Highway 231 North and Redland Road in Wetumpka. Kegley had her twoyear-old daughter with her. The following morning at 9 a.m., her 1993 Geo Storm was found abandoned on Old Georgia Road (Elmore County Road 170) across Tallassee FFA sending
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Geo Storm belonging to Traci Kegley was
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Police Reports
TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT
MAY 4
• Suspicious activity was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given during a medical call on Notasulga Road.
• Reckless driving was reported on Highway 229.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
MAY 3
• Gun shots were reported on Main Street.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Jordan Avenue.
• A noise complaint was reported on Herd Street.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Notasulga Road.
• A runaway juvenile was reported on Barnett Boulevard.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Barnett Boulevard.
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Rickey Lane.
• An animal complaint was reported on Sixth Street.
• A runaway juvenile was reported on Godwin Road.
• Harassment was reported on Sims Avenue.
• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Theft was reported on Barnett Boulevard.
• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.
• A domestic dispute was reported on Ashurst Bar Road.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Debris was reported in the roadway on Gilmer Avenue.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Kent Road.
MAY 2
• A suspicious person was reported on First Avenue.
• A domestic incident was reported on Joy Street.
• An assault was reported on Sims Avenue.
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.
• Reckless driving was reported on Gilmer Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.
• Reckless driving was reported on Riverside Avenue. MAY 1
• A domestic incident was reported on Notasulga Road.
• Gun shots were reported on Third Avenue.
• A welfare check was conducted on Gen. Chappy James Avenue.
• An arrest was made on Barnett Boulevard.
• An animal complaint was reported on Freeman Avenue. APRIL 30
• A noise complaint was reported on Evergreen Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Azalea Street.
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Ashurst Avenue.
APRIL 29
• Debris was reported in the roadway on E.B. Payne Sr. Drive.
• An abandoned vehicle was reported on Pine Street.
• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Pine Street.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Central Boulevard.
• Harassing communications was reported on Quail Drive.
• A Black male was arrested during a traffic stop on Central Boulevard.
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.
• Assistance was given to a motor-
ist on Highway 229 and Freeman Avenue.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.
• A disorderly person was reported on Jordan Avenue.
• A white male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on Highway 229.
APRIL 28
• Suspicious activity was reported on Sims Avenue.
• Assistance was given to another agency on Stroud Street.
• Theft was reported on Sims Avenue.
• A domestic dispute was reported on James Street.
• Reckless driving was reported on Kent Road.
• Assistance was given to a motorist on South Tallassee Drive.
• A Black male was arrested on U.S. Highway 231.
• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Notasulga Road.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Eighth Street.
• A welfare check was conducted on Stroud Street.
• A verbal fight was reported on Wall Street.
APRIL 27
• A suspicious person was reported on North Johnson Street.
• A welfare check was conducted on Stroud Street.
• Assistance was given to a citizen on Poplar Street.
• A missing person was reported on Comer Lane.
• Theft was reported on Riverhills Drive.
• A juvenile complaint was reported on Quail Run Drive.
• Animal control was requested on Main Street.
Tallassee infrastructure projects at various phases
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Tallassee residents should see a lot of work going on in the city in the next year.
The city has many projects in various phases, some of which have been in planning and design for a few years.
“This year is looking to be a very busy time for projects,” Three Notch Engineering’s Jeff Harrison said. “There has been a lot of work going on to get these projects ready.”
Work should soon start in the city’s water filter treatment center at the Fitzpatrick Bridge.
“It is the life blood of the city,” Harrison said. “It provides water to the city and wholesale customers.”
For the last two years, engineers have been prepping design work to repair the piping gallery in the facility. Earlier this year bids for the project were opened and accepted at $557,000.
The project was funded through ARPA monies.
Being under budget allows some of the savings to be pushed to another project in the water filter treatment
REWARD Continued from A1
plant. Along with monies from a utility bond issue, $185,360 is being spent to repair emergency filter No. 5.
“It started having problems and was shut down,” Harrison said.
