Elmore County trio lands spots in All-Star showcase. Sports, Page 8.
Wetumpka, AL 36092
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SATURDAY-SUNDAY • MAY 21 -22, 2016
THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 11, NO. 20
‘Vehicle of interest’ identified in mill fire
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
A sport utility vehicle fitting the description of a dark colored Chevy Tahoe or GMC Yukon has been identified as a vehicle of interest by the agencies working on Tallassee’s Mount Vernon Mill fire. And a state fire official said the main point of interest is the vehicle’s lighter
colored hood. The contrasting hood color was said to be the important detail about the SUV, captured from surveillance footage taken near the area of the Mill on May 4, the night of the fire. A public information officer with the State Fire Marshal’s Office, Steve Holmes, said investigators think the lighter color, described as a primer grey
or white, indicates the hood has not been painted yet. The vehicle is thought to be a middle-sized GM product, Holmes said. Tallassee Police Chief Jimmy Rodgers said the images emerged from surveillance video taken around the time the first 911 calls were received and the fire reported. Rodgers said they knew there were at
least two people in the vehicle. The “vehicle of interest” status was a matter of the time and place, and the images in the press release are from police department footage, he said. However, Rodgers said, there is no evidence, such as a plate number, to indicate where the SUV or its driver and See MILL • Page 2
Statewide school spending cuts will hit Elmore County
Elderly Millbrook woman shot twice, husband found dead
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Millbrook police said an elderly white woman was shot twice Thursday and the woman’s husband, the suspected shooter, was found dead at the residence from what appeared to be a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Chief P.K Johnson said they responded to the house that morning and found the woman with gunshot wounds to her torso. The woman was taken to a Montgomery hospital where Johnson said she was in stable condition. He said there are both ongoing death and attempted murder investigations, while some media reports are labeling the incident a “murder-suicide.” After being shot, the woman, believed to be in her late 70s, was said to have made her way to a neighbor, who then called for help around 7:16 a.m. Johnson said there was “no doubt” the husband shot the wife. She was described as lucid, and was said to be able to communicate with police when they arrived. The neighbor confirmed the woman’s accounts, Johnson said. He said the shots came from a handgun, and the incident took place somewhere in the 200 block
Cliff Willams / The Outlook
Max Vaughn with Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, Inc. speaks at the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon Thursday about the Wetumpka Streetscape project. Vaughn said he anticipates the project to begin later this summer or early fall.
DOWNTOWN DO-OVER
Moving forward the theme of Chamber luncheon By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
The message was loud and clear at the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce’s luncheon Thursday. Wetumpka is moving forward in renovating its downtown district. Speakers Max Vaughn of Goodwyn, Mills & Cawood, Inc. and Dennis Fain of the Wetumpka Downtown Association gave the assembled guests a vision of the future of Wetumpka. According to Vaughn, that future will include vastly improved roads and walkways downtown. The Wetumpka Streetscape project is phase two of an anticipated three-phase project to improve downtown Wetumpka. The first
See SHOOTING • Page 3
phase, which involved a Community Development Block Grant, was the downtown water, sewer and drainage project started in 2015. According to Vaughn, the project’s goal was to rehab the area underneath downtown in anticipation of this new project. Vaughn said that while the project finished a little later than expected it did finish under its $800,000 budget. Vaughn said the streetscape project would help to revitalize the city. “This is a very exciting project that is going to make a big improvement on downtown,” he said. Vaughn said the project serves a number of functions. See CHAMBER • Page 3
Cuts to state education programs hit Elmore County with a loss of more than $50,000 for a reading initiative program in elementary schools, however Superintendent Andre Harrison said it could have been much worse had local school boards not intervened. Almost all of the over $300,000 worth of funding the county receives for the Alabama Reading Initiative was at stake for a majority of its elementary schools, Andre Harrison, said. A Public Information Manager with Alabama State Department of Education, ALSDE, Malissa ValdesHubert, said they were funded $7 million less by the Legislature this year for the ARI program. She said they had to make the decision where the cuts would fall. It was decided to decrease the amount for the districts based on need and factors like whether local funds were present, or how low the district’s reading proficiency level was. Harrison said he received a call on May 9, from the state interim superintendent, Phillip Cleveland, who said Elmore County was going to lose some degree of funding for the program because the schools were scored overall above the state benchmark. See SCHOOLS • Page 2
Lifesaving bloodhound breeding facility coming to Wetumpka By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
Submitted / The Herald
Just one over over 200 dogs who have come from the 832 K9’s Deputy Dogs program. These dogs are being used all around the country to assist law enforcement in solving a variety of different crimes.
