallon was absent due to surgery on his ring finger.)

I was amused when Jimmy Fallon asked Ah-nuld to be a guest on his cooking show segment. Fallon was demonstrating a blender and a chopper. Schwarzenegger became more and more obsessed with learning about the chopper, but Fallon was more interested in talking about the blender.

Schwarzenegger eventually lost it, screaming “get to the chopper!” — his famous line from Predator. I could hardly breathe, I was laughing so hard.

A reminder of Santa Past

don’t go shopping to be going shopping and I don’t buy just so I can say I’ve got a present.

I love everything about Christmas, the lights, the music, the giving of presents and the fact that we celebrate Jesus’ birthday.

I’ve come to the conclusion that five years old is the perfect age for Christmas. We build floats so we were asked to build the float for Santa Claus for Eclectic’s Christmas parade. My 5-year-old great grandson rode with his grandfather and grandmother. When they arrived at the parade route this boy met Santa as he prepared to ride the float.

Santa took time to listen to this young boy and they had a conversation of some length about the things Tyler was wishing for. Yep, 5 years old is the perfect age.

There are a lot of things that were of great importance at one time and now are not found on the store shelves. One of the first gifts I remember receiving was a Gene Autry cap gun.

I remember the thrill until this day. Somebody came up with the idea that this may teach kids to use real guns. Every boy in every town in the United States wanted a Gene Autry or

The Coffee Breaker

By Ronald Brantley Roy Rogers cap gun at one time or another. I cannot remember a one that wanted to kill someone because they learned how playing cowboys.

A bat, ball, or glove, not all three but one or if the boy was real lucky two of these gifts. These aren’t the main things on a child’s list anymore.

Roller skates, how well I remember when I got mine. I doubt if we could find a pair of sidewalk roller skates if we looked for them today. Guitars, about a $5 present in my day. The other day this woman was talking about her son wanting an $800 guitar. Boxing gloves, those big 16-ounce gloves that so many boys got for Christmas. You could fight all day and not get hurt, only frustrated.

Do you remember the big tops made of metal? It is hard to explain but these tops had a push down type of handle. The more you pushed the faster the top went. You don’t see these anymore. Dolls that didn’t do anything but

get love. If you laid them down their eyes would close, when you picked it up their eyes would open. Some few had a thing built in the back that sort of sounded like a cry. How long has it been since someone asked for a tea set? Many homemade toys such as a dollhouse or wagon, I don’t know if children of today would even want them if they got them. Regardless of the time and love some daddy put into making the toys.

Bicycles were out of the question for the boys and girls in my area. I wasn’t too old before I figured out that Santa Claus was much better to the kids of doctors, lawyers, and store owners than he was to children of cotton mill hands.

Another Christmas has come and gone and I saw that the sights were more beautiful than ever. The sounds and music were great and most of the children were just as excited as ever especially the 5-year-old. I’m looking forward to the next one.

Ronald Brantley is a regular columnist for the Tribune. He can he reached at Rbrantley1@ elmore.rr.com.

History repeats in Alabama, Clemson faceoff At the time, it was the absolute thrill of my life. October 8, 1966, dawned a perfect fall Saturday, and I was a part of Clemson’s traveling squad that had made the trip to Tuscaloosa’s Denny Stadium to play the Alabama Crimson Tide.

It was Alabama’s first Tuscaloosa game of the season. The all time record between the two teams was 7-3, in favor of Alabama. There were 46,486 fans in attendance.

My head coach was Frank Enslen Howard who had played football at Alabama. Alabama’s coach was Paul “Bear” Bryant, who was in his ninth season at Alabama. Coach Howard, a native Alabamian, had finished playing at Alabama in 1930, the year before Bryant started at Alabama, and they were good friends.

The preceding week, I had done my best as the scout-team quarterback to mimic Alabama’s lefthanded quarterback, Kenny Stabler.

I am sure that I failed miserably, and for more reasons than my being right-handed. Clemson’s quarterback was little Jimmy Addison of Fairfax, Alabama, my big brother in a Clemson fraternity.

Clemson had defeated Virginia in the first game of the season in a miraculous comeback victory.

Addison had been named Sports Illustrated “Player of the Week.”

It was the first game where the Clemson players had “touched the rock.” (Perhaps somebody needs to take that rock to Arizona, where it came from, for a short visit on Jan. 11.)

Alabama’s captain was Ray Perkins. Stabler had two favorite receivers, Perkins and Dennis Homan. Clemson was no match for that combination, or Alabama’s stingy defense. I suspect Alabama’s 26-0 victory that day could have been worse but for Bryant’s friendship with Howard. At a party that night after the game, an Alabama linebacker named Stan Moss consoled me by saying, “Don’t hang down your head, we’re really that good.”

Alabama would go on to have an 11-0 season, trouncing Nebraska 34-7 in the Sugar Bowl. They were the only undefeated and untied team in the nation that year, but were robbed of a national championship by the Associated Press and Coaches Polls. Alabama finished third in those polls. Isn’t it wonderful the championship is now won on the field?

Clemson would go on to win the ACC, which was about two touchdowns behind the SEC from top to bottom. That year, Clemson defeated Virginia, Duke, Wake Forest, North Carolina, Maryland and South Carolina — a member of the ACC at the time. Our losses that year included USC in LA, Georgia Tech in Atlanta, and an upset by NC State in Raleigh.

In 1970 and 1971, I quarterbacked a couple of undefeated intramural football teams while a student at the University of Alabama Law School. My teammates were former opponents who had soundly defeated Clemson four years earlier — Conrad Fowler, Bob Childs, and Wayne Owen. We all graduated together in 1972 and remain friends.

By then Stabler was a star in the NFL, and would quarterback a win for the Oakland Raiders in Super Bowl XI Jan. 9, 1977.

The Alabama and Clemson connections run deep —Howard, Hootie Ingram, Charley Pell, Danny Ford, and now Dabo Swinney, were all Clemson head coaches who played for Alabama. Clemson’s only National Championship, the 1981 season, was achieved under the leadership of Ford, a former Alabama player.

The match-up on Jan. 11, for the National Championship should be very interesting. I am really excited, and that says a lot. It ain’t so easy for a man in his 70th year to get this excited.

May the best team win.

Judge John E. Enslen is the probate judge for Elmore County.

OBITUARIES/RELIGION

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Page 6 • January 6, 2016

W

www.TallasseeTribune.com THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

. . . And the darkness cannot overcome it

e humans talk about how “darkness falls.” But it really doesn’t fall. Because of the earth’s rotation, darkness rises.

The top of a mountain will still have light while the valley below is in darkness. You can watch the darkness creep up the mountain until, finally, all is dark.

