ECHS gets new weight room
Beware of online romance scams
Who is considered a good neighbor?
Eclectic Observer Page 4
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The
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THURSDAY • JULY 14, 2016
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 27, No. 27
Council hears updates on water system
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
During Monday’s Eclectic town council meeting, members of the Alabama Rural Water Association gave a presentation of findings, fixes and what they plan for future actions with their ongoing inspections into the town’s water systems. The representatives spoke to the council about work they were doing with the water works and sewage and results they found at the beginning of their inspections.
The executive director of ARWA, Cathy Horne, briefly spoke and introduced Donnie Banks, a certified water operator with Water Management Services Inc., who said he had been working with the town’s water and sewage department and its field operations manager James Taylor. Horne said her group had been working with Eclectic since June on what seemed to largely amount to system quality, performance and regulatory compliance issues. Banks said from his preliminary search the system appeared to be well
run, however there were some issues which needed to be addressed. “When we begin to work with a new water system we look for ways to improve on what your system’s already doing and we try to identify potential problem areas and offer possible solutions,” said Banks. He said they checked the system for compliance with the Alabama Department of Environmental Management regulations, as well as safety issues and other deficiencies in its distribution system. Banks mentioned a few of his find-
ings from June. He said they had identified one area of water line that had low chlorine levels and began flushing “upstream and downstream” to determine the cause of the stagnant water. He also mentioned problems with the mapping system the town used, which had what he called incorrect, or missing, “valve” information and needed updating to accurately reflect the placement of these valves. Banks said there were also areas that needed addressing regarding what he called reading the “compound meters” See COUNCIL • Page 5
River and Blues Festival slated for this weekend
Corn Creek Park Road now open
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Commission also looking into leasing former BOE building By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
Perhaps the most exciting part of Monday’s Elmore County Commission meeting was what didn’t happen Monday, as torrential rains caused the cancellation of the Corn Creek Park Road access opening ceremony. Members of the Coosa River Paddling Club were present at Monday’s commission meeting to offer their thanks for the completion of the road project. The project ends a lengthy period where there was no direct access to the popular park while the road project was ongoing. The road and park are both now officially open. The commission made quick work of the rest of the night’s agenda: • The commission approved a cooperative mapping agreement with the Alabama Department of Transportation. County Administrator Grace McDuffie said that the DOT uses digital aerial mapping acquired by the county every three years in a shared agreement. • Commissioners approved a proclamation honoring the life of John W. Smoke. Smoke is the late husband of See COMMISSION • Page 3
Today’s
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Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Front from left are Lydia Hammond, Kallie Beall and Carolyn Jones. Back Row from left are Moses Torelli and Devin Cappell.
ACADEMIC ACCOLADES CACC students complete Noyce internship at UA
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Five Central Alabama Community College Students recently completed three-week National Science Foundationsponsored Robert Noyce Internships at the Univeristy of Alabama. Lydia Hammond of Alexander City, Kallie Beall of Jasper, Moses Torelli of Central, South Carolina, and Devin Capell and Carolyn Jones, both of Eclectic, each participated in the program, designed to
increase the number and diversity of graduating teachers certified in chemistry, mathematics and physics. “The CACC students had a fantastic experience living in Tuscaloosa for three weeks,” said Jeremy Carr, a CACC chemisty professor who also serves as the college’s UA Noyce Internship liaison. “From my perspective, several of our students were on the fence about sacrificing three weeks of summer employment to go explore their potential career paths. See INTERNS • Page 3
The annual Wetumpka’s River and Blues Music and Arts Festival is scheduled to be held this Saturday, and will be the fifth year for the Cajun inspired eclectic event full of music, food, art and games. The free event was said to hold two stages worth of entertainment from about six bands and a variety of styles including both crowd favorites and newcomers alike, ranging from the traditional Louisiana sound called zydeco, to classic rock and R&B. The city’s events and tourism manager, Tiffany Robinson, said the events were scheduled to begin around 3 p.m., later than usual, to help with the heat. According to a city press release, there will be a “juried art show” and a children’s dedicated “Kid Zone,” also with art demonstrations, and activities like a mechanical See FESTIVAL • Page 3
Wetumpka Depot actresses talk upcoming play By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
The Wetumpka Depot Players are bringing a little light-hearted humor to Wetumpka beginning Thursday as they present the Tim Firth comedy “Calendar Girls.” The play is based on the true story of a group of Yorkshire women who produced a nude calendar to raise money for Leukemia research. The play, which will run until July 30, is one of the most widely produced plays in the U.K. “The play is based on a true story of a group of middle aged ladies who posed nude for a calendar,” said Kristy Meanor, Depot executive director. “This show is
such a celebration of courage and love. It will be an absolute joy for audiences to experience. No worry, there is no nudity in the production, but the scene where the ladies pose for the calendar is perhaps one of the funniest scenes I have seen on stage in a long time.” “This heartfelt comedy about love, loss and enduring friendships features a wonderfully, talented cast,’’” said Calendar Girls director Stephen Dubberley. “The cast features Eleanor Davis, Teri Sweeney, Brooke Poague, Hazel Jones, Cindy Smith, Marcella Willis, Gayle Sandlin, Bill Nowell, Lee Bridges, Tatum Pollock, Mariah Reilly, Katie Therkelson, and Jay Russell” See DEPOT • Page 5
Submitted / The Outlook
The ladies of the Tim Firth comedy “Calendar Girls” which opens Thursday at the Wetumpka Depot Players Theatre in downtown Wetumpka.
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