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Area resident Donna Wilson is bringing a successful breeding operation to Wetumpka, which has saved numerous lives over the last 15 years. The Kody Snodgrass Memorial Foundation, Inc., 832 K-9’s Deputy Dogs, is relocating its breeding facility from Inverness, Florida to the Wetumpka area in the next few months. 832 K9s is based in Homosassa, Florida and is the brainchild of Duke Snodgrass and Angela Snodgrass, who created the organization to remember their son Deputy Kody H. Snodgrass of the Lake County (Florida) Sheriff’s Office. Snodgrass’ badge number 0832, is part of the organization’s title. Duke Snodgrass said the organization was actually an idea his late son had after rescuing a suicidal 13 year old boy.
“The boy had been gone five or 6 hours when they called Kody,” Snodgrass said. “Kody had an old bloodhound that he had been assigned as part of the unit.” Snodgrass said that initially no one in the K-9 unit wanted the old dog. “Kody loved dogs,” he said. “They had no one who wanted to run that dog, we worked on that old dog and got him ready. The work of the bloodhound in tracking the child saved the boy’s life. “The night he found the boy he called me and said ‘Dad you got to help, we have to do something for these kids, we have to bring them home,” Snodgrass said. He said that he began discussing the idea with his son, suggesting that Kody run the program as Snodgrass said he was too old for such an endeavor. “I didn’t want to be working, little See BLOODHOUND • Page 8
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Page 2 • MAY 21-22, 2016
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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
TEACHERS OF THE YEAR 2016-17 Jessica Kelley Eclectic Elementary School Anna Garner Eclectic Middle School Joe Creamer Eclectic Middle School Jennifer Meadows Elmore County High School Jeannie Brown Holtville Elementary School Kelli Jo Wilson Holtville Middle School Stacy Chancellor Holtville Middle School Theresa Long Holtville High School Turkessia McGaskill Coosada Elementary School Alicia Whitlock Airport Road Middle School Kim Chapman Millbrook Middle School Veronica Montgomery Millbrook Middle School Melinda Brumbeloe Stanhope Elmore High School Kimberly Deem Wetumpka Elementary School Kimberly Olsen Wetumpka Middle School Diana Frazier Wetumpka Middle School Brenda Brown Wetumpka High School Nacole Baxley Redland Elementary School Jason Harris Elmore County Technical Center
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). Broom was selected as Elmore County Elementary Teacher of the Year and Montgomery was chosen as Elmore County Secondary Teacher of the Year. William Carroll / The Herald
Elmore County recognizes teachers of the year By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
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 Ford Mustang from Collier Ford and Montgomery took home a Chevrolet Camaro from Riverside Chevrolet. Dozens of community leaders, including business leaders, were present for the ceremony.
The selection process was conducted by an outside committee, which scored teachers based upon a rubric approved by the Alabama State Department of Education. Teachers were treated to a dinner catered by Bradshaw’s BBQ and provided by USAmeriBank, as well as the song “Wind Beneath my Wings” performed by Daphne
Obituaries Susan Owen
OWEN, Mrs. Susan Jane Welden, a resident of Titus, AL; passed away Thursday, May 19, 2016 at the age of 92. Funeral services will be held Sunday, May 22, 2016 at 3:00 p.m. at Harmony United Methodist Church with Dr. John Brannon officiating. Burial will follow at the church cemetery with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. Mrs. Owen is preceded in death by her parents, Archie and Myrtle Farmer Welden and brother, Ferrell Welden. She is survived by her husband of 72 years, G.D. Owen, son, Welden (Vickie) Owen, granddaughter, Michelle (Jim) Wood, great-grandchildren, Judson and Hayden Wood.