We humans inanely dislike darkness. Darkness feeds a primitive fear inside us because we can’t see what’s around us or, more importantly, what may be coming after us or threatening us. We have always sought the light, except when we are doing something we don’t want to keep secret. No wonder, then, that most religions, including Judisam and Christianity, have used light and dark as a metaphor for the spiritual battle between good and evil, sin and righteousness.

In this year’s Christmas message, Queen Elizabeth said, “It is true that the world has had to confront moments of darkness this year, but the Gospel of John contains a verse of great hope, often read at Christmas carol services: The light

AME ZION Mt. Zion Chapel AME Zion 2340 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-4413 Rogers Chapel AME Zion 709 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8144 Jackson Chapel AME Zion 4885 Coosada Rd., Coosada Jones Chapel AME Zion 2414 Ingram Rd. (Co. Rd. 3), Elmore ABUNDANT LIFE Abundant Life Church 9301 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-9143 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Agape Tabernacle Assembly of God 1076 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic 541-2006 Bethel Worship Center 11117 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-5754 Crossroads Assembly of God 2534 AL Hwy 14., Millbrook 285-5545 First Assembly of God 3511 Shirley Ln., Millbrook New Home Assembly of God 5620 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 569-2825 BAPTIST Abraham Baptist Church Millbrook Antioch Baptist Church 1115 Antioch Rd., Titus 567-2917 Beulah Baptist Church 2350 Grier Rd., Wetumpka 514-2881 Blue Ridge Baptist 4471 Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-4325 Brookwood Baptist Grandview Rd., Millbrook Calvary Baptist 504 W. Osceola St., Wetumpka 567-4729 Central Baptist 3545 W. Central Rd., Wetumpka 541-2556 Coosada Baptist 20 Kennedy Ave., Coosada Deatsville Baptist 184 Church St., Deatsville Eclectic Baptist Church 203 Claud Rd., Eclectic 541-4444 Faith Baptist 64 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-4417 First Baptist Church 205 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-5191 First Baptist of Elmore Hwy. 14 Co. Rd. 74, Elmore Galilee Baptist 95 Old Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-4178 Good Hope Baptist 1766 S. Fleahop Rd., Eclectic Goodship Baptist Hwy. 143, Millbrook Grace Baptist Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka 567-3255 Grandview Pines Baptist Deatsville Hwy., Deatsville Green Ridge Baptist

REV. BOB HENDERSON Trinity Episcopalian Church

shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it, “ [John 1:5].

In his Gospel, John continues to expand on this theme: Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world; he who follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.” 8:12; Jesus said to them, “The light is with you for a little longer. Walk while you have the light, lest the darkness overtake you; he who walks in the darkness does not know where he goes. 12:35; I have come as light into the world, that whoever believes in me may not remain in darkness. 12:46.

Throughout history, people have looked at their world and seen the darkness rising. Invasions by for-

288 Turner Rd., Wetumpka 567-2486 Harvest Baptist 2990 Main St., Millbrook Hillside Baptist 405 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka Holtville Riverside Baptist 7121 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 514-5922 Lake Elam Baptist 4060 Gober Rd., Millbrook Liberty Hill Baptist 61 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-8750 Lighthouse Baptist 2281 Main St., Millbrook Living Water Baptist 1745 Grass Farm Rd. (Co. Rd. 80), Weoka Millbrook Baptist Millbrook 285-4731 Mitts Chapel Baptist 935 Cold Springs Rd., Deatsville 569-1952 Mt. Hebron West Baptist 150 Mt. Hebron Rd., Elmore 567-4441 Mountain View Baptist 1025 Rifle Range Rd., Wetumpka 567-4458 New Harmony Baptist 3094 New Harmony Rd., Marbury 312-1878 New Home Baptist 1605 New Home Rd., Titus 567-0923 New Hope Baptist 6191 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 569-1267 New Lily Green Baptist 6504 Deatsville Hwy., Deatsville New Nazareth Baptist Hwy. 143, Deatsville Pleasant Hill Baptist Pleasant Hill Rd., Eclectic 541-3460 Prospect Baptist Prospect Rd., Eclectic 567-5837 Redland Baptist 1266 Dozier Rd., Wetumpka 567-8649 Rehoberth Baptist 8110 Rifle Range Rd., Tallassee 567-9801 Rushenville Baptist 10098 Georgia Rd., Eclectic 541-2418 Saint James Baptist 1005 Nobles Rd., Wetumpka 567-6209 Saint James Baptist 101 Gantt Rd., Deatsville 569-3006 Santuck Baptist 7250 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2364 Seman Baptist Seman, Alabama Shoal Creek Baptist 13214 Holtville Rd., Deatsville 569-2482 Springfield Baptist Hwy. 7, Millbrook Thelma Baptist 810 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-3665 Titus Baptist 6930 Titus Rd., Wetumpka 334-531-2120 Tunnell Chapel Baptist 210 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2589

eigners like the Vikings and the Mongols; world wide epidemics like the Black death of the 1300s, the Great London Plague in the 1600s, the Typhus epidemic of 1847 and Spanish Flu in 1918s; wars, like WWII, the Russian Revolution; the Holocaust, and other persecutions: all have caused the people of their times to predict that the darkness was overcoming the light.

And today, people look around, see ISIS taking over the middle east, the so-called moral disintegration in the United States, global warming, natural and man made catastrophes all show that darkness is overcoming light.

I don’t think so. It seems to me that we either believe God’s promises or not. We either believe that darkness cannot overcome the light, that evil cannot overcome good, that sin cannot overcome righteousness, or we don’t. And if we believe it, then we have nothing to fear.

