March 23, 2016 Wetumpka Herald by Tallapoosa Publishers

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

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WEDNESDAY • MARCH 23, 2016

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VOL. 118, NO.9

Council considers redistricting City elections near as redistricting is considered, new budget approved By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

Corey Arwood / The Herald

Accused killer Marcus L. Edwards sits awaiting to be heard in a bond hearing where his bond on two counts of murder and two counts of assault was set at $700,000 for his role in Saturday’s drive-by shooting on South Shelby Street.

Families, officials seek answers in ‘senseless’ shooting that killed two

SUSPECT: ‘I believe I’m innocent,’ as bond set at $700,000

By MITCH SNEED and COREY ARWOOD Staff Writers

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

Wetumpka Police Department officials are still searching for answers in Saturday’s drive-by shooting on South Shelby Street that has left two people dead. Wetumpka Police Chief Danny Billingsley said Sunday the shooting may have been related to a drug deal, but family members of the victim say that wasn’t the case. At about 2:30 p.m. Saturday, Billingsley said that a single car with two occupants pulled onto South Shelby Street and immediately shots began coming from the vehicle. “There was just one vehicle and at this time we believe that there was just one shooter and that was Marcus L. Edwards, a suspect that we now have in custody,” Billingsley said. “Information we have received indicates that the shooter began firing Family members are mourning the loss of into a group of people who were out- 19-year-old D’Osha Jackson, top and Darryl See ANSWERS • Page 3 ‘Bunny” Hunt.

Accused killer Marcus L. Edwards remains in the Elmore County Jail, now on a $700,000 bond. Edwards was arrested by Wetumpka police after a drive-by shooting Saturday afternoon and charged with two counts of murder and two counts of assault in the first degree. Edwards, 32, of Wetumpka, appeared for the first time before a court Monday and heard the charges against him for his alleged involvement in the Saturday’s shooting. Elmore County Chief Assistant District Attorney C.J. Robinson asked that Edwards’ bond be increased from the initial bond of $320,000 set by District Court Judge Glenn Goggans. See SUSPECT • Page 5

USPS 681-260

Executive director of Elmore County Economic Authority Leisa Finley, stands with Elmore Mayor Margaret White, and County Comissioner Joe Faulk, along with EDECA chairman Bart Mercer, in front of the the new location of a Dollar General store set to open in Elmore.

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Corey Arwood / The Herald

The five council districts in Wetumpka are being considered for changes and possible redistricting for the first time since 2011. The proposed changes were presented at the meeting Monday night.

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

The mayor of Elmore, members of the Elmore County Economic Development Authority along with district commission representative, Joe Faulk, celebrated the result of what was said to be a five-year effort to get a retail store in the town

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Redistricting efforts for upcoming city elections, adoption of a city budget and the city’s response to last weekend’s shootings along with the Company Street sinkhole, were the most discussed topics discussed at Monday’s city council meeting. It was the first reading for the redistricting project undertaken by Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission at the request of the city. After the meeting, Candy Masters, city clerk, said Wetumpka’s five districts had to be defined by May 23, three months before municipal elections scheduled August 23. She said candidates would begin qualifying the first week in July. Alan Axford, a planner and geographic information systems analyst with CARPDC, presented the proposed redistricting to the council. Reasons for redistricting, or changing city council district boundaries, include various annexations or the development of new subdivisions or the modification of existing residences. “The city council noted that they need to be looked at, essentially to ensure that one district didn’t have a significant amount of population greater than what was in other districts, they wanted to make it more even just before the elections,” said Axford. He said the last federal census was in 2012

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of Elmore. The construction on the Dollar General is nearly complete and Leisa Finley, ECEDA executive director, said it was a matter of weeks before the store opens. The store is located alongside what will be new limits of U.S. Highway 14 once it’s the proposed See STORE • Page 3

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Obituaries Judy Taylor

Mrs. Judy “Ma-Me” Taylor, a resident of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away Friday, March 18, 2016, at the age of 75. Funeral services will be Monday, March 21, 2016, at 2:00 p.m. from Jeffcoat Funeral Home Chapel with Rev. Ron Estes officiating. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery, Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing. The family will receive friends Sunday, March 20, 2016, from 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. at Jeffcoat Funeral Home. Mrs. Taylor is survived by her children, Gailya Taylor, Trey Taylor (Holley) and Melissa Taylor (Richard); grandchildren, Brandon Childers (Lorrie), Braxton Childers (Crystal), Katleen Williams (BJ), Haley Ansley, Madeline Taylor and Jase Taylor; great grandchildren, Taylor Kelly, Braxton “GB” Childers, Kaleb Medrano and Gracie Childers; sisters-in-law, Margaret Taylor and Peggy Taylor and many more loving relatives. She is preceded in death by her husband of 50 years, Mr. Melvin Taylor, Jr.; parents, Paul and Mary Taylor; brothers, Charles Taylor and Bobby Taylor. Judy was a loving mother, grandmother and great grandmother. She was devoted to her family and friends alike. Judy worked with Autauga/Elmore County Community Action for 44 years where she enjoyed participating in many Senior

Games with Seniors from the tri-county area. She served with a loving heart and compassion for many. Judy was one of a kind and well loved by all who knew her. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Tallassee Senior Center, 3 Freeman Avenue, Tallassee, Alabama 36078. Online condolences are available at: www.jeffcoatfuneralhome.com. Jeffcoat Funeral Home directing.

Herbert Hoover “Slim” Owens

OWENS, Herbert Hoover “Slim”, a resident of Wetumpka, AL; passed away Sunday, March 20, 2016 at the age of 87. Funeral services will be held Tuesday, March 22, 2016 at 2:00 p.m. at Gassett Funeral Home Chapel with Minister Buddy Thrasher and Minister Jason Chesser officiating. Burial will follow at Pine View Memorial Gardens with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. Mr. Owens is preceded in death by his daughter, Ruth Bryan. He is survived by his wife, Virginia Owens, children, Starla Pace, Jane Howell, Lance (Rhonda) Jarrell, Weldon Owens, grandchildren, Jennifer Johnson, Julie Pace, Laura Brown, Chad Jarrell, Rachel Howell, Cory Estes, 7 great-grandchildren, several nieces, nephews, and The Wetumpka Church of Christ family. Pallbearers will be Weldon Owens, John

Johnson Jr., Cory Estes, D. J. Warren, Davey Smith, and Mike Bryan. Visitation will be held Tuesday, March 22, 2016 from 1:00 p.m. until service time at Gassett Funeral Home. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome.net