Special thanks to her caregivers Amanda Hurt, Vickie White, Angie Motes, Rita Jolly, and Lake Martin Hospice. Pallbearers will be Wayne Brown, Doug Terrell, Murray Terrell, Edward McCullers, Clay Harrison, and Tyler Ballard. Honorary pallbearers will be Lendon McWaters, Bill Shaw, and Joel Bush. Flowers will be accepted or memorial donations may be made to Harmony United Methodist Cemetery, 8000 Titus Road, Titus, Alabama 36080. Visitation will be held Sunday, May 22, 2016 from 1:30 p.m. until service time at Harmony United Methodist Church. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome.net
McClendon. Several of the teachers who were recognized thanked their own teachers growing up, noting that special teachers gave them the desire to become teachers themselves. Others focused on the students. “We have to remember this is all for the children,” said Wetumpka High School teacher Brenda Brown. “Even at the high
school they are still babies and they need love.” “It is an honor to work with students everyday,” said Wetumpka Middle School teacher Kimberly Olsen. Broom said she got into teaching due to her own fifth grade teacher. “I am just in awe,” she said. “It is an honor to be thought of in this way and be honored for our pro-
Mill passenger were from. The age, race or sex of the driver or passenger could not be learned from either the TPD or Fire Marshals. Investigators have still not been able to step foot in the remains of the mill, Rodgers said, due to how unstable the remaining structure is. “We’ve had walls
continued from page 1
collapse since the fire, it’s very unstable,” said Rodgers. This has forced the three agencies engaged in the joint investigation, Tallassee Police Department, State Fire Marshals, and ATF, into pursuing alternate means of retrieving evidence, heavily reliant on contributions from the public. Rodgers called it a “different route,” and said it was not necessarily a bad thing. “I think it’s very help-
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fession. At the end of the day though it is all about the kids. They need our love and support. I am truly humbled, but I would do it without all the fanfare.” Montgomery said her award was a “big-shocker” noting, “It is just an honor to see all the nice gifts and everything here. It does give us that extra spark to work even harder.”
According to an ALSDE release, the benchmark is determined by assessments taken from ACT scores of third grade students, the grade in which they are first tested in the ACT Aspire testing system. Harrison said it felt like they were being penalized for being successful. He said he went along with a group of superintendents to a state board meeting and work session to voice concerns and develop a plan. Valdes-Hubert said the ALSDE referred back to the superintendents for their input. “And there was a lot of
ful, the more information from the public, the more you can evaluate and come to a conclusion on what occurred,” Rodgers said. Holmes clarified the State Fire Marshals were not indicating “suspect” status of anyone associated with vehicle through the press release, and the surveillance footage images. He said they only wanted to talk with them.
continued from page 1
discussion, to say the least, about the fact that it was a real hardship for them of course to lose that money and to keep up the progress that they were making etc.,” said Valdes-Hubert. In the initial structure set out for funding by the ALSDE, schools would be divided into a two-tiered system with those scoring higher than the third grade based 35.11 proficiency rate falling into Tier 1, and those under that percentage to be in Tier 2. The Tier 2 schools would receive more funding, at $76,000, for ARI reading coaches, while Tier 1 would receive about $18,296 for the same purpose. Elmore County schools are Tier 1, meaning they scored above the state average and would have received the reduced funding. Harrison said they were able to secure funding for K3 schools at the amount they received last year, however, no K2 school, meaning kindergarten through second grade, like Coosada Elementary would receive ARI funding, he said. The ARI focus, Harrison said, was primarily on K3 schools. Hubert-Valdes said the additional allocation would be given to Elmore County schools for fiscal year 17 beginning Oct. 1, which can then use it for full-time ARI reading coaches and specialists in order to improve the reading proficiency in their system, but there were no guarantees on future funding amounts. “Unfortunately that was the compromise we had to make in order to allow more money at the local level with the 7 million cut,” Valdes-Hubert said.
ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
MAY 21-22, 2016 • Page 3
Elmore County Reading Council hosts youth writing contest By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
William Carroll / The Herald
Eclectic Middle School student Gracie Powell was on hand Sunday at the Elmore County Museum to read her winning essay as part of the Elmore County Reading Council’s Young Author’s Writing Contest. Powell took home second place in the intermediate/middle school category.