If we believe, than no matter how dark it gets, no matter how many dark days we face, no matter how hopelessly dark our world and our

Victory Baptist 5481 Main St., Millbrook Wadsworth Baptist 2780 Hwy. 143, Deatsville 569-2851 BAPTIST - MISSIONARY Atkins Hill 565 Atkins Rd., Wetumpka 567-1141 Cathmagby Baptist 3074 Mitchell Creek Rd., Wetumpka 567-4787 First Missionary Baptist at Guilfield 412 Company St., Wetumpka 567-7455 Goodhope 1389 Willow Springs Rd. Wetumpka 567-7133 Lebanon 17877 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 514-1097 Mount Canaan 1125 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-2141 Mount Pisgah 16621 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 567-3668 Mt. Zion 371 AL Hwy. 14, Elmore, 567-2613 Mt. Zion #3 1813 Luke Paschal Rd., Eclectic New Home 5130 Elmore Rd., Wetumpka 567-5966 Second Missionary 760 N. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8601 Spring Chapel Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-6493 Sweetwater 163 Michael Lane, Wetumpka 334-538-9415 Tabernacle Baptist 1020 W. Tallassee St., Wetumpka 567-0620 BAPTIST - PRIMITIVE Bethel Old School 4625 Jackson Rd. (C.R. 103), Wetumpka Providence 4850 Chana Creek Rd., Wetumpka CATHOLIC Our Lady of Guadalupe 545 White Rd., Wetumpka 567-0311 CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ of Elmore 470 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 567-6670 Church of Christ Grandview Pines 165 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook Cold Springs Church of Christ 5920 Alabama Hwy. 143, Deatsville Georgia Road Church of Christ 4003 Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-2804 Lightwood Church of Christ 251 New Harmony Rd., Deatsville 569-1510 Redland Road Church of Christ 2480 Redland Rd., Wetumpka 514-3656 Wetumpka Church of Christ W. Bridge St. At W. Main St., Wetumpka 567-6561 CHURCH OF GOD Elmore Church of God 10675 Rucker Road, Elmore Gethsemane Church of God

lives seem, then, we will not remain in darkness, we will not walk in darkness. The light will never overcome the darkness, we will have the light of life, we will never loose it.

For denominations that follow the Church Calendar, today is the Feast of the Epiphany, the Feast of Light.

On Epiphany, the church celebrates the day the wise men arrived at the stable, the day Jesus was manifested to the gentiles, the day the light of Christ was shown throughout the world.

That light was not overcome when Jesus died; it was not overcome throughout the centuries’ it was not overcome despite the terrible things which were done by the Church and Christians “in the name of God.” No matter what awful things have happened or will happen, the light of Christ has not been overcome.

That is God’s promise — darkness cannot overcome the light; evil cannot overcome good. No matter how dark the night seems, our faith in that promise — be it as dim as a candle or as bright as a bonfire — will overcome whatever darkness rises.

705 Cotton St., Wetumpka 567-9886 Church at the Brook 2890 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Maranatha Church of God 2621 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 567-6786 Victory Tabernacle AOH Church of God Hwy 143, Millbrook Wetumpka Church of God Hwy. 9 N. Wetumpka 215-3091 CONGREGATIONAL CHRISTIAN Cedarwood Congregational Christian 10286 US Hwy 231 N, Wetumpka 567-0476 Seman Congregational Christian 15970 Central Plank Rd., Seman Union Congregational Christian 8188 Lightwood Rd., Marbury 569-2122 EPISCOPAL The Episcopal Church of the Epiphany 2602 Gilmer Ave., Tallassee 252-8618 Trinity Episcopal Church 5371 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 567-7534 St. Michael & All Angels Church 5941 Main St., Millbrook HOLINESS New Beginnings Holiness 865 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-9211 Summit Holiness 2050 Hwy. 14, Millbrook Temple of Deliverance Holiness 620 Alabama St., Wetumpka 514-3114 JEHOVAH’S WITNESS Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses 9235 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 567-8100 LATTER DAY SAINTS Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints 1405 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-8339 Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints Cobbs Ford Rd., Millbrook LUTHERAN Christ Lutheran Church 2175 Cobbs Ford Rd., Prattville PRESBYTERIAN First Presbyterian Church 100 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8135 Millbrook Presbyterian Corner of Main St. & Coosada Rd. Valley View Presbyterian - PCA 4125 Rifle Range Rd. Wetumpka 386-2386 SEVENTH DAY ADVENTIST First Elmore Seventh Day Adventist 210 Lucky Town Rd., Elmore 514-1020 INDEPENDENT METHODIST Claud Independent Methodist Church 81232 Tallassee Hwy, Eclectic 541-2552 UNITED METHODIST Cain’s Chapel United Methodist 96 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 569-2375 Central United Methodist Church 11721 Central Plank Rd. Central Elmore United Methodist Church 40 Hatchet St., Elmore 567-8653

Submit your church news to editor@tallasseetribune.com The deadline is FRIDAY at noon.

If you would like to be a sponsor of the Devotional Thoughts each week, please give us a call, 283-6568.

The Tallassee Tribune

First United Methodist Church 306 W. Tuskeena St., Wetumpka 567-7865 First United Methodist Church 3350 Edgewood, Millbrook Harmony United Methodist Church 8000 Titus Rd., Titus Mulder Memorial United Methodist 3454 Fire Tower Rd., Wetumpka 567-4225 New Style United Methodist 64 Old Georgia Plank Spur, Wetumpka 567-9840 Oak Valley Station United Methodist 162 Parsonage Road, Tallassee 541-3924 Pierce Chapel United Methodist 1003 Pierce Chapel Rd., Santuck 265-6099 Providence United Methodist 1540 Providence Rd., Titus Robinson Springs Methodist Church 5980 Main St., Millbrook Trinity United Methodist 135 Little Weoka Creek Rd., Equality 567-9997 Union United Methodist 691 Central Rd. Eclectic Wallsboro United Methodist 11066 US Hwy. 231, Wetumpka CHURCH OF THE NAZARENE Millbrook Church of the Nazarene 3251 Browns Rd., Millbrook PENTECOSTAL Faith Deliverance Church 475 Jackson St., Elmore 567-9209 OTHER Central Bible Chapel 3630 Edgewood Rd., Millbrook Chapel of Praise Hwy. 14, Millbrook Cornerstone Full Gospel 9301 US Hwy. 231, Wetumpka 567-9143 East Chapel MP Church Airport Rd., Millbrook Grace Bible Church 2251 Main St., Millbrook Gracepoint Community Church 78223 Tallassee Highway, Wetumpka 514-9292 New Life Church - Millbrook Sanctuary Worship Center 1688 Ceasarville Rd., Wetumpka Servant Fellowship Church P O Box 1423, Wetumpka 567-2190 servantfellowshipchurch@windstream.net The Worship Center 2705 Williams Rd., Wetumpka Time of Refreshing Fellowship 117 E. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-7750 Victory Temple (Pentecostal church) 1173 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka 567-7779 Words of Life Church 105 Cousins Rd., Wetumpka 514-2730

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

www.TallasseeTribune.com

January 6, 2016 • Page 7

RE-ELECT

JAMES “TREY”

TAYLOR ELMORE CO. COMMISSIONER DISTRICT 2 A VOTE FOR

EXPERIENCE & PROGRESS I am a conservative Republican with Christian values and a proven record of accountability, transparency, ethical decision making, and PROGRESS. I am asking for your vote on March 1st to keep Elmore County moving in a positive direction.