Molly Ann Estes Fulford

Molly Ann (Estes) Fulford, 59, of Jackson, AL, passed away unexpectedly on Sat. March 19, 2016. Born July 14, 1956 in Montgomery, AL, she was the daughter of the late Ollie Edward and James Wilma Lamberth Estes. In addition to her parents, Molly was predeceased by her brother Steve Estes; and sisters Jenny (Estes) Wadsworth and Catherine J. (Estes) Womack. Molly is survived by her husband of 28 years Russell Fulford Fulford of Jackson, AL; her brother-in-law Dennis Womack; her nieces Carrie J. Wadsworth and Stephanie L. Booth; her nephews Scott E. Estes, Shannon Scroggins, Jacob Wadsworth and Joshua Wadsworth as well as her extended family and numerous friends. Molly was a native of Wetumpka, AL and received

her undergraduate degree from Troy State University in 1978. She later received a Masters of Divinity degree from Emory University in 1995. Molly went on to share her ministry with many congregations including the Methodist churches of Whistler, Chunchula, Creola, Liberty, Calvert, McIntosh, Union and McCann’s. All who knew Molly loved her and will miss her greatly. Two services will be held to honor Molly. Services will be held at McCann’s United Methodist Church in Jackson on Wed. March 23 beginning with a visitation at 10 a.m. followed by funeral services at 11 a.m. Rev. Tommy Gaillard and Rev. Chris Eckert will officiate. The family will also receive visitors from 10 am. – 11 a.m. at First United Methodist Church in Wetumpka, AL on Fri. March 25 and funeral services to follow with graveside at Pine View Memorial Gardens in Wetumpka. Rev. George Sedberry and Rev. Fred Zeigler to officiate. Flowers will be accepted or memorials may be made to McCann’s and Union Methodist Churches Jackson, AL and/or First United Methodist Church Wetumpka, AL. Condolences may be offered at www. lathanfuneralhomejackson.com. ARRANGEMENTS BY LATHAN FUNERAL HOME IN JACKSON, ALABAMA

Area Calendar March 24

BASEBALL: Babe Ruth registration will be held March 24th and April 7th from 6-8 p.m. at the Football Field House. Tryouts will be April 9th at 9 a.m. Cost - $125 GRAND OPENING: Martin Collision Center Grand Opening & Ribbon Cutting Ceremony, Thursday, March 24 at 2p.m. at 1280 Holtville Road in Wetumpka.

March 25

TENNEBRAE SERVICE: First Presbyterian Church of Wetumpka will host a Good Friday Tennebrae Service March 25 in the sanctuary.

March 26

EGG HUNT: The city of Tallassee is having its Easter egg hunt at City Hall March 26 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. for children 10 and under.

EGG HUNT: Community Easter Egg Hunt will be Saturday, March 26th 10a.m. Wall Street AME Zion Church, 71 Zion Street, Tallassee, AL (334) 283-2594. Look us up on facebook www.wallstreetamez. com Event Coordinator is Mrs. Della Hayes, Pastor, Edwrin Sutton. Everyone is invited!

March 27

EASTER SERVICE: Church at the Brook will host an Easter service March 27 at 10:30 a.m. EASTER SERVICES: First Presbyterian Church of Wetumpka is hosting an Easter Sunrise Service at Gold Star Park at 7 a.m., a Children’s Easter Program at 9:45 a.m. in the fellowship hall and an Easter Cantata at 11a.m. in the sanctuary.

March 28

COUNCIL MEETING: The Tallassee City Council will meet March 28 at 6 p.m. at City Hall

of Tallassee ID Board will meet April 5 at 5:30 p.m. at 1 Twin Creek Drive.

March 28- April 1

5K RUN: The Roaring 5K Run is set for Saturday, April 9. Co-Sponsors are Tallassee Lion’s Club and Neptune Technology Group. Proceeds benefit the Lion’s Sight program. Registration begins at 7 a.m. and the race starts at 8 a.m. Early registration is on-line through the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce at tallasseechamber.com

SPRING BREAK: Tallassee City School’s Spring Break will be March 28 - April 1.

March 30

ESTATE PLANNING WORKSHOP: There will be a free estate planning and asset protection workshop at the Archibald Senior Center. Education workshop presented by local attorney Raley Wiggins. Topics include wills, trusts, powers of attorney, advance directives, living wills, long-term care, Medicaid qualification, and probate administration. Also, how to protect your assets from: divorce, remarriage, creditors, bankruptcy, and nursing homes. Registration is required. Call (334)-625-6774 or online at www.redoaklegalpc.com.

March 31

AFTER HOURS: Wetumpka Depot Business After Hours, Thursday, March, 31 from 5 to 6:30 p.m., at 300 S. Main Street, Wetumpka. CAREER EXPO: The Elmore County Technical Center will be hosting the Elmore County Career Expo at the Wetumpka Civic Center March 31. This event is for our local students during the morning and midday hours (8:00-1:30), and we have a portion of the day reserved for the general public in the afternoon (2:00-6:00).

April 5

April 9

April 9-10

COMBAT ON THE COOSA: 2 Day Crossfit Competition. Individual -Saturday, Team- Sunday. Hosted by Crossfit Intrigue. For more info visit www.thegaragegames.com/combat-on-the-coosa

April 15

CHILD ABUSE AWARENESS: There will be an event at Holtville Elementary School April 15 at 1:30 p.m. to bring awareness to child abuse and neglect as April is is Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention Awareness Month. he Elmore County Extension, Family Resource Center, Juvenile Judge, DHR Director, Superintendent of Education and many other community partners will be in attendance as well as about 100 elementary students. This is a celebration of all the good work that the schools, churches, agencies and communities do to strengthen families which prevents child maltreatment.

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side a home there. It is still under investigation, but indications are that it was related to a drug deal.” Family members said it was a terrible misunderstanding, and the victims were shot “because of words that were said,” not anything drug related. Billingsley said that an arrest was made within hours of the incident. He credited solid police work and help from some in the community. Edwards being known to the victims and the neighborhood also made the identification of him as a suspect an easier task. The 32-year-old Edwards lives just two blocks from where the shooting took place. Court records indicate that Edwards is no stranger to trouble with the law. Edwards has multiple arrests including a 2009 drug distribution conviction where he was sentenced to 15 years in prison after pleading guilty to selling drugs in close proximity to a school. Under his plea deal, Edwards served just three years in work release and has been on the streets on probation since 2012. Records show he had nine years remaining on probation from his original sentence. But people in the community and those who knew the victims best spent Sunday consoling each other and trying to make sense of the tragedy. Family members Sunday identified the female victim as D’Osha Jackson, 19, and the male was Darryl “Bunny” Hunt, 45, family members said. The injured were listed as Roderick Jones and Jacoreian Jennings They also said that the victims were related to Edwards. “Things like this are not supposed to happen,” said

Ananeshia Hunt, Jackson’s mother. “We have had a lot to deal with in our family. We lost my mother and had a cousin killed in Montgomery just last week. But nothing can prepare you for something like this. This is the hardest pill I’ve ever had to swallow. Shot by their cousin. “No one is suppose to have to bury their child. It is the toughest thing I’ve ever had to deal with.” Those who lived nearby said Sunday that they never expected something like this in their neighborhood. “You see stuff like this in Montgomery, you expect that to happen there,” said Idell Gill. “We are all in shock. I don’t know what it is with these young people today and these guns. They have to learn that there is no future in this. Look at the pain this has caused. There is no need for this. “This is our home and everyone knows everyone. You are supposed to be safe at home.” Area resident Wanda Walls said that right now everyone is struggling to understand this. “Something just went really wrong and this will change us all forever,” Walls said. “The sun has always shined on our neighborhood. We can’t let this stop that. There are still so many questions about why. It has crushed a lot of people in this neighborhood and both sides of the family.” Meanwhile, Billingsley said that the two victims that were critically injured were still alive and listed in critical condition in Montgomery area hospitals. “It’s not a bad neighborhood and we have done a lot of community outreach out there,” Billingsley said. “But there are times when all the good peo-

ple in a neighborhood and all of our efforts can keep people from doing something as crazy and senseless like this. You just never know.” Monday night at the meeting of the Wetumpka City Council, officials thanked law enforcement and hoped for peace for the victims’ families and loved ones. “As a private citizen, not an elected official, I want to publicly thank Chief Billingsley of course,” said councilman Percy Gill. “Most you guys are aware the tragedy that happened over the weekend in our community and rest assured that that’s not the norm by any stretch of the imagination that happens in Wetumpka or in this community at all. “Everybody’s kind of still in disarray and shock as I would imagine it would be in any other community, if something like that were to happen. That has to mean that you are concerned about what goes on in Wetumpka so I think that mean’s a lot for me to see you out there in the community.” Mayor Jerry Willis was on the scene soon after the incident and was back out there Sunday comforting the families. “One of the people that was killed, I chose him as an 8-yearold, he played on my baseball team and I watched him grow up,” Willis said Monday night. “It’s senseless for someone to lose their life like this. “We’ll continue to work on it. Not a bad neighborhood. We’ve had some problems here and there but all in all it’s a good neighborhood just like the rest of them in the city and good people who live there, but it was tragic what happened.”