The filter is needed at times for summer demand. The contractor is currently on site and work will be completed before peak water demand.
Another water project is just getting started in the design phase. For years city utilities have been battling leaks of a large water main in a roadway near E.B. Payne Sr. Drive. The line runs from downtown to Southside Middle School and supplies water to the city’s industrial park on Highway 229.
Harrison said the line is similar to PVC pipe and was installed in gravel under the roadway.
“They are constantly repairing and patching it,” Harrison said.
The council approved coming up with designs for a project to move the line to other utility corridors primarily used by Alabama Power.
“It would get it out of the road,” Harrison said. “The route would be in
from the T&H Grocery, with Kegley’s 2-year-old daughter left unattended inside the vehicle. Kegley’s personal items, including her purse and identification, were found at the scene.
Kegley has not been heard from since.
On February 25, 2018, a search warrant was executed in Elmore County, based on information from confidential sources received from CrimeStoppers, leading law
areas of far less traffic. We are working with the power company on permitting.”
Harrison estimates the project to cost about $2.5 million. The funding will come primarily from the bond issue the council authorized for utilities. Four years ago it was thought most of the funding would be used to replace some of the city’s cast-iron gas lines. Thanks to Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) grants, those funds can now be used on other utility issues.
The more than $15 million in PHMSA grant funding is the highest in the history of the City of Tallassee. It will replace almost all of the castiron gas lines in two phases.
The 2022 PHMSA grant in the amount of $9,700,000 was awarded to replace lines in the Elmore County portion of Tallassee.
“That project is nearly out of the design phase,” Harrison said. “We are hoping to have contracts for work by July.”
Harrison said a paving project will start soon after school is finished for the summer. Thanks to a grant through Rebuild Alabama, portions of South Ann, Comer and Cliff streets will be resurfaced. The streets are used by parents as they take children to Southside Middle School as well as residents in the area.
The city was awarded a $350,000 grant with a 10% match required from local funds. The bid for the project came in at $182,000 and the city will still be required to provide the 10% match.
“This is under budget and will cost the city less,” Harrison said.
“The contractor understands the timing with school. They are waiting until school is out and the project will likely only take one to two weeks.”
Another $5,469,300 PHMSA grant was given to Tallassee in 2023. It will replace cast-iron gas lines in East Tallassee in Tallapoosa County. About 30% of the design for the project is complete. Harrison said engineers are working through PHMSA to make sure all criteria are met before finishing the design and letting it for bid. He said work could start as early as this fall to next year.
enforcement to believe evidence may be found pertaining to a missing person’s case from 1998. As a result of this warrant, a major search of approximately 300 acres of property in eastern Elmore County was searched by multiple law enforcement agencies.
A total of $15,000 is now being offered for information leading to the arrest in this case. The reward is $10,000 from the Governor of the State of Alabama and CrimeStoppers will pay $5,000 within 30 days from the actual arrest. Previously, $10,000 was offered by Traci Pittman Kegley’s parents, and $4,000 from an anonymous donor, CrimeStoppers cannot confirm if these rewards are still active at this point. If you have any information regarding this case, please immediately call police or CrimeStoppers using its 24-hour tip line at 334215-STOP (7867) or 1-833-AL1STOP (833- 251-7867). Text 215stop to 738477 to receive a link to the anonymous tip form. Those with information can also download the P3-tips app. Make sure to get a Tip ID and password to dialog with Investigators in case there is a follow-up question.
Humane Society of Elmore County News
Their future is our priority
By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director
This National Pet Week as well as Be Kind to Animals Week — bringing attention to that special bond between pets and people. Pets are a huge part of our lives. They provide companionship and unconditional love no matter what the circumstances. They listen to us, cuddle with us, give us a ride on a trail, protect us, and some offer therapy assistance and med-
ical services. After all they do for us, this is the week to revisit how we can give back to them by being a responsible pet owner.
1. COMMIT
• Avoid impulsive decisions when selecting a pet.
• Select a pet that’s suited to your home and lifestyle.
• Keep only the type and number of pets for which you can provide appropriate food, water