PROGRESS in DISTRICT 2: ➢ 19 Roads resurfaced in Dist. 2 (79.84 miles): Central Ave., Rifle Range Rd., Jackson Rd, Rock Springs Rd., Weldon Rd., Windemere Rd., Real Island Rd., Emerald Mtn. Pkwy., Mountainview Rd., Dunn Adams Rd., Mt. Hebron Rd., Little Rd,. Chana Creek Rd., North Ann St., Indian Trail, Dean Circle, Peace Church, Nero’s Rock Rd., Nero’s Pt. ➢ Implemented new dirt road resurfacing project and resurfaced the following 5 roads in Dist. 2 (4 miles): Dolan Rd., Funderburk Ln., Nabors Ln., Jug Factory Rd., Mooney Hollow Rd. ➢ In conjunction with City of Tallassee and Tallassee Industrial Bd., worked with GKN to expand their facility, creating 40 jobs and saving 200 more ➢ Worked with State of Alabama to finance new water main to Madix facility in Eclectic, creating 23 jobs at this facility ➢ Partnered with Eclectic and Tallassee to accomplish resurfacing / improvement projects on county and city roads within their city limits ➢ Partnered with Cherokee Alpine Trail Assn. on construction of new parking lot ➢ Allocated funds to all schools in District 2

PROGRESS throughout ELMORE COUNTY: ➢ Implemented BLUEPRINT 2020 plan with an initial $13.6 million investment that will yield a total of $36 million in road, bridge, and facility improvements throughout Elmore County—all accomplished with no additional cost to taxpayers: • Construction of County Emergency Operations facility • Construction of Highway Dept. Admin. Facility (current) • Construction of Record Storage facility • Demolition and preparation for new Courthouse annex • Reroofing of County Judicial Building • Planned repairs to Judicial Bldg. and parking lot • Resurfacing of 165 miles of county roads

• Approx. 20 miles of unpaved county roads resurfaced • Replacement of 3 structurally deficient bridges • HVAC system improvements and capacity updates • Planned construction of Old Courthouse Annex • Planned improvements to several county facilities through use of energy savings projects

➢ $9 million awarded to Elmore Co. by ALDOT for federal bridge replacements and Firetower / Redland Rd. intersection improvements ➢ Implemented Budget Hearings for all county departments and non-profit organizations which were made open to the public ➢ Put into effect video recording of Commission meetings to make them available for public viewing on the county website ➢ Allocated $100,000 to Firefighter training facility in Wetumpka ➢ Maintained a balanced County Budget all three years Pd. Pol. Ad. by Trey Taylor

Page 8 • January 6, 2016

www.TallasseeTribune.com

Kervin to run for mayor STAFF Report Outlook Staff Writer

Jeanna Kervin has announced she will be a candidate for Mayor of Tallassee in the upcoming municipal elections.

Kervin is a graduate of Tallassee High Kervin School and Auburn University at Montgomery and has lived in the Tallassee area for more than 35 years.

She is married to Rev. Isaac Kervin and they have one son, Zachary Kervin. Rev. Kervin serves at Tallaweka Baptist Church and her son is a freshman at Auburn University.

Jeanna Kervin was the Executive Director

of the Greater Tallassee Area Chamber of Commerce from 2010 until 2014. Prior to that, she was employed with the State of Alabama Department of Finance, where she was responsible for the administration of a multi-million dollar budget associated with the state’s telecommunications systems. She has served on the Leadership Elmore County Board of Directors for five years, is a member of the Tallassee Lions Club, the Talisi Historical Preservation Society, the Friends of Tuckabatchee, Mount Vernon Theatre Operations Board and the ACTS Strategic Planning Board. She has been a Sunday school teacher for more than 22 years.

Jeanna Kervin has set forth four main platform areas she wishes to

address in the campaign and her tenure as mayor.

These platform issues are: quality of life, economic development, marketing Tallassee and beautification.

Jeanna Kervin said she feels that Tallassee is at an important juncture.

“We will either move forward or we will be left behind,” she said.

“Leadership will be the determining factor as to Tallassee’s future. I have a proven record as being a successful leader. I have always been one to bring people together to meet goals. I am able to unite people not alienate them. I encourage new ideas. Tallassee is in need of a leader with a vision. Tallassee needs a leader who understands how to unite the citizens in a common goal.

Tallassee needs a leader who understands the importance of all levels of government—city, county and state working together.

“I want to work with the city council and the public in setting goals.

We have numerous issues facing the city, from a new high school to a new recreation department to revitalizing the city. The best way to accomplish these tasks is by setting short, medium and long-term goals. Then we can allocate resources in a responsible manner to achieve the results we are after.”

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Religion Calendar •First United Methodist Church of Wetumpka youth group will host a spaghetti Supper at 5:15 p.m. Jan. 6 in the Family Life Center. Each plate comes with spaghetti, salad, bread and dessert.

Proceeds go to support the church youth program. A love donation will be accepted for each plate.

•Seman Congregational Christian Church on Alabama Highway 9 having a revival with Brother Scott Jordan Jan. 10-13. Service times will be 7 p.m. each day. All are welcome and encouraged to attend.

•Rev. Roger Olsen, Pastor at Cedarwood Community Church, will begin a new series of messages Jan. 10, entitled, “Taking a Journey to Egypt.” The series is based on the popular book, “You’ll Get Through This” by Max Lucado. The messages all focus on the life of Joseph in the old testament. This series is designed to speak to those who may be going through difficult times and need that the serenity of knowing that God will always get you through the storms of life. The message for this Sunday is entitled, “Brotherly Love” and the text is Genesis 37: 18-36. Holy Communion will also be served during the worship service, which meets at 10 a.m. Sundays. The adult Sunday School class, which meets at 9 a.m. is taught by Mickey Knight. Cedarwood Community Church is located at 10286 US Highway 231 in the Wetumpka/Wallsboro Community. For more information please call the church office at 334-567-0476 or follow us on our Facebook page.

•Wellspring Community Church in Millbrook will host The Underground at 7 p.m.

Jan. 15 featuring surviving The Fall! Have free food and hang out afterward. Evening filled with rockin music, lights, and a great time with friends.

•New Home Baptist Church in Wetumpka will host SALT (Serving and Learing Together) Conference Feb. 4-5. To register and arrange lodging, contact Eric Sutton no later than Jan. 28. Call 334-5675966 or 334-398-5697.

•GriefShare grief recovery seminar and support group will began meeting at Calvary Baptist Church in Wetumpka. The group will meet on Tuesdays from 10 a.m. until noon and on Thursdays from 7-9 p.m. There is a $25 registration fee to help cover cost of materials. The church is located at 504 West Osceola Street, Wetumpka. For more information, call the church office at 334-567-4729.