Store widening project is complete. Bart Mercer, ECEDA chairman, said he was excited about the improvements and growth he felt Elmore was positioned to see in the future. Mayor Margaret White, spoke about the new store and thanked the ECEDA for its efforts, in what she said was its role in five-year struggle to get the store

MARCH 23, 2016 • Page A3

continued from page 1

located in Elmore. “We are out here thanking the good Lord we’ve got a Dollar General coming in, that’s what we’re out here doing, been a while getting here but we’re working on it thanks to Bart and Leisa; they worked hard,” White said. She said it would reduce travel time for Elmore residents who had to leave town to shop.

“Oh good heavens, we have to go to Millbrook, Prattville or Wetumpka to shop,” said White. Commissioner Joe Faulk, District 4, spoke positively about the project and the long-time efforts and collaboration between the mayor, the County Commission and the EDECA. “It’s been a long time coming and I know that our economic development authority has been

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Kenneth Boone, Publisher John Peeler, Managing Editor Opinions expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the management of Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc.

OPINION

Page A4 • MARCH 23,, 2016

Your

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

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

Opinion

The people should decide

ur legislature is attempting what amounts to the wrestling of electoral power away from the people of Alabama. A bill that would end the election of Alabama’s state auditor and agriculture commissioner and give the governor the power to fill the positions by appointment has been introduced into the Alabama House of Representatives. HB432 had its first reading March 17. It was referred to the Constitution, Campaign and Elections Committee, and is sponsored by Rep. Paul Beckman, a Republican from Prattville. From where we sit, it’s clear that passage of the bill would concentrate more power in the hands of the governor, stripping Alabama’s electorate of a portion of what little direct impact it has on our state government. Simply put, it’s a blow to government of, for and by the people. Jim Zeigler, who currently serves as Alabama’s state auditor, believes the bill targets him. Zeigler, who has been critical of the governor, says inclusion of the agriculture commissioner in the legislation could be a ruse to distract from its real target – him. The Constitution, Campaign and Elections Committee will take up the bill, perhaps as early as this week. If the Committee gives a favorable report on the bill, it would go to the House floor, possibly by the week of April 5. We would ask that anyone who favors government by the people call their representatives in the Alabama Legislature and ask them to vote no on this bill. If this bill passes, the auditor and the agriculture commissioner would be Alabama’s only two constitutional officers not elected by direct vote of the people. It would create the very definition of a slippery slope. We hope that our legislators will see the light and stop short of this further concentration of power in the governor’s office. We elect our governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general, secretary of state, state treasurer and county sheriffs and we should continue to do so. We should also continue to elect our state auditor and our commissioner of agriculture and industries.

It’s time for state to get out of marriage business

labama may soon be out of the marriage license business. This week Alabama senators approved a bill 23-3 that would require couples to fill out a state-issued form recording their marriage instead of a state-issued marriage license. Which brings to mind the question, why is the state in the business of issuing marriage licenses in the first place? I’m quite sure that for most of human history, whoever was in charge didn’t give a hoot about who married who, as long as it didn’t affect the guys in charge. The church cared. Parents cared. Future husbands and wives certainly cared. Government? Not so much. It’s only in our modern society, when taxers, estate executors, divorce lawyers, insurance providers, etc., started making laws about marriages and treating the married differently than the unmarried that the statesanctioned marriage license became standard. I may be showing my slightly Libertarian leanings here, but I really don’t think the government has a right to license people to marry each other in the first place.

KENNETH BOONE Publisher

The word “license” means “to give permission.” The only person I asked for permission to marry Mary Lyman was her father, Dr. T. Riley Lumpkin. He gave me an enthusiastic “Yes”… but didn’t bother to issue me a license. The bill abolishing the requirement for Alabama to issue marriage licenses now goes to the House for a vote. If it passes there, it has to get Gov. Bentley’s permission before it becomes Alabama’s law. I think we all know that this change is designed to keep the most traditional of Alabama probate judges from being forced by federal law to give permission for gays and lesbians to get married. The State of Alabama is basically saying, “Y’all do what you want to and tell us after you did it.” In my mind, marriage is a holy sacrament. It’s a deeply meaningful public contract between two people

made in the presence of God and witnesses, where both parties pledge to love each other, comfort each other, honor and keep each other, in sickness and in health, forsaking all others, as long as they both shall live. I’m not really clear on how the guys in the probate office are involved in any of that. I do see a need for some form of marriage contract if non-religious folks want to tie the knot. And I certainly agree that the government has the right to require official notification on who is married and who is not so our legal system can function. It also has every right to receive official notification when a marriage fails, or when one spouse dies, or a custody battle begins, or any number of situations where the legality of a marriage comes into question. But that’s just a legal notification process anyway. A government form will work just as well as a “license” as long as it’s the law of the land. What do you think? Should you be required to get permission from the state before you get married? We’d love to hear your opinion in a letter to the editor. Boone is publisher of The Outlook.

334-567-7811 • Fax 334-567-3284 email: news@thewetumpkaherald.com THE WETUMPKA HERALD (681-260) is published twice weekly on Wednesday and Saturday by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Periodical postage paid at Wetumpka, Alabama. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Wetumpka Herald, P.O. Box 99, Wetumpka, AL 36092-0099. ISSN # 1536-688X. We reserve the right to refuse to print any advertisement, news story, photograph or any other material submitted to us for any reason or no reason at all. •Obituaries - $.25 per word per paper. Additional $15 charge for a photo per paper. (Herald, Weekend, Observer, Tribune). •Weddings/Engagements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a 2-column photo. •Birth Announcements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a photo.