Give area students a chance to talk about what they love about Elmore County and they are bound to surprise you. This is definitely true of this year’s winners of the Elmore County Reading Council’s Young Author’s Writing Contest. The contest, hosted by the ECRC and the Elmore County Historical Society and Museum, involved some 85 student entries in three separate contest categories. Each category had a special Elmore County based theme for the entries. In the elementary category, grades K-3, the topic was “My favorite place in Elmore County or What I like best about Elmore County.” In the intermediate/middle school category, grades 4-8, the topic was a famous person of Elmore County. In the high school category, grades 9-12, the topic was “How I can make the future of Elmore County.” The historical society selected two winners in each division. Elementary winners: first place:
Ethan Evans of Redland Elementary School, second place: Libby Claire Powell of Eclectic Elementary School. Middle school winners: first place: Jake Atchison of Millbrook Middle School, second place: Gracie Powell of Eclectic Middle School. High school winners: first place: Alex Stephens of Stanhope Elmore High School, second place: Anna Nivens of Holtville High School. Winners were invited to attend a ceremony at the Elmore County Museum Sunday to read their pieces. Three of the students, Libby Clair Powell, Gracie Powell and Ethan Evans read their pieces to the assembled guests. As part of their participation in the contest, students and their families were also awarded with a one-year membership in the Elmore County Historical Society.
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Chamber “The goal is improving the traffic flow within the downtown area,” he said. “It will also increase pedestrian safety and beautify the downtown area.” Specifically, Vaughn said that portions of Company, Orline, Hill, Court, Bridge and Main Streets will be resurfaced. The project will include new landscaping in the downtown historic area including new sidewalks and decorative lighting. The chamber building will have a pedestrian area out front including brick pavers and additional landscaping. One of the major changes to the area will be at the intersection of Orline, Company and Spring streets. Vaughn said the plan is to create a roundabout at the intersection, with trees and additional landscaping at its center. He said it would be a yield condition intersection that would initially take drivers some getting used to, but that the change would enhance traffic flow through the area. Vaughn said the current project is funded by two grants, one provided by the Transportation
Shooting of Millbrook’s Fraley Lane. Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said ECSO special operations assisted that of the MPD, and U.S. Marshals. A robot was deployed into the home after special agents learned the husband was still inside from medical responders spoke to the woman while they cared for her wounds. Franklin gave details as to how the woman managed to survive two .38 caliber rounds to her upper torso, and then flee for help. He said she “torqued” her body sideways, and the bullets passed through her sides as opposed to her having been facing the shooter. A witness’s account went that after roughly 5 minutes had passed from the initial shooting, a single gunshot was heard, Franklin said. It was believed to be the man shooting himself. Franklin said the man was approximately 80, and possibly suffering from some debilitating health issues. However, he said it was not apparent if the shooting was related to the possible health issue.
Brandt Wright Realty, Inc. continued from page 1
Alternatives Program and the other provided by the Montgomery Metropolitan Planning Organization. Vaughn said the project has received over $1 million in grant funding. Vaughn anticipated that the project would start in late summer or early fall after the Alabama Department of Transportation completes its review of the project. During the project Vaughn said there would be some street closures but that pedestrian access to businesses would be maintained at all times. Vaughn also stated that preliminary planning has started the next phase of the project which will involve work on south Main Street. Wetumpka Mayor Jerry Willis stated during the meeting that approval had been obtained from MPO for financing the third portion of the project. According to information provided by MPO, the project will consist of resurfacing to include streetscape improvements, medians and access management study on South Main Street from E Bridge Street to US Hwy 231. This project is for
preliminary engineering and construction. The combined cost is $1,010,000 dollars with $808,000 dollars in federal funds and $202,000 local matching funds. Vaughn said the project would be slightly different from the downtown project including divided medians with landscaping within the medians. Dennis Fain also provided an update on the Wetumpka Downtown project. Wetumpka Downtown is a group of area leaders and business owners seeking to bring a designated Main Street program to the city. At the same time Fain was making his presentation, other representatives of Wetumpka Downtown were in Birmingham before the Alabama Main Street Association presenting their argument to be admitted as the state’s newest Main Street program. Fain said the group was seeking to be nominated as one of three cities this year to receive the designation and that the group would discover on June 2, whether their efforts are successful. Fain said he would like to see the downtown area
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return to the way it was in the 1950s and 60s. He stated that the group’s goal is to improve civic pride in the downtown area and that the area is important to helping retain jobs and create a strong tax base for the community. Fain said funding for the Main Street group would consist of 30 percent from the public sector, 30 percent from downtown businesses, 30 percent from others interested in the downtown area and ten percent from fundraising efforts.