•Community Fellowshippers meet at Cain’s Chapel United Methodist Church every third Wednesday at 11 a.m. The gathering includes devotion, program, prizes and covered dish luncheon.

Local pastors and families encouraged to attend.

•Calvary Baptist Church offers a Bible study “War Room” Mondays at 6:30 p.m. at Uncle Bob’s Doghouse in Wetumpka. Everyone is invited. Call the church office at 334-452-1931 for more information.

•Mulder Memorial United Methodist Church hosts a noon salad luncheon the third Thursday of each month from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.

Call 334-567-4225 for more information.

•First Presbyterian Church of Wetumpka holds a fellowship lunch every third Sunday after worship.

•Celebrate Recovery, which deals with life’s hurts, habits and hang-ups, holds meetings every Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at Santuck Baptist Church.

•Christians of all denominations are invited to participate in a cooperative Bible Study held each Tuesday 1-2 p.m. at 103 West Tuskeena St. in Wetumpka The group is self-led and selects a book of the Bible to read through and study together. All are welcome.

•Friendship Closet, a ministry of Friendship Baptist Church, is open the first Tuesday of each month from 9 to 11:30 a.m. and from 6 to 8 p.m. Those who need clothes, shoes, etc. for women, men and children, may visit.

•Hope For Healing Grief Support Group meets the second Monday of each month at 6 p.m. at First Baptist Church of Tallassee.

•River’s Edge Flea Market is open every Saturday from 6 a.m. to 2 p.m. at East Tallassee United Methodist Church. All vendors welcome – new items, old items, crafts, youth groups, ball teams, baked goods, produce and food. Various booth costs available. For info, call Joan Wood at 334-313-4913 or Melanie Baker at 334415-8314. All proceeds are used for church-sponsored programs.

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The Wetumpka Herald

Page 10 • January 6, 2016

www.TallasseeTribune.com

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

Area Calendar Community Blood Drive When: Dec. 30, noon-5 p.m.

Where: Walmart of Millbrook Details: Hosted by LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, Inc. City of Wetumpka New Year’s Eve Celebration When: Dec. 31 Where: Downtown Wetumpka Details: The evening’s activities will open with a POW/MIA observance and torch ceremony at 9 p.m. on the grounds of the Old Elmore County Courthouse. Other activities, ,including a DJ and concessions will begin at 9:30 p.m. in the lower parking lot behind the Wetumpka administrative building.

The asteroid fall will be at midnight, followed by a fireworks grand finale.

Attendees are welcome to bring tents, tables, chairs, blankets, fire pits, etc. This is a family event.

Free.

Camp Chandler New Year’s Bash When: Dec. 31-Jan. 1 Where: Camp Chandler Details: Children ages 5-14 are welcome. Activities will include fishing, archery, riflery, broom hockey, field games, pedal boats, canoes, putt putt, and more. Camp Chandler campers will bring in the new year with a party, fireworks and even a ball drop. YMCA members $40, non-members $50. For info, call 334-229-0035.

Blood Drive When: Jan. 2, 11 a.m.-5 p.m.

Where: Walmart of Millbrook Details: Hosted by LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, Inc.

Blood Drive When: Jan. 3, 11 a.m.-4 p.m.

Where: Walmart of Millbrook Details: Hosted by LifeSouth Community Blood Centers, Inc. Lewis Black -- The Emperor’s New Clothes: The Naked Truth Tour When: Jan. 7, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Montgomery Performing Arts Centre Details: Tickets start at $25.

Purchase them at ticketmaster.com Self-Defense Class When: Jan. 11 Where: Tallassee Recreation Center Details: Contact the recreation department if you are interested in a self-defense class. The class would consist of situational awareness, prevention, recognition of criminal behavior and some physical defense. Cost would be $55.

Call 334-283-4726.

Where: Montgomery Performing Arts Centre Details: Tickets start at $60.

Purchase them at ticketmaster. com. Proceeds benefit the Cancer Wellness Foundation of Central Alabama.

Taste of Elmore County When: Jan. 25, 6-8 p.m.

Where: Wetumpka Civic Center Details: Tickets are $25 each and will benefit the Elmore County Food Pantry. Purchase tickets at the food pantry.

McCraney-Cottle Arts Council presents “Alice in Wonderland” When: Jan. 16, 7 p.m.

Where: Tallassee High School Auditorium Details: A Missoula Children’s Theatre production offers attendees on a whimsically madcap, fun-filled fantasy. Tickets are $10 for adults and $5 for students. Call Mona Mills at 334-201-4892 for more information.

Eclectic Girls Club Meeting When: Jan. 13, 10:30 a.m.

Where: Kountry Kitchen, Eclectic Details: All are invited. Make friends, meet old acquaintances, enjoy fun, food and fellowship.

Lunch is $10. Call Penny Holley at 334-306-0929 for more information.

MLK Celebration When: Jan. 17, 3 p.m.

Where: Wetumpka Civic Center Details: Various pastors of area churches and other leaders will be on hand to speak during this MLK celebration.

The Black Jacket Symphony Presents “Journey - ESC4P3” When: Jan. 15, 8 p.m.

Where: Montgomery Performing Arts Centre Details: Tickets start at $25.

Purchase them at ticketmaster.com

21st Annual MLK March When: Jan. 18, 10:30 a.m.

Where: March will start at Rogers Chapel AME Zion Church at 209 W. Bridge St. Details: The march will continue from the church across the Bibb Graves Bridge.

Tim Tebow “The Journey Continues...”

When: Jan. 16, 7 p.m.

2016 Candidate Fair When: Jan. 18, 6-8 p.m.

HUMANE SOCIETY OF ELMORE COUNTY NEWS REA CORD Executive Director

Here is our 2015 wrap-up: we took in 4,294 pets which is 389 LESS than 2014 and 622 LESS than 2013.

Now as sad as 4,294 is, that our intake has seen such a marked decrease is great news.

Of these, 1,597 were surrendered by their owners and 2,697 were brought in as “strays” by citizens and Animal Control Officers. The reduction in our intake was in the “strays” so

perhaps, just perhaps, Elmore County’s Containment Law has had a positive impact.

What is statistically significant is the ratio of puppies and kittens compared to adults: about 60 percent of the dogs we received were puppies under 6 months old; for cats we received over double the number of kittens than adult cats.

This just showcases the importance of spaying and neutering pets before they can have their first “oops” litter.

Translated — please get your dog or cat to your vet by the time they are 6 months old to be spayed or neutered. There is simply no reason for most pets to have litters as every litter adds to unnecessary pet overpopulation.

Many believe that shelter intake is high in January from “gifted” Christmas pets, but that is not true.