SUBSCRIPTION RATES (includes Wednesday & Saturday) One Year in Elmore, Tallapoosa or Coosa County: $50 One Year Elsewhere: $75 The publisher reserves the right to change subscription rates during the term of subscription at any time. To subscribe or if you miss your paper, call 256-234-4281. © 2016 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved and any reproduction of this issue is prohibited without the consent of the editor or publisher. ADMINISTRATION Kenneth Boone, publisher kenneth.boone@thewetumpkaherald.com Mitch Sneed, editor mitch.sneed@thewetumpkaherald.com NEWS Corey Arwood, staff writer corey.arwood@thewetumpkaherald.com Carmen Rodgers, staff writer carmen.rodgers@thewetumpkaherald.com Cory Diaz, sports editor Cory.Diaz@TheWetumpkaHerald.com. . . . . . . . . . . Ext. 306 SALES Jayne Carr, marketing consultant Jayne.Carr@TheWetumpkaHerald.com. . . . . . . . .. .. Ext. 313 Molly Brethauer, marketing consultant molly.brethaur@TheWetumpkaHerald.com. . . . . . . . Ext. 305

Being in the State Senate can be more powerful than Congress

n the literary classic “The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire,” the author draws parallels to a nation that was on top of the world and, because of perverse, grandiose and pompous behavior, that dynasty self-destructed and destroyed itself. It was from reading this documentary that the Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev believed that we, the United States, would destroy ourselves thus causing him to brashly declare, “We will bury you.” One of the travails of Rome, as illustrated in the book, was the power and arrogance of the Roman Senate. Roman Senators were given immense power and prestige and allowed to live lavishly at the public’s expense. They, with the concurrence of Caesar, were allowed to control the Roman purse strings and thus dispensed the public funds generously among themselves. They lived a royal life with lavish luxuries and opulence generally reserved for royalty. It led to a life of comfort and debauchery that Solomon warned about in Proverbs, “pride goeth before a fall.” Many people believe that members of congress today are following this pattern. Maybe not to the same extreme as the Romans, but in some ways similar. U.S. Congressmen vote on their own annual salary increases, which are now up to $175,000 annually with a health plan that would be the envy of any corporate employee and could not be afforded by a corporation yet it cost the congressman nothing. Many congressmen will argue that $175,000 per year is not exorbitant considering that they must maintain a residence in their

STEVE FLOWERS Guest Columnist

home state and in Washington. This argument does not seem to hold water with the average American who earns less than 20 percent of that salary. Congressmen do not have much of a challenge in getting reelected. No matter how good a job they do for their constituents the advantage of incumbency gives 97 percent of all congressman another term if they choose. However, unlike Roman senators, their power has diminished significantly because of the partisan divide in Washington. Today, congressmen simply vote their party line, making them like members of British Parliament. They are no longer individuals but pawns of their party. They are members in the process and fall in line with party dogma and dictates, losing much of their individualism and, in the process, their power. Even though one Alabama congressman or congresswoman represents approximately 635,000 Alabamians and an Alabama state senator represents around 130,000 Alabamians, I would argue that a least a dozen state senators have more impact over public policy than any of our seven congressmen. There are 435 members of Congress and 35 members of the Alabama Senate. If a state senator is well placed and in a position of power, they are unquestionably more influential and powerful than

a congressperson. The only exception in our delegation would be Congressman Robert Aderholt. Of our seven members of the U.S. Congress, Aderholt is the only one with any seniority or clout. He is on track to be as powerful one day as his predecessor Democrat Tom Bevill. Aderholt got to Congress at a very young age and he is on the right committees and on the right track. A couple of years ago, Congressman Jo Bonner left the Mobile/Baldwin first district of congress. A medley of candidates emerged. State Senator Trip Pittman of Baldwin County could have possibly won that seat. But guess what? Sen. Pittman chairs the Senate Finance and Taxation Committee. He would have become much less powerful as a freshman member of congress than controlling the state budget. In 2010, State Senators Dick Brewbaker of Pike Road, Harri Ann Smith of Slocomb, or Jimmy Holley of Elba could have captured the GOP nomination for congress in the 2nd District and ultimately gone to Congress. However, all three, especially Holley, have much more influence as one of 35 State Senators than as a back bench member of Congress. In many cases a state senator is more powerful than a congressman. See you next week. Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www. steveflowers.us.

THE WETUMPKA HERALD

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

MARCH 23, 2016 • Page A5

Suspect

continued from page 1

Robbins detailed the charges against Edwards before asking for the bond increase. “We have a total of four counts here, two counts of murder, two counts of assault in the first degree,” said Robinson. “The manner upon which these crimes were taken out involved the use of a firearm, two of the victims were shot once, one victim was shot approximately five times. The other was shot approximately twice.” He said there were 12 shots fired and 10 different bullets fired from a 9mm handgun that hit a target in the densely populated area of South Shelby Street where the shooting occurred. Killed were D’Osha Jackson, 19, and Darryl “Bunny” Hunt, 45, family members said. The injured were listed as Roderick Jones and Jacoreian Jennings Robinson included that some of the victims were innocent bystanders. He later mentioned that Edwards had a prior record of arrests and felony convictions along with misdemeanor convictions and there were other violent “assault type crimes” that had been dismissed not by this D.A.’s office in this circuit, Robinson said, but which show up on his file. He said there was a possibility the charges could end up as capital murder charges. Goggans asked for a response from Edwards as to the bond amount and then information that would indicate whether Edwards could afford the bond after it appeared Edwards was unsure how to respond to the request. Edward’s gave Goggans details about his life and said he worked at Brendle Fire Equipment of Montgomery and had multiple children, “about seven and possibly another child on the way.” He said the majority of them were cared for by their

mother except for one who he tended to, but added that the child was now also in its mother’s care. After the hearing, Edwards’ employer was contacted and confirmed his employment of a little over a year. Trey Ward, owner of Brendle Fire Equipment, said he remembered a passing statement by Edwards about having seven children, however he said there was no documentation of this at Brendle. Ward said Edwards was just a normal guy who worked in the shop. He was quiet and did not talk a lot. He said he had hired Edwards and spoke with him during his employment. When asked if there were any indications in Edward’s behavior that might point to his being capable of what he was charged with, Ward said, “Nothing pointed to anything of this nature.” At the conclusion of the hearing Goggans said, “Right now we do have multiple accounts of murder and that’s the most serious crime that we prosecute so at this time we would ask that the bond be increased to $300,000 on each count of murder and at least $50,000 on each count of assault.” Goggans asked Edwards if everything he told him was clear and if he understood his rights before signing the document stating he did. “Like I said, I believe I’m innocent.” Edwards said in court. Edwards then asked Goggans something unrelated. “Well I have one question, do I have to continue to be on suicide?” said Edwards. After the hearing Robinson clarified that Edwards was asking to be taken off of suicide watch.

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PAGE A6 • MARCH 23, 2016

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THE WETUMPKA HERALD

Embrace the blessings of Holy Week

reetings from the corner of Bridge and Bridge! The typical chill of Holy Week is upon us. Regardless of where Easter falls on the calendar, it seems like our final taste of winter comes during Holy Week. Coincidence? I don’t believe in coincidence. I call it providence. How many Holy Weeks have you experienced in your lifetime? How many Easter egg hunts? How many Easter baskets? How many new pairs of shoes have you purchased for Easter? It might be fun and entertaining to consider your answer to one or more of these questions. Most people living in these United States have some experience with Holy Week and Easter, whether they identify as Christian or not. Easter is surrounded 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

REV. JOHNATHAN YARBORO First Presbyterian

with traditions, especially in the South. Almost every person has at least one Easter story to share. There is another exercise I would like to suggest to everyone during Holy Week and Easter this year. This exercise is not limited to Christians by any means, but it does require a little Bible reading. Don’t worry. Reading the Bible will not hurt you. I suggest that everyone reading this column start with chapter twelve in the Gospel of John and read it until the end. The bulk of the

Green Ridge Baptist 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

Wetumpka Church of Christ 408 West Bridge Street

Jason Chesser Minister Sunday Prayer and Fellowship.......8:30 a.m. Bible Study.............9 a.m. Worship service...10 a.m. Wednesday Bible Study........7 p.m.

