May 19, 2016 Eclectic Observer

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Brown recaps illustrious career.

Community stands behind its schools.

Looking for something? Check this week’s classifieds.

Eclectic Observer Page 4

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The

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THURSDAY • MAY 19, 2016

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Vol. 27, No. 20

Town cleanup event set for Saturday By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

A clean up day for the town will be held Saturday as part of what Mayor Gary Davenport called the town’s annual spring-cleaning efforts, and in coordination with the county-sponsored, “FREE Shred Day” event (FREE Countywide

Shred Day Event). The recycling center is scheduled to be open from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m., and large dumpsters will be placed near the library, Davenport said, for residents to clean out their houses and yards in an effort to altogether, “Clean the town up, make it look nice,” Davenport said. He said several people would also be

working to pick up trash throughout the community as well. The recycling center would accept smaller electronic appliances like computers or microwaves, along with standard recyclable materials like cardboard, plastic and glass bottles, Davenport said. But as for larger items, such as refrigerators or stoves, he said residents could

Barking dogs lead man to $5,000 reward in burglaries

place them in the dumpsters, which would later be removed by the trash disposal, collection and recycling company, Advanced Disposal. The town itself recycles cardboard, scrap metal and aluminum and generates revenue from the operation, but the electronics, plastics and glass are taken See CLEANUP • Page 3

Elmore County board recognizes teachers of the year

Suspects in string of Lake Martin burglaries apprehended

Broom, Montgomery named elementary & secondary teacher of the year for district

By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer

By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor

Johnny Peterson should feed his dogs well tonight. It was the barking of those dogs that woke Peterson at his Wicker Point Road home one night in October 2014. He checked for what was rousing the dogs’ interest and spotted a vehicle parked approximately 50 yards up the hill at the end of his driveway. Peterson armed himself with a .22 and drove up the hill in his truck to confront the stranger. “I asked him what he was doing and he said he had family members that lived on the road and was waiting on somebody to See REWARD • Page 3

Today’s

Weather

William Carroll / The Observer

Jennifer Meadows shows Jackson Dean the proper and safe way to use shop tools. This is Meadows’ final year at ECHS after a ten year stay.

Growing apart ECHS says goodbye to first female FFA advisor

By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer

While Jennifer Meadows has been teaching for over 25 years, this year marked her tenth year at Elmore County High School. This year also marks her final year teaching at the high school. The well-known and admired teacher is

leaving her position so that she can spend more time with her family, especially her mother. Meadows landed in Eclectic after moving from the Orlando, Florida area. Her family lived in Louisiana and her husband’s family was from Orlando and Eclectic, Alabama was about the half-waypoint See FAREWELL • Page 3

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

High

A nonprofit river conservation group has begun its weekly water quality testing of the Coosa River, a free service it performs yearly for the swimmers, boaters and fishermen of the Coosa and any of its lakes. So far the Coosa Riverkeeper has released the results from two data sets worth of water quality tests, both showing the water at its Wetumpka testing locations to be safe for swimming and general recreational use. Frank Chitwood, a staff “riverkeeper,” with the organization, said because the program is mostly focused on recreational swim safety they mainly look at bacteria, specifically E. Coli, and how much of it is in the water. He said high levels of E. Coli could indicate the presence of possible human sewage or waste in the area. However, Chitwood said there are a variety of sources from which the bacteria could find its way into the waterways. See RIVER • Page 2

FRIDAY: HIGH 78 LOW 64

William Carroll / The Observer

Jay Collier of Collier Ford (left) and Wes Bonner of Riverside Chevrolet (right) provide brand new loaner cars to Holtville Elementary School teacher Jeannie Broom (center left) and Millbrook Middle School teacher Veronica Montgomery (center right).

‘Riverkeepers’ begin weekly testing of Coosa

84 65 Low

Last Friday, 19 area teachers were recognized by their respective schools as teachers of the year. Two teachers, Holtville Elementary School teacher Jeannie Broom and Millbrook Middle School teacher Veronica Montgomery were awarded elementary and secondary teacher of the year awards for the entire district. As a special prize the two ladies were presented with cars for the weekend. Brown received the honor of driving a new See TEACHER • Page 2

Wetumpka crew wins Lake Martin cook-off By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer

Corey Arwood / The Observer

A college intern collects water samples for Coosa Riverkeeper, which later publishes the test results free online every week after they have been analyzed for various factors present in the water, primarily bacteria like E. coli.

Wetumpka’s Johnson Crew took best overall in the 2016 Alabama Wildlife Federation Lake Martin Wild Game Cook-Off held Saturday at the Lake Martin Amphitheatre in Eclectic. The Johnson Crew, which included husband and wife Don and Sharon Johnson and their children Dillon and Amber, won with a fish dish called Lake Martin Surprise. The dish also won the Johnson Crew first place in the fish division of the cook-off competition. Alexander City’s Smokin’ & See COOKOFF • Page 2

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