Where: Wetumpka Civic Center Details: Get a chance to meet the area candidates running in the March 1 primary.

Live in Concert: Boyz II Men When: Jan. 23, 8 p.m.

Where: Wind Creek Entertainment Center, Wetumpka Details: The four-time Grammy Award winning group will perform for the first time in Wetumpka.

In addition to four Grammys, the group won nine American Music Awards and nine Sould Train Awards. Tickets are available on Ticketmaster.com Prattville Mardi Gras Celebration and Parade When: Jan. 23, 11 a.m.

Where: Downtown Prattville Details: The celebration starts at 11 a.m. followed by the parade at 2 p.m.

Taste of Elmore County When: Jan. 25, 6-8 p.m.

Where: Wetumpka Civic Center Details: Tickets are $25 each and will benefit the Elmore County Food Pantry. Purchase tickets at the food pantry.

Millbrook Revelers Mardi Gras Festival and Parade When: Jan. 30, 9 a.m.

Where: Village Green, downtown Millbrook Details: Festival grounds with various rides for children and vendors will open at 9 a.m. The parade will begin at noon.

Kathleen Madigan - The Mermaid Lady Tour When: Feb. 6, 7:30 p.m.

Where: Montgomery Performing

Families are still having fun with their Christmas puppies and kittens and only in rare instances do we receive those pets. But, we do get a very large influx in January, especially of puppies, from all those litters that were for sale or free as Christmas pets.

Since Dec. 28 we have received well over 30 puppies and know that more are on their way if they are not “sold” or given away this week. So, please don’t be a part of this cycle — call your veterinarian, have your pet spayed or neutered and be a part of the solution to pet overpopulation.

We saved 1,771 pets in 2015 via adoptions, transfers to rescues and returning them to worried owners which was also more than in 2014 and all previous years, so that is definitely a number we will work to increase. Adoptions are

Arts Centre Details: Tickets start at $17.

Purchase them at ticketmaster.com.

Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce Membership Dinner When: Feb. 9, 5:30 p.m.

Where: Wetumpka Civic Center Details: Annual meeting and reception Roaring 20s style. Call 334567-4811 for more information.

Elmore County Humane Shelter presents: Getting Down with the Dawgs Drawdown When: Feb. 20, 5 p.m.

Where: Wind Creek Wetumpka Entertainment Center Details: A $100 ticket gives you a 1 in 300 opportunity to win $10,000.

Tickets include buffet dinner, chance to win door prizes. There will also be a cash bar. Tickets are now on sale. Call 334-567-3377 for more information.

Sports & Outdoors Wetumpka High School Football Banquet When: Jan. 7, 6:30 p.m.

Where: Wetumpka High School Details: Tickets are $10 each.

Tickets for the football players are paid for by the Wetumpka Quarterback Club.

Slapout Strikeout 5K Walk/Run and Kids 1 mile Home Plate Dash When: Jan. 16 Where: Holtville High School Details: Registration is $25 per person for 5K runners; Registration is 10 and Under Home Plate Dash runners is $15. Proceeds benefit the Holtville High Softball Team.

wonderful but preventing unnecessary litters of puppies and kittens with nowhere to go is the key to reducing euthanasia.

Keeping pets safely at home and having identification on them at all times would also reduce our intake dramatically and all of these fixes are in the hands of the pet owning public. Please love your pets enough to at least do these things for them.

We will strive for more ‘saves’ in 2016 and hope that intake will continue to decline — that will be success in our world.

February 20th is right around the corner, so make sure to stop by the shelter for your “Getting Down with the Dawgs” Drawdown ticket(s) and your chance to win $10,000. With the purchase of a $100 ticket you will have a 1-in300 opportunity to win $10,000

Government Elmore County Commission Meeting When: Jan. 11, 5 p.m.

Where: Old Elmore County Courthouse Details: A work session will begin at 5 p.m. followed by the regular meeting.

Tallassee City Council Meeting When: Jan. 11, 6 to 7:30 p.m.

Where: Tallassee City Hall Elmore County BOE Meeting When: Jan. 19, 4:30 p.m.

Where: Elmore County Board of Education board room, 100 H.H. Robison Drive, Wetumpka Details: Anyone wishing to be placed on the regular board meeting agenda must make an official request to the superintendent’s office before 4 p.m.

Seniors “Prime Time” activities at the Wetumpka Senior Center, held at the Fain Center, 120 Cotton Street for those 55 and older: Regularly Scheduled Activities Monday-Friday - Lunch, 11:30 a.m. Cost is $1.60 donation if possible.

SilverSneakers Classic Exercise Class - M, W, F at 9:30 a.m. - total body toning and muscular strength SilverSneakers Circuit Exercise Class - Tuesdays at 9:30 a.m. cardio workout SilverSneakers Yoga Class Thursdays at 9:30 a.m. - deep breathing, stretching, muscle relaxation

(you do not have to be present to win the grand prize). Besides a chance to win big, each ticket holder and guest will also get a delicious buffet dinner, chance for door prizes, cash bar and so much more.

“Getting Down with the Dawgs” Drawdown will be at the Entertainment Center, Wind Creek Wetumpka, 100 River Oaks Drive, Wetumpka, February 20.

Doors will open at 5 p.m., dinner catered by Wind Creek begins at 6 p.m. and the Drawdown starts at 7 p.m.

Tickets are on sale at the shelter at 255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka — get your ticket(s) now, buy one as a gift, or purchase one in the name of a special organization you support. For more information, call 334-567-3377 or email hselco@bellsouth.net.

THE TALLASSEE TRIBUNE

www.TallasseeTribune.com

January 6, 2016 • Page 11

Resolve to be healthy Health and wellness programs to begin in 2016

By CARMEN RODGERS Tallassee Tribune

As the new year begins, fitness comes to the forefront of many minds. This year the community has a few options in this quest.

With programs for people of all ages and fitness levels, Community Hospital and Community Medical Arts Center are ushering in the new year with programs aimed at promoting health and fitness. Some of these programs are relatively new while others have been in place for years.

“This is the second year that we’ve offered Weight Watchers here,” said Laura Leigh Peters with Community Home Health and Hospice. “It’s a 12-week program at Community Medical Arts. “ Classes will meet every Thursday. There is a fee associated with the Weight Watchers program. However, the fee is relatively minimal and can be paid in increments.

“The program is $150 and we can split the payments up should someone need that,” Peters said.

If interested in the Weight Watchers program, now is the time to join.

“We need people to call and register so that we’ll have a count,” Peters said. “Weight Watchers is a proven program and a national company. It involves dietetics, exer-

Police Briefs Dec. 30

White female arrested at Marshall Street – outstanding warrant.