Visitors Welcome At All Services

material describes the events of Thursday and Friday, but reading a little each day will immerse any reader in the events of the last week of Jesus’ ministry in the flesh. I am suggesting this exercise because it is a story every human being needs to hear. It is the story of how humanity responds to divine wisdom, especially when that wisdom conflicts with our way of doing things. Most important of all, it is the story of God’s response to our way of doing things. I need to state my motivation for making such a suggestion. I assure you I have the very best intentions for every human being in mind. I also promise I am not suggesting this exercise as a means for boosting attendance numbers at the church I serve or any other church in

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

the community. My motive is much more important than that. My motive is that I am fed up with the ways of our world. I am sick and tired of concern for self as the primary reason for living. I am weary of intolerance, violence, and hatred. I yearn for a better way. I think most people feel the way I do. Spend some time with the story of what is known as Holy Week. Consult the Gospel of John, because John provides the greatest detail of the events of the week. Open yourself to the story and let the story open you. Consult one of the other Gospels for a comparative view. Palm Sunday through Holy Saturday is a compelling story. It runs the gamut from recognition and celebration of a better way for all to live

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

8000 Titus Road Titus, Ala.

Pastor Rickey Luster,

SundaySchool..........10:45 School....10:45 a.m. Sunday a.m. Morning Worship....9:30 a.m. Morning Worship........9:30 a.m. Children’s Church.... 9:30 a.m. Children’s Church.......9:30 a.m. Thur. Night Service....6:00 p.m. Wed. Night Service.....6:30 p.m. You will receive a warm You will receive a warm Welcome at this friendly, welcome at this friendly, Christ-centered Church. Christ-centered Church.

NURSERY PROVIDED PROVIDED FOR NURSERY FOR ALL SERVICES SERVICES ALL

Tunnell Chapel Baptist 210 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2589 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

100 W. Bridge St.

Sunday Services at 11 a.m.

Rev. Jonathan Yarboro

Minister Dr. John Brannon

Sunday School..9:45 am Morning Worship..11 am

There is Harmony at Harmony United Methodist Church!

567-8135 “In the name of the Lord Jesus – Welcome.”

Please join us.

Mountain View Baptist Baptist Church Church

11066 U.S. 231, Wallsbooro 11066 U.S. 231, Wallsboro

Rickey Luster, MusicDirector Director Music

Rev. Jonathan Yarboro is the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church, Wetumpka.

First Presbyterian Church

Harmony United Methodist Church

Wallsboro United Wallsboro United Methodist Church Methodist Church Rev. Ryan Rev. Ryan Johnson Johnson Pastor

to complete rejection and destruction of that better way. The story begins a new chapter at the empty tomb with God’s response. The story is a conversion story, but not in the way we might think. Embracing the reality of Holy Week and Easter is not a tool for converting people to Christianity. It is a reminder to every living, breathing human being that we often reject God’s intentions for the earthly kingdom, but our rejection never diminishes the power and authority of the one who made it all in the first place. May the blessing of Holy Week and Easter become real to us all.

567-4458 1025 Rifle Range Rd. 567-4458 1025 RiÀe Range Rd.

504 West West Osceola 504 OsceolaSt. St. 334-567-4729 334-567-4729

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

Rev. Anthony Rhodes, Senior Pastor Rev. Anthony Rhodes Tammy Driver, Children’s Ministries Senior Pastor Sarah Swedenburg, Worship Ministries Tammy Student Driver:Ministries Derek Blankenship, Children's Director

Billy Reinhardt, Min. of Students SUNDAY Morning Worship.......10:30 SUNDAY School.............9:15 Sunday Morning Worship............10:30 Youth Choir ..................5:00 Evening Worship..........6:00 Sunday School.................9:15 WEDNESDAY Evening Worship..............6:00 Fellowship Meal............5:45 WEDNESDAY Preschool/Children’s Choirs.........................6:00 House of Prayer................6:00 House of Prayer............6:30 Preschool/Children’s Preschool/Children’s Missions............................6:00 Missions........................6:30 Youth Bible Youth BibleStudy.............6:00 Study.........6:30

SUNDAY SERVICES SUNDAY SERVICES Sunday School...........9:30 a.m. Sunday Worship.....10:30 School........9:30 a.m. a.m. Morning MorningWorship.......6:00 Worship...10:30p.m. a.m. Evening Evening Worship.....6:00 p.m. WEDNESDAY SERVICES WEDNESDAY SERVICES Prayer Meeting...........6:00 p.m. Supper.....................5:30 p.m. Choir PrayerRehearsal.........6:00 Meeting........6:15 p.m. p.m. Calvary Youth.............6:00 p.m. Choir Practice..........7:00 p.m. Calvary Kids.............6:00 p.m.

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

Roger Olsen, Pastor Sunday Bible Study..........9:00 AM Sunday Worship.............10:00 AM We are a Congregational Christian Church which, in the name of Jesus, invites all to worship with us. Nursery Check out our Facebook page

Santuck Baptist Church

7250 Central Plank Road

“A Family of Families”

B.R. Johnson, Senior Pastor Larry Gore, Adm. & Counseling Randy Godfrey, Education Amy Pugh, Director of Children & Preschool Chad Middlebrooks, Students SUNDAY Sunday School............9 & 10:30 a.m. Worship........................9 & 10:30 a.m. Evening Celebration.................6 p.m. WEDNESDAY/FAMILY NIGHT Programs for every age 6:15 - 7:30 p.m.

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

THE WETUMPKA HERALD

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Council

continued from page 1

and the next was 2020, so this was an immediate effort to get district demographic data. A reason listed for one annexation attempt included the demolition of an apartment complex in District 4 and its resulting population decline. “You want to keep the districts as close to the ideal population, which is a equal distribution of the population as possible,” Axford said. Out of Wetumpka’s five districts, Axford said in the presentation that Districts 1, 3 and 4 were the most affected through their findings, and would be the most heavily affected by the proposed redistricting. The changes are to be voted on by the council at the next meeting, Masters said. A contentious item on the agenda was the vote on the 2015-2016 City of Wetumpka Budget, which was approved with one “no-vote” from Steve Gantt, of District 4, and an

abstention from Percy Gill, of District 2. Earlier Gill had asked Mayor Jerry Willis about school funding under the new budget and to what extent further funding and partnerships would be permitted. Gill said he did not know the vote on the budget was set for Monday’s meeting. Their was an approval for the library to apply for $10,000k Library Services and Technology Act grant for nonfiction science and math material to be matched at $2,500 local funds, a sum which was said would be secured by next meeting. In the public comment section of the meeting both Mayor Willis and Gill spoke about the police department’s response to recent shootings, in which two people were killed and two wounded after a drive-by shooting incident. Gill thanked Wetumpka Police Chief Danny Billingsley for his presence in the community

after the shootings, and Willis congratulated the department on what he said was the quick take down of the alleged shooter. One of the owners of Coosa River Adventure and Stoddard’s Bait and Tackle, Chris Carter, spoke about the affect of the road closure on businesses located on Company Street in downtown Wetumpka. The road has been closed since last Thursday, March 17, due to the appearance of a sinkhole. Mayor Willis said he learned through meeting with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, there were going to be complications repairing the sinkhole due to its location next to the Coosa River, however he said it was good that they now knew what steps they needed to take in beginning repairs. The next meeting is scheduled for Monday, April 4.