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Steve Baker, Publisher William Carroll, Managing Editor Opinions expressed in guest columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect the viewpoint of the management of The Wetumpka Herald
Page 4 • MAY 21-22, 2016
OPINION
“Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it.” --Thomas Jefferson
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
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.
An explanation of the role of newspapers
Your
Opinion
20-year-old advice for E the class of 2016
“W
ear sunscreen.” With that simple advice, Chicago Tribune columnist Mary Schmich began her column of advice to the Class of 1997. She went on to dispense more suggestions that are sure to serve the Class of 2016 just as well as they did the Class of 1997. Here is some of what Schmich wrote. “Enjoy the power and beauty of your youth,” Schmich suggested. “Never mind. You will not understand the power and beauty of your youth until they have faded. But trust me, in 20 years you’ll look back at photos of yourself and recall in a way you can’t grasp now how much possibility lay before you and how fabulous you really looked… “Sing. “Don’t be reckless with other people’s hearts, don’t put up with people who are reckless with yours. “Floss ... “Keep your old love letters, throw away your old bank statements. “Stretch. “Don’t feel guilty if you don’t know what you want to do with your life. The most interesting people I know didn’t know at 22 what they wanted to do with their lives, some of the most interesting 40 year olds I know still don’t. … “Travel. “Accept certain inalienable truths, prices will rise, politicians will philander, you too will get old, and when you do you’ll fantasize that when you were young prices were reasonable, politicians were noble and children respected their elders. “Respect your elders.” It’s all good advice. Timeless, too. Which is good, because the world is different even than it was in 1997. It’s been less than 20 years and we’ve seen so much that we couldn’t imagine in those heady days of the 1990s. So maybe that’s more advice for you: Don’t be complacent. Prepare for a changing world. It has changed in your lifetime and that change will continue. Practice your skills of adaptation and you will be ahead of the curve. But, for now, enjoy this major milestone in your life. Graduation marks both an end and a beginning, which is why a graduation ceremony is also called a commencement ceremony. Not least of all, graduation is a time for celebration. So spend some time in the sun over the next few days. And, by all means, wear sunscreen.
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 Steve Baker, publisher steve.baker@thewetumpkaherald.com William Carroll, managing editor william.carroll@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
very once and awhile I feel like I need to write an editorial telling people what a paper is and what a paper is not. Sometimes this is due to circumstances, other times it is due to the fact that being new in a community I always like to let people know where I stand on a variety of issues. As I am still fairly new to Elmore County, the latter reason brings me before you this weekend to stand on my soap box a bit. The role of a community newspaper is to serve the community. This service can take on a number of forms. As an initial matter it is important that a community newspaper reflect the community. This means that the stories should be about what people in the community care about. The general rule of thumb is that if you ask ten people what they want to see in the newspaper you will get ten different answers. This is because we all seek different information. Some want the latest on any and all crimes and accidents happening in the community. Others want the dirt on what their elected officials are up to. Still others care nothing about such things and would prefer to see lighter, happier stories. Some like simple stories while others like their stories to be complex
I
WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
and filled with details and facts. Therefore, my goal is to try to give everyone a little bit of what they want, attempting to balance hard news with lighter fair and keeping the stories varied between simple and complex. Our hope is of course that our readers will enjoy this balance. While you might not like each and every story, we hope you’ll find something in these pages you can enjoy. In talking about what I think a paper is, I think it is also important to talk about what it is not. A newspaper is not meant to be a newsletter. My hope is that if you have a story you think would be of interest you’ll let us know so that our reporters can write it from our own angle. This is not meant to dissuade people from providing press releases on events, but we are going to try to cover as much as possible, no matter what day of the week it may be on. Another thing a paper is not is a mouthpiece for any specific entity.