Report made at AL HWY 229 – Theft in the second degree.

Animal complaint at 3rd Street.

False commercial alarm at Caldwell Street Animal complaint at Notasulga Rd Animal complaint at Joy St Civil matter- Howard St Report made- Barnett Blvd – theft Assisted TFD w/ vehicle fire- 1st Ave Attempt to contact- Hillcrest St Report made- Riley Rd – Harassment Traffic stop- Al Hwy 229 (X 2) Traffic stop- Notasulga Rd (X 2) Traffic stop- Oak Heights Road Traffic stop- Gilmer Ave Possible intoxicated driver- S. Tallassee Drive (negative contact) Domestic complaint- John St (advised) Report made- Langley St (information only) Fire Activity: TFD responded to a vehicle fire at 1st Ave.

Dec. 31

Report made- Alber Dr. (impersonating an officer) Civil matter- N McKenzie St Report made- Notasulga rd (theft of property 3rd) 911 Hang up- Herd St (negative contact) Animal control- Notasulga Rd False commercial alarmFreeman Ave Animal complaint- Joy St Assisted motorist- Central Blvd VIN verification- Barnett Blvd Complaint of B&E of a motor vehicle- Parker St (unfounded) Complaint of Theft- Cherokee Trail (referred to proper agency) Report made- Riverside Ave (theft 3rd and burglary 3rd) False commercial alarm Civil matter- Gilmer Ave Report made- Macedonia Rd (assault 3rd) Complaint of trespassing- N Ann Ave Complaint of suspicious personGilmer Ave (negative contact) Report made- Macedonia Rd (trespassing) Complaint of reckless drivingCedar St Complaint of reckless driving3rd St and 4th St (negative contact) Traffic stop- Friendship Rd Suspicious vehicle- Gilmer Ave Report made- N Ashurst Ave (property damage)

cise, and lifestyle changes. It is a total lifestyle program. We do have private weigh-ins and those will be done on Thursday nights as well.”

For more information on the Weight Watchers program contact Taneasha at 334-283-3111.

Community Hospital has been offering the flexibility class, Senior Stretchers, for several years.

“Senior Stretchers meet every Monday and Thursday in the hospital classroom from 9-10 a.m.

That program is completely free. It’s called Senior Stretchers but anyone is welcome to come,” Peters said.

For more information about Senior Stretchers call 334-283-6541.

Community Hospital is also participating in “Scale Back Alabama” this year, a no-cost statewide weight-loss program intended to inspire and support fitness. The program was introduced in 2007 and since then Alabamians have lost over 1,000,000 pounds.

“For many years now we have been a host site for Scale Back Alabama, which is a statewide program that promotes health and wellness,” Peters said.

“As a host site we offer free weigh-ins, teaching and information. There are different prizes available. The kickoff date is Jan. 8.”

For many, having an

Jan. 1

Complaint of suspicious vehicleNotasulga Rd (negative contact) Assisted motorist- Central Blvd Traffic Stop- Friendship Rd Traffic stop- Herren Hill Rd Welfare check- Quail Crossing Report made- Friendship Rd (property damage) Suspicious vehicle- Outer Drive Traffic stop- AL Hwy 229 Traffic stop- Gilmer Aveand Burt Mill Rd Traffic stop- Derry St and Ashurst Bar Rd Suspicious person- Gilmer Ave Traffic stop- Jordan Ave Black male arrested at Log Circle (outstanding warrants) Suspicious activity- Lilly Ave (negative contact) Transport- Headquarters to Elmore County Jail Possible intoxicated driverJordan Ave (negative contact) Transport- Headquarters to Elmore County Jail Possible intoxicated driverJordan Ave (unfounded) Welfare check- E Patton St Information only report made/ assisted fire department- 3rd St Fire Activity TFD/FFD responded to structure fire- 3rd St

Jan. 2

Civil disturbance- Jefferson St Domestic dispute- Barnett Blvd Suspicious vehicle- James St False commercial alarmCaldwell St White male arrested- Gilmer Ave (public intoxication) Traffic stop- Central Blvd Report made- Gilmer Ave (theft of property) White female arrested- Gilmer Ave (possible controlled susbstace) Transport- headquarters to Elmore County Jail MVA no injuries- Lower Tuskegee Rd Traffic stop- Jordan Ave and Oak St Disorderly conduct- Benson Ave (advised) Jan. 3 Assisted medics- Dorman Ave Complaint of domestic dispute2nd St Report made- Gilmer Ave (theft 3rd) Complaint of domestic disputeHerbert St Civil matter- Benson Ave Juvenile complaint- Hillcrest St (negative contact) Traffic stop- Gilmer Ave Miscellaneous call- Benson Ave Traffic stop- Kent Rd Suspicious vehicle- Notasulga Rd Complaint of suspicious vehicleNotasulga rd (negative contact) Traffic stop- Gilmer Ave

exercise partner is a great way to remain motivated and accountable. This is why many choose to participate in Scale Back Alabama as a member of a team.

“In the past, many people have come together as a team to compete but you can do it as an individual as well,” Peters said.

These programs are all initiatives to benefit community health and wellness.

“The goal at the end would be better health,” Peters said. “Exercise and weight loss is beneficial to health and helps manage chronic conditions. We are participating in offering all that we do because want to help in the community.”

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SPORTS January 6, 2016 • The Tallassee Tribune

Phone 334-283-6568 Fax 334-283-6569 www.TallasseeTribune.com www.tallapoosapublishers.smugmug.com

THS varsity boys basketball team continues to build

By CARMEN RODGERS Tallassee Tribune

The Tallassee High School boy’s varsity basketball team played in the Christmas tournament in Dadeville last month and fell to both Lanett and Dadeville.

While Lanett’s basketball team played hard in the losses, it was the team’s height that stood out the most.

“Lanett was a final four participant from last year,” said Cecil Hollinquest, head coach of the Tallassee Varsity Basketball team. “Although they are 2A, they are very talented with a very rich tradition of basketball coached

by Richard Carter. Well disciplined staff, well disciplined team, they were great.

Most importantly, they were very long and tall. Young kids that ranged anywhere from 6’4 to 6’11. It was just one or two. We’re blessed to get one. This group had several on every level. They had three (that were) 6’6 in the middle school. Ninth grade goes from 6’4 to 6’10.

Tenth grade they have a 6’11 kid, 6’8 and 6’7. I wanted to ask them what’s in the water? Can we ship some to Tallassee? It was a tough loss, they beat us 68-49.”