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Page A8 • MARCH 23, 2016

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THE WETUMPKA HERALD

Happy Easter! On Sunday, March 27, many families will participate in the Easter Holiday. Many dress up in their ¿QHVW FORWKHV DQG JR WR &KXUFK RQ (DVWHU 6XQGD\ ZKLOH PDQ\ RWKHUV KDYH SLFQLFV DQG SDUWLFLSDWH LQ FRPPXQLW\ HYHQWV OLNH (DVWHU HJJ KXQWV &KLOGUHQ ORYH (DVWHU IRU WKH IXQ WKDW LW EULQJV .LGV DUH YLVLWHG E\ WKH (DVWHU %XQQ\ ZKR EULQJV D EDVNHW RI JRRGLHV HDFK \HDU (JJV DUH G\HG WR ORRN EULJKW DQG FRORUIXO $GXOWV KLGH SODVWLF HJJV ¿OOHG ZLWK JRRGLHV WR VHH ZKR FDQ ¿QG WKH PRVW ,Q $ ' WKH &RXQFLO RI 1LFDHD GHFODUHG WKDW (DVWHU ZRXOG EH FHOHEUDWHG RQ WKH ¿UVW 6XQGD\ DIWHU WKH ¿UVW IXOO PRRQ WKDW IROORZHG WKH 6SULQJ (TXLQR[ WKH ¿UVW GD\ RI 6SULQJ 7KLV PHDQV WKDW (DVWHU FDQ RFFXU RQ DQ\ 6XQGD\ EHWZHHQ WKH ¿UVW GD\ RI 6SULQJ ZKLFK XVXDOO\ IDOOV RQ 0DUFK H[FHSW GXULQJ D OHDS \HDU ZKHQ LW IDOOV RQ 0DUFK DQG $SULO 7KDW LV ZK\ (DVWHU VRPHWLPHV FRPHV HDUOLHU LQ VRPH \HDUV WKDQ RWKHUV ,W LV EHOLHYHG WKDW WKH WHUP (DVWHU ZKLFK ZH XVH WRGD\ LV GHULYHG IURP WKH 2OG +LJK *HUPDQ ZRUG HRVWDUXP ZKLFK LQ WXUQ ZDV GHULYHG IURP /DWLQ DQG PHDQV ³GDZQ ´ (DVWHU LV WKH PRVW SRSXODU RI DOO WKH 6SULQJ KROLGD\V EHFDXVH LW UHSUHVHQWV WKH QHZ OLIH DQG ZDUP ZHDWKHU that are so often associated with it.

Easter Word Find

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Step Two:

Baskets, Bunny, Candy, Celebration, Chocolate, Community, Dawn, Dye, Easter, Eggs, Equinox, Goodies, Hide, Life, March, Picnics, Rabbit, Spring, Sunday, Treats

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The Wetumpka Herald

Page A12 • MARCH 23, 2016

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Think before making a pet an Easter gift By REA CORD Executive Director

t was a great Supply Drive at the Wetumpka Wal-Mart this past Saturday and many thanks to all of our volunteers who made it happen and to all who purchased and donated supplies AND almost $700 to help our animals! Those supplies truly help so we can use donated funds for direct animal care – thank you so much to ALL of our supporters! We ask everyone to keep voting for us in the Shelter Challenge so we can win $1,000 for our pets. Winning contests like this ensure we can continue to help deserving pets that need a bit ‘more’ before they can be adopted. Just go to www. shelterchallenge.com to vote each day from work, home, school, smart phone, etc. Once there the easiest way to find

Meet Whiskey, Pet of the week

Whiskey is a Shepherd mix, about two years old, great with other dogs, happy-go-lucky, high energy! He is super fast and a lot of fun - loves to just suddenly “stop, drop and roll” like there is a fire. Actually, he skips the “stop” part and especially loved rolling down the play yard hills. Whiskey is good with other dogs though might be a lot for a small dog or cat to handle. Our adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old; cats over one year old can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, de-worming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, 45 days of pet health insurance and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian. To meet all the great pets at our shelter come to 255 Central Plank Road, Wetumpka, AL, 36092, go to our website at www. elmorehumane.org for more information, email us at hselco@bellsouth.net or give us a call at 334-5673377. We are open for adoptions Mon–Fri 10-5 & Sat 9-3.

HUMANE SOCIETY OF ELMORE COUNTY NEWS us is to type in our zip of 36092 or Wetumpka. Some web browsers do not work with this site, so if you have problems, please first try a different browser to access the site. Thanks everyone for taking literally just a minute of your time every day to help us win big for our animals! Easter is this Sunday and we want to caution against getting or giving baby chickens, ducks or rabbits as pets for children for Easter. Why? Thousands of these baby animals end up dying of neglect or injury from un-prepared or uncommitted owners and that simply is not in keeping with the message of Easter. Raising chickens,

ducks or rabbits can be quite rewarding but are you prepared for the fact that baby chicks and ducklings need to be kept at 95 degrees the first week of their life, 90 the next, and so on, until they are 4-5 weeks old and fully feathered? The ideal source of heat is a red heat bulb, and you’ll want a thermometer in their cage along with their own special food and fresh water at all times, bedding, shelter and space to grow. Baby rabbits also need to be kept clean, warm and safe and as they grow will need a roomy house/ pen where they can romp and be kept safe from predators which could turn out to be your own dog or cat. One chicken or duck can be quite lonely since they are flock animals, so are you prepared to maintain more than one? Do you know that chick-

ens and ducks live ten to fifteen years and rabbits eight to twelve years? What are your plans for your child’s duckling, chick or rabbit if you are not truly committed? And what if you make a mistake and keep a boy and girl rabbit together? It is possible for some breeds of rabbits to breed as early as 8-12 weeks of age meaning even more pets in need of new homes. We think a much better idea to celebrate Easter is to purchase a stuffed toy duck, chicken or rabbit for your child since a stuffed toy can be set aside when the child tires of it with no repercussions. After all, if you are not fully prepared for what these babies need and they die in a few days, then isn’t that a sad Easter memory for your child? Easter is about life, so let’s celebrate that by not putting baby animals at risk as a living child’s ‘toy.’

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Tribe JV splits games in ECHS Tournament By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald

Cory Diaz / The Herald

Wetumpka sophomore second baseman Trey Miller (5) makes contact during Monday’s game against Dadeville at the Elmore County High School Junior Varsity Spring Break Baseball Tournament at Tony J. McGhee Field.

Wetumpka’s junior varsity baseball team split its first two games of the Elmore County High 2016 Junior Varsity Baseball Tournament Monday at Tony J. McGhee Field. The Indians lost the first contest, 8-5, to Russell County and rallied to put on an offensive show to blow out Dadeville, 18-4, in the nightcap, improving to 9-6 on the season. Russell County capitalized on Wetumpka’s miscues in the opening game, scoring eight runs off just four hits given up by Tribe starting pitcher Landon Grant in a complete game effort. The Indians spread out the offense against the Warriors, but couldn’t sustain long enough rallies to battle back. Mason Elmore, Garrett Hardin, Trey Jones and Stephen King all collecting an RBI apiece. Colton Adams and Trey Miller each had a triple and scored a run. Against Dadeville, Wetumpka batted around twice in the first two frames, plating 11 runs in the top of the first, and 16 through two innings, to push the game out of reach. Harden went 3-for-5 with a double and Miller garnered a couple of hits as both players racked up four RBIs each to lead the Tribe. Jones batted 3-for-4, including a double, and had two RBIs, while Grant went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. King added an RBI while going 3-for-5 at the plate. Elmore earned the victory on the mound, allowing four runs in two frames with two strikeouts. Sophomore Hampton Brown came on in relief and pitched three innings without giving up a hit. Wetumpka continued play in the ECHS Spring Break Tournament Tuesday and will finish up today.