While we always seek to work with all community entities, leaders and businesses, the reliability of a newspaper is in its independence and autonomy. When the news media becomes the tool of those in power (think your national news media) then the public loses an important tool in obtaining unbiased information. For elected officials that means that if whatever is said in a public meeting is to refrain from putting something in the paper that you said in a public meeting, odds are we will do the exact opposite. If it is a private meeting, that is a different story, but things said in public meetings are public and if you don’t want the public knowing about it, don’t say anything. Generally though our role is ultimately one of fairness. Anyone who knows me knows that when it comes to stories I am all about being fair to everyone involved, even if I personally completely disagree with what they have to say. It is important to a free press and to free speech that we keep our minds and pages open to dissenting viewpoints. William Carroll is the managing editor of the Wetumpka Herald.
Can Donald Trump be trusted?
’m going to be as clear as I know how to be: I cannot fathom anyone casting their vote for Donald J. Trump for president of the United States. I don’t mean to be hurtful or elitist. I only mean to be honest. I’ve yet to hear or read any rationale from a Trump supporter that moves me beyond the idea of Trump as the childish, boastful, egomaniacal and misogynistic candidate he has shown himself to be in the primary campaign. That shouldn’t be taken to mean that I think Trump supporters share any or all of these characteristics. I’m convinced that some just see the whole Trump package as “real,” “anti-establishment,” or “exactly what the country needs right now.” I believe good people feel that way. I simply happen to think all evidence points to the contrary. To cite all evidence against Trump’s fitness for the nation’s highest office would take more space than I have available today. But let’s start with Trump’s comments about women. Perhaps those comments are no better illustrated or sampled than in a campaign spot titled “Quotes,” put out by a Republican group called Our Principles PAC. In it, Trump is quoted as using words like “bimbo,” “fat pig” and “dog” to describe women, said “a person who is very flat-chested is very hard to be a 10,” referred to Rosie O’Donnell’s “fat, ugly face,” said of Princess Diana “she was crazy, but those are minor details” and, of course, his unforgettably vulgar line about Megyn Kelly -- “There was blood coming out of her ... wherever.” All of these quotes are 100 percent accurate. How could any woman bring herself to
DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
vote for a man who has unleashed such a misogynistic maelstrom? Furthermore, how could any man who loves a woman -- be the woman his mother, sister, daughter, wife or friend -- vote for a man who said these things, either? Trump doesn’t deny he’s said these things. However, in these cases, how can he? All are on the record. There is no plausible deniability. But, when it comes to his alter egos John Miller and John Barron, Trump has unleashed a barrage of denials. Meanwhile, reporters who were actively covering the New York social scene in the time period when Miller and Barron “existed” seem to find Trump’s denials that he used the pseudonyms to shill for himself and trumpet his love life laughable. I’ve heard the recordings. Trump’s voice has obviously changed over time. But the use by Miller and Barron of the same or similar words and phrases that Trump still uses today make it clear to me that the voice on the other end of the phone is The Donald. Furthermore, Trump admitted under oath in a 1990 lawsuit regarding the use of undocumented migrant workers during his construction of New York City’s Trump Tower that he had used the pseudonym John Barron. It’s not a huge deal that Trump shilled himself and his love life, but the current denials after hav-
ing admitted it under oath beg the question: Can Trump be trusted? And where are the tax returns we were promised? Trump claims he can’t make them public because they are tied up in an audit. Well, he has done exactly that in the past. The businessman handed over tax returns to state gambling officials in Pennsylvania and New Jersey in the midst of audits as part of the process of seeking casino licenses in those states. Maybe Trump doesn’t want to be president as badly as he wanted those gambling licenses? What we have in Donald Trump is a man who thinks his lot in life – his being a billionaire – entitles him to say or do whatever he wants whenever he wants. In a way, you might say that Trump suffers from “affluenza.” Furthermore, we have a man who has shown himself to be sophomoric and vulgar on the campaign stump and who has no experience whatsoever in governing. Yes, he’s been a businessman, but over the course of his career in business he has declared bankruptcy no less than four times. Was it the best thing for his business to declare bankruptcy? Probably so. But declaring bankruptcy is never a good thing. To be clear, I will vote for Hillary Clinton in November, but I’m not champing at the bit to cast that vote, either. She is far from a perfect candidate. She has warts. Still, I find her far more qualified – and less scary – than Donald Trump. Warts and all. David Granger is a staff writer for The Herald. If you agree or disagree with him, let him know at david.granger@alexcityoutlook. com.