During the second day of the tournament, Tallassee took on Dadeville. It seemed that the Tallassee Tigers would win this game, until at the last second Dadeville rallied back to take the win.

“We went into our old ways of not finishing the game,” Hollinquest said.

“We had Dadeville beat and with seconds’ ticking off the clock we made a bad pass, Dadeville stole the ball and scored, game over. That was a tough loss, very tough loss for us. We have played Dadeville before. So we were familiar with them. We knew what we wanted to do and we had a great game plan.

We just got a little careless with the ball and you have to take care of the ball. Always take care of the ball. We have to learn how to do that and finish games. We’re still trying to build on fundamentals. Make the layup, make the layup correctly, hit the free throws. That has been a nemesis for us for the first half of this basketball season, but we are getting there.

Now that area play is about to kickoff, the Tigers are looking back at who they have faced and what they have learned from those encounters.

“My goal is to push them to the forefront,” Hollinquest said. “Friday night we’ll go into our first area game against Booker T. Washington in Tuskegee.

Hopefully, with what we’ve learned and things we’ve experienced. We’ve experienced the very tall teams with Lanett, athletic teams, teams that were very disciplined with mainly one shooter, like at St. James.

We’ve seen basically every type of team that we will possibly run into between here and the playoffs. If we take what we’ve seen and played against and take that experience hopefully we can build something and have a playoff run. We should be okay, we should.”

These regular-season non-conference games have prepared the Tigers for the upcoming area games and with that preparation the Tigers hope to take it all the way.

“Regular-season nonconference games kind of prepare you for the area,” Hollinquest said. “It gives you a chance to see different styles, different coaching styles, different playing styles, different skilled individuals, the quick guards, the long tall guys in the post, teams that impress you, teams that will shoot the three. So we ran across pretty much all of that. Hopefully we will take experience and build from it. We try to build the schedule that way so it could help us down the road once we get to area play.”

As the season pushes toward the final months, Hollinquest said he is looking forward to his up and coming players.

“Our younger teams are doing well, as well,” he said.

“Our ninth-grade boys team will end their regular season this week. They have Elmore County tonight and Smith Station this Wednesday.

They’ll wrap up the season with a tournament at Beauregard on the 16th. Our younger guys on the B team — they will last as long as we last in the regular season, so they still have a month of

play to go.

As Hollinquest continues to build the basketball program at Tallassee High School, he said he has learned to take the small things as a win.

“I’m learning as a coach that you can’t take all your wins, or W’s I should say, as a win for the season or win for the team,” he said. “I have to take them learning certain things that I want them to know about the program as a win. If they learn how to do a correct layup, that’s a win. If they learn how to make their free throws, that’s a win for the program. A lot of times, if they learn to listen, if they learn to make the play correctly and they know when to shoot and when not to shoot, that’s a win for the program.

As a coach, sometimes you have to gather wins in a certain way. It’s not always about the W’s and L’s. You want the W’s but then you want that student athlete to be able to learn what you try to employ into your program.

We’re here for the long haul and we hope that they learn.

They are still learning me and I am still learning them.”

“I appreciate the community support, school support, Mr. Shipman, Mr. Coker and anyone who has supported basketball for Tallassee,” Hollinquest said. “The former players have come back to give their input. This is a great town. I love it here and it’s just great. I’m sorry I didn’t get the W’s. The community, that’s what they want to see. But during practice, I can see that you’re running the play correctly or you have a player that’s encouraging another to run the drill correctly or do the right thing, or listen. That shows the growth of the program and we’re getting there.”

January will be a very busy month for the Tallassee Tigers and everything they bring to the table will count.

“Very busy month for us, six home games this month,” Hollinquest said. “That’s just the home side. It’s going to be exciting because most of it is area play so every game counts, every pass counts, every shot counts, every free-throws counts. We’ve done it before, but right now is what really matters.”

Along with the busy

Corey Arwood / The Tribune

(Above) Tallassee’s Rondarian Hooks takes one to the court for the Tigers. The Varsity boys lost to Lanett and Dadeville during the Christmas tournament. The Tigers take on Wetumpka this week at home.

(Top) Hooks takes it to net with a score for the Tigers.

upcoming month, the players, Hollinquest said, are hoping to see themselves in the playoffs as much as coach Hollinquest wants to take them there.

“They are kind of quiet,” he said. “They haven’t been very vocal. I did have a short session where we sat down and talked about some of the goals that you want to establish. You want to go farther than you did last year.”

But, Hollinquest said there

are still games that have to be won.

“We’d love to host an area tournament,” he said. “To do that, we have to win most of the area games to host the area tournament. “Once you get in that tournament you have to at least win the first game to make it to the playoffs. There are still a lot of goals to accomplish and still a lot of basketball to play for the remaining of the season, so we should be fine.”

Varsity wrestling team hits the road and the mats Leaves Gulf Shores unscathed, victorious

By COREY ARWOOD Outlook Staff Writer

Jake Baker, THS heavyweight, moves closer to a pin.

Contributed / The Tribune

The Tallassee Varsity Wrestling team took a detour from its annual competition at Florida’s Beast of the Beach tournament this year, and instead, walked away undefeated from a series of matches in Gulf Shores, Ala., over the break.

Their nine falls against Gulf Shores and five forfeits left Tallassee on the top of a 84-0 shutout with every team member getting six points on the board per match.

Conditions were similar against Baldwin County and the match ended in another shutout 79-0 with sixes across the board, minus one major decision and one decision that came to four and three points against Baldwin.

Foley fought back a little harder and managed to get 15 points on Tallassee that came from one major decision, two decisions, five falls, two forfeits and one technical fall against Foley.

The three-win streak brought the team to 19-1.

Coach John Mask said the change of venue, after about six years at Fort Walton Beach, Florida, was to support schools in South Alabama with wrestling teams that were just starting out, some with programs only in their sec-

ond year or so.

There are many teams that back out from the tournament, and a total of four teams out of the nine or so originally were left to compete against one another, he said.

“It still served a purpose, we got three matches (and) the kids got some good work,” Mask said.

He said Christmas break was a long break for wrestling and maintaining the weight needed for each team member to stay in their own weight category.

The team wrestled their first weekend after Christmas break in a tournament at Prattville Christian School and once more emerged undefeated.

Mask said he would have liked to fit more matches in over the break. “...Having a two or three week layoff would hurt them and their development, and what we’ve been building toward,” Mask said.

The team returns to its regular season Jan. 7 at home against Russell County and Stanhope Elmore.

And as for their overnight stay and trip to Gulf Shores, Mask said it was a good trip.

“One of the main things we wanted to accomplish, and we love taking trips during the break, is the camaraderie and team building of the kids,” he said.