Holtville JV hammers Stanhope in Spring Break Tourney By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald

Holtville hammered out 10 hits and scorched Stanhope Elmore, 10-3, in five innings Monday to open the Holtville Junior Varsity Spring Break Baseball Tournament at Smart-Collier Field. Centerfielder Dalton Barnett, rightfielder Dylan Culverhouse and first baseman Evan Headley each pounded out two hits, leading the Bulldogs to chase three Mustangs pitchers in the rout. After HHS starting pitcher Dakota Hileman threw the first of three straight scoreless frames in the top of the first, Holtville pushed across four runs in the bottom half forcing SEHS to make it first pitching change to Evan Boyson, who got sophomore Alex Cantrell to pop out to leave the bases loaded. For the second straight inning, Holtville batted around in the second, adding five runs to its lead. Culverhouse started out with a standup triple, before Barnett brought him in on an RBI single. Headley followed with an RBI double, then two batters later, freshman Chapelle Washum batted in Headley, extending HHS’s lead to 7-0. Sophomore Alex Boling took home on a throw down to second base, and freshman second baseman Brylan Shaffer had an RBI hit, scoring pinch runner Brady Richardson, putting the Dawgs ahead, 9-0. In the bottom of the third, freshman third baseman Ryan Batyski extended Holtville’s lead to 10-0 with an RBI double, scoring Culverhouse. Stanhope got two runs back in the fourth when Tyler Nix and Parker Wagner came home on a passed ball and an error. Hileman earned the victory on the

Cory Diaz / The Herald

Stanhope Elmore’s Tyler Nix (23) slides into home plate under the tag of Holtville pitcher Dakota Hileman (24) during Monday’s game in the Holtville Junior Varsity Spring Break Baseball Tournament at Smart-Collier Field.

mound, tossing four frames, giving up two runs on just one hit and striking out two. Three more Holtville errors in the top of the fifth allowed the Mustangs to score another run off Richardson, who relieved Hileman. SEHS’s Ryan

Austin and Nix reached base on error, and two batters later, Isaac Spikes ran home on a throwing error. Stanhope and Holtville played Tuesday and continue play in the Spring Break tourney today.

Gee grabs First-Team All-State recognition By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald

From his first practice with his new teammates at Edgewood Academy, Reggie Gee knew this season was going to be special. Transferring from MontgomeryCatholic, the senior led the Wildcats in every statistical category in his senior year, helping guide the program to its first AISA state championship since 2001 and earning First-Team All-State honors at point guard, announced by the Alabama Sports Writers Association Saturday. “I was just happy about it,” Gee said. “I had great teammates and great coaches along the way, that helped me be successful. I would have liked to believe (I

was All-State), but you just never know because there are so many good players out there.” The 6-foot-3 guard averaged 24.5 points, 8.5 rebounds and 3.7 assists per game, stats he was unaware he was compiling during the season. Gee signed to play college basketball at Alabama State University before the season started, becoming Edgewood’s first Division I signee. First-year boys basketball coach Chris George said Gee deserved all the accolades he’s received. “Even though he came in highly acclaimed, he came in humbled and played team basketball,” George said. “He did what we asked him to do whether it was scoring, passing or playing Cory Diaz / The Herald

See GEE • Page B2 Edgewood Academy senior point guard Reggie Gee, shown here dunking during the season, was named AISA First-Team All-State by the Alabama Sports Writers Association Saturday night.

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Page B2 • MARCH 23, 2016

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Edgewood coughs up 2 games at Macon-East

continued from page 1

defense, he played a team game. What led to his success was everybody accepting him and he accepted everybody else. He came in, fulfilled his role and did it to the best of his ability.” Looking forward to the next chapter with the Hornets, Gee, the Class AA state tournament MVP, ended the prep career the way he wanted to, a state champion, but he’ll never forget the beginning. “I feel like I accomplished everything I wanted to, winning a state championship, winning as many games as we could. With all the accolades, too, I’m happy about it,” Gee said. “I remember my first day at Edgewood, coming into practice for the first time looking at my teammates thinking to myself that this is going to be a good year. That’s my most memorable moment.”

By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald

Errors and lack of offense plagued Edgewood Academy in the Macon-East Tournament this weekend as it dropped both games to Pike Liberal Arts, 8-2, Thursday and Lowndes Academy, 7-3, Saturday. The third-ranked Lady Wildcats (14-8) committed seven errors and managed just two hits in the opening loss to Pike Liberal, and after the tourney being rained out Friday, they couldn’t muster the big hit and gave up early runs to Lowndes. “We didn’t play to our potential,” EA softball coach Britt Wilkerson said Monday. “Hopefully, we realized we have to keep the ball in front of us, errors in those games cost us. We didn’t hit the ball as well as we should, didn’t get the hit when we had runners on base. “If we hit the ball the way we’re capable of doing and make plays behind the pitchers, then we can be the best team we want to be.” Senior centerfielder and leadoff batter Emilee Ellis accounted for all of Edgewood’s offense with two RBIs on two hits – all of her team’s hits for the game. In the circle, junior Morgan Brown took the loss despite Pike getting just four hits in six innings, while striking out three. Lowndes scored two runs in the first inning off seventh-grade pitcher Haylee Brown, and the ‘Cats couldn’t get the runs back with their struggling offense. Brown picked up the loss, pitching four innings before giving way for freshman Avery Roberts.

Brown, Hansen receive All-State nods Elmore County senior point guard Elissa Brown and Edgewood Academy junior forward Kevi Hansen received All-State recognition, the Alabama Sports Writers Association released Friday. Brown landed on the Class 4A girls Second-Team, while Hansen garnered Third-Team honors for the AISA, a first for the Lady Wildcats’ girls basketball program. For EA, Hansen averaged a double-double for the 2015-16 campaign, 12.6 points and 11.1 rebounds per contest. Brown helped lead the Lady Panthers to its second straight sub-region appearance, where they fell, 70-52, to Handley, on both ends of the court, scoring 25 points per game while averaging 5.7 steals.

Cory Diaz / The Herald

Edgewood Academy senior centerfielder and leadoff batter Emilee Ellis (5) rounds third base at the Autauga Academy earlier this season.

“We didn’t hit well all around. We had a couple of big hits here or there, but we wasn’t consistent,” Wilkerson said. “I tried to make a few changes lineup-wise to see if we could get it going, but we never did. We’ll get there. We’ll work to get it back.” EA plays Monday at Glenwood.