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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
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MAY 21-22, 2016 • Page 7
PAGE 8 • MAY 21-22, 2016
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ELMORE COUNTY WEEKEND
ELMORE COUNTY ALL-STARS
Cory Diaz / The Herald
Left, Wetumpka High School cornerback Ty Humphrey. Middle, Stanhope Elmore star running back B.J. Smith. Right, Elmore County High School’s running back/ defensive back Kell Floyd.
Area standouts named to North-South All-Star showcase By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor
A trio of local players made the cut for the annual Alabama High School Athletic Association’s (AHSAA) NorthSouth All-Star Football Game this summer. Elmore County High running back/ defensive back Kell Floyd, Wetumpka cornerback Ty Humphrey and Stanhope Elmore star running back B.J. Smith were named to the 37-player South roster for 57th playing of the contest,
announced Monday by the Alabama High School Athletic Directors and Coaches Association (AHSADCA), on Friday, July 21 at Cramton Bowl in Montgomery. Kickoff is slated for 7 p.m. Floyd starred on both sides of the ball for the Panthers his senior season, garnering First-Team All-Area honors at running back. The 5-foot-10, 160-pound athlete amassed 1,636 yards on offense and scored 18 total touchdowns. At the free safety position on defense, Floyd paced the Panthers with 61 tackles and
had one interception, two fumble recoveries, one of which he returned for a touchdown. Voted by his teammates as a team captain, Humphrey guided a young Indian secondary – the unit’s lone upperclassmen – in 2015 before suffering a season-ending knee injury midway through the year. For Stanhope this year, Smith (5-foot9, 180) collected his third consecutive 1,000-yard rushing season, finishing with 1,012 yards on 123 carries and
10 touchdowns as he secured his third straight First-Team All-Area nod. The Troy University signee added 21 catches for 235 yards and two scores. The North-South All-Star Game will be the last all-star game of this year’s AHSAA Summer Conference, which is also hosts contests in baseball, softball, boys’ and girls’ soccer, boys’ and girls’ basketball and volleyball. The South holds a 30-24-2 edge in the series, and the North won 14-13 last year.
Bulldogs blast Bullock County in jamboree By CORY DIAZ Sports Editor
Holtville closed spring camp on a high note, with a 27-6 spring jamboree win at Bullock County Friday. The Bulldogs racked up four touchdowns and 389 yards on the ground with their triple flexbone option attack led by rising senior quarterback Reece Burbage’s two scores, and the defense forced five turnovers and limited the Hornets to 172 yards of total offense. “That’s exactly what we want,” HHS head football coach Hunter Adams said. “We left two touchdowns on the table. The biggest asset was having all 11 starters on offense back. We played really well up front, with (rising senior) Nathan Smith grading out the best at the center position.” Holtville flipped the field and momentum much of the night, converting all five of defensive forced turnovers into offensive scores. Rising senior strong
side defensive end Jake Nowak highlighted the stingy Dawgs defense, forcing two fumbles and recovering another. Rising junior linebacker Alex Boling picked off a Bullock County pass and fellow linebacker Evan Headley led the way with 11 tackles. “One thing they do is they put athletes with good speed on the field, and I thought that was relevant to what we see in our region and felt like it was a good matchup for us to see on the perimeter,” Adams said. “For the most part, we did a good job of containing the ball and had big plays.” Burbage capped the Bulldogs’ first offensive series with a touchdown run and added another in the third quarter. Rising junior slot back Todd Buck scored on a run from 20 yards out in the third and rising sophomore quarterback Drew Nobles punched in his team’s final touchdown in the fourth quarter from short yardage. Colton Autrey went 3-for-3 on PATs. “Reece Burbage, we moved him around a lot. One
Bloodhound did I know that 15 years later I’d still be doing this,” Snodgrass said. He said that two weeks after he talked about helping his son start the group Kody passed away. “I was in the tank emotionally for a while after that,” Snodgrass said. “While I was going through that my wife was busy putting the organization together. At some point, her and my sister came to me and said ‘Let’s get you off your ass and make something happen.” It was at this point that 832 K-9s was born. “That is how it all got started, we had a pup here and a pup there and after the first litter we had was gone we got calls for more,” he said. Snodgrass said the organization’s work just snowballed from there. “We started working with the FBI in 2005,” he said. “We have been training together forever it seems.” The bloodhounds of 832 are not just any old bloodhounds. These dogs are specifically bred and trained to be working dogs, working with law enforcement officers nationwide to help solve a variety of crimes. “We have about 200 trained dogs all around the country,” Snodgrass said, noting that there are 832 Deputy Dogs from coast to coast. “We have five in New York City, we have dogs in Chicago, Seattle and a number of other larger cities.” Snodgrass also trains officers in the proper use of the animals for police work. “We have one of the best training programs in the world,” he said. “We have had countries from all over the world train with us. You name a country and we have probably trained them.”