Pitching paces Holtville in DH split with Chilton County By CORY DIAZ The Wetumpka Herald

Holtville and Chilton County’s arms dueled during a doubleheader Saturday, with both pitching staffs coming through to take one game each at Smart-Collier Field. Behind senior lefthander Bradley Brown, the Bulldogs emerged to the top, 4-2, in game 1, and Noah McGhar outlasted the Dawgs in 12 innings in the nightcap, with the Tigers winning, 3-1. “Our guys went out there and executed,” Holtville head baseball coach Michael Dismukes said. “We pitched really well for 19 innings. We might have walked two people all day and had just two errors all day. We played a quality team very well. “I’m extremely proud of how our guys competed all day. We were on the verge of getting a sweep, but it didn’t happen. We didn’t make the plays late. Chilton County is a playoff caliber team in (Class 6A) and we played toe-to-toe with them; I thought we played a little better than them.” Brown pitched to the win in the opening contest, striking out six in five innings and only allowing two hits. Fellow senior Brandon Dunn earned the save, tossing the final two frames as the Tigers could only muster one hit. Senior designated hitter Hunter Roberts gave the Bulldogs enough offensive cushion in the early going, © 2016 Alabama Power Company

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driving two runs, while Dunn had an RBI to chase CCHS starter Griffin Beutler after two innings. In game 2, HHS junior Reece Burbage gave up one run in the top of the first, but held Chilton County scoreless the next five innings. Sophomore first baseman Chap Wilson answered for the Dawgs in the bottom of the first with an RBI hit, knotting things back up, 1-1. But that would be the only run Holtville generated off McGhar, as he pitched all 12 frames, holding them to just three hits while fanning nine. “He did a really good job of changing speeds and he threw his breaking ball for strikes all day long. And he commanded both sides of the plate, but we were impatient early in count,” Dismukes said of McGhar. Junior righthander Jake Brown threw four scoreless frames in relief of Burbage, before giving way to Dunn. After a scoreless top half of the 11th, Dunn started the 12th off by hitting a batter, as Chilton County loaded the bases with one away. A walk gave the Tigers the lead and an infield hit gave them an insurance run, as CCHS led, 3-1. “For 19 innings, we struck out four times all day. We hit some balls at them, and they made plays. But they kept us off balance with changing speeds,” Dismukes said. “Their (pitchers) did a great job on the mound also.” Holtville plays in the Wetumpka Spring Break Tournament this week, starting Thursday.

• Reggie Gee • Edgewood Academy • Garnered AISA FIrst-Team All-State honors for the 20152016 season, where he lead Edgewood in scoring (24.5 points per game), rebounding (8.5) and assists (3.7).

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MARCH 23, 2016 • Page B3

Red Hill School provides location for a unique spiritual event By RAYMOND E. HALL Red Hill Community Club

An event occurred on the regular Friday night music program at the Red Hill School building this past Friday night, the significance of which may have been realized by only a very few of the overflow crowd in attendance. Thanks to efforts by Fire Chief Charles Chambers, several members of the Creek Native American tribe from the Muskogee, Oklahoma area were our guests. Molly Tatum was kind enough to provide me with their names, which hopefully are spelled correctly, and are as follows: Wotko Long, John John Brown, Bear Williams, Little Bear Williams, Cecelia Chalakee, and Poagie Freeman. These folks, whose ancestors were very cruelly removed from the very area where our school building sits and relocated to the then Indian Territory in the mid 1800’s, were absolutely some of the nicest people you could imagine meeting anywhere. I very briefly spoke with Wotko, whose name means raccoon in the Creek language. He was thrilled to have an opportunity to perform his music on the same stage as had Hank Williams so many years ago. They all had been taking part in activities

at the Horseshoe Bend National Military Park, commemorating the battle with Andrew Jackson in March of 1813, when the waters of the Tallapoosa River ran red with the blood of their ancestors. A dugout canoe, constructed as it would have been at the time of the battle, was presented to the park officials. It was their first trip to Alabama. Yet, as Wotko mounted the stage that Hank Williams sang upon a generation ago, sang in his native Creek language, then played a flute constructed as his people have made them for generations, the irony hit me. The music of his people, which had rang through the forests of our area so many years ago was now once again being heard in the ancestral lands of his people. Another plus for me was that Poagie Freeman had a brief part in the scene with Ten Bears and Josie Wales in the movie “The Outlaw Josie Wales.” Wotko explained that his people are a very spiritual people. It was truly a spiritual moment for many of us lucky enough to experience the magic and significance of the moment last Friday night on the Red Hill School House stage. Thanks Wotko and to everyone with you and thanks Charlie for making the moment a reality.

Holtville honors students of the month Joe Bennett, Robin Ellison, Vicki Mullino, Sherry Thorne, Keith Nobles

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Submitted / The Herald

Honored as February students of the month at Holtville Elementary were third and fourth graders, front row: Kaylee Martin, Braxton Gaither, Isabella Savage, Turner Thornton, Avery Hull and Lily Hamer. Back row: Eiland Baker, Ragen Roberts, Kaydey Jackson, Mi’Chael Chunn, Jonathan Sanders ( Not Pictured: Carson Davis)

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Titus New Home Baptist Church to host ‘Road to Resurrection’

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

New Home Baptist Church will host “Road to Resurrection” on Sunday, March 20, from 3:30–6 p.m. This is a family event which takes participants down the road that Jesus walked beginning with Palm Sunday and ending with the Resurrection. Meet characters who take you inside the scriptures as you are part of the Triumphal Entry, participate in the Passover meal, visit the jail where Jesus was held, meet a Roman guard who was part of the crucifixion detail, and finally meet Cleopas who reveals who he encountered on the Joyous Road to the Resurrection. We will have on-site registration available the day of the event, but we are also accepting 10 spots for each tour time to be signed up for in advance. It is not necessary to have a reservation but you can reserve a spot for your entire family to travel together. You can enter your name in any

Submitted / The Herald

New Home Baptist Church will host “Road to Resurrection” on Sunday, March 20 from 3:30 -6 p.m.

of the available time slots on the sign-up sheet: https://docs.google. com/spreadsheets/d/1JBNq08JsRgVU4VEwOfld_OqdXF698_POiyshc7pyJI/edit?usp=sharing. We ask that you please try to arrive around 10 minutes prior to

the start of your selected tour time. And you can certainly come earlier than your tour time to enjoy the food and other fun that we have planned!

War Encampment tour open for April 16-17 STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park, the Alabama Historical Commission, and the Friends of the Forts are pleased to announce the annual French & Indian War Encampment taking place April 16-17, 2016, at Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park near Wetumpka. Admission is $4 for adults and $2 for children six to eighteen years of age. The event takes place 9 AM to 4 PM on Saturday and 9 AM to 3 PM on Sunday. This special event focuses attention on the main protagonists of the French & Indian War - France, Britain and their American Indian allies. Additionally, the event features daily life at a French frontier fort and Creek village in the year 1756. Soldiers will engage in mock battles each day and souvenirs replicating items of the time period will be available from merchants on site. Living history demonstrations of military, Indian, and civilian life will take place on Saturday and Sunday throughout the day. Re-enactors will be dressed and equipped as they appeared in North America during the middle of the eighteenth century. Boy Scouts of America Troop 50 will sell food and drink on Saturday; however, there will be no refreshments available for purchase on Sunday so please plan to bring a picnic lunch. Find Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park on Facebook or visit www.fttoulousejackson.org. For more information contact Ove Jensen at ove. jensenahc@gmail.com or 334-567-3002 Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park is operated by the Alabama Historical Commission and is located at 2521 West Fort Toulouse Road, 2 miles west of U.S. Highway 231. The Alabama Historical Commission protects, preserves, and interprets Alabama’s historic places and is the State Historic Preservation Office. WANT TO GO French & Indian War Encampment Saturday and Sunday, April 16 - 17 9 am – 4 pm Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson Park, Wetumpka, Alabama

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