of his scores came from a different position,” Adams said. “Reece can allow you to do different things schematically and Drew’s progressed physically and in the offense. “I think (playing both of them at quarterback) could be born out of necessity. We’ve got to get the best players on the field, give them opportunities and force the defense to defend a variety of things. A multiple quarterback look does that to a degree.” Adams hopes the solid end to spring drills propels his team to an energetic offseason. “I think we came out on a positive note. A lot to build off of, but also very little to be satisfied with. You can look at every phase of the game and we can improve – to some degrees exponentially. Seeing positive results at the end of spring hopefully will propel and be a catalyst for an energetic and productive summer session.” HHS opens summer workouts June 14.
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Snodgrass said his respect in the community has come through years of training dogs and working closely with updated techniques gleaned from the FBI. “I use old school training along with new techniques,” he said. “Our work with the FBI has us involved in a number of big cases.” Snodgrass said that if there has been a big case nationwide over the last several years, 832 has been involved. Snodgrass, now 72, said that he and Wilson had talked for some time about the breeding program. “They (Donna and her husband Bill) have been with us for a while,” he said. “They are great people. They take what they do very seriously.” Snodgrass said that Wilson stayed with him at his facility in Florida for a little while working at the breeding facility. “We don’t just breed bloodhounds,” he said. “We have some of the best lines in the world. When we started, I knew where there was some good trailing stock and we have effectively created our own line. Donna was in on that process. Who better to take over the breeding than someone who has been with us so long.” Wilson said her love of the breed began early on. “I grew up with German shepherds and wanted to work with them as a child,” she said. “At one point my husband brought home a bloodhound and I started researching online, how they were used, breeding, etc.” Wilson said she started emailing breeders and trainers online and that Duke was actually the first one who contacted her who was actually nice. “They (832) used to do a yearly seminar, it was like
three days of Law and Order,” she said. It was during one of these seminars that Donna became hooked. “I came back and told my husband we have to be a part of this, this is amazing,” she said. “We got an eight month old that needed fostering and then my husband brought home another one that ended up being his partner at the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office.” From that early start, Donna continued with the program. “She stays excited about this,” Snodgrass said. “You have to love what you are doing to be good at something.” Snodgrass said that the plan is to move the breeding operation from Inverness, Florida to Wetumpka within the next four months. He added that pups should be on the ground within four months. The organization is also looking for a few good volunteers in the area. “Our needs include foster parents for the puppies, permanent family homes for the breeding females and males, and able-bodied persons who like to build playyards for puppies or act as a vacation foster parent,” Wilson said. “Over the past 15 years, there has never been a time when we’ve run out of projects.” Those who might be interested in the group can learn more information during Deputy Dogs’ informational meeting. The meeting will be May 28 at 10:30 a.m. at El Rancho Grande. Anyone interested is invited to attend. Duke and Angie Snodgrass, along with Donnie and Demerise Teague, long time fosters and volunteers, will be there to share stories of their experience with 832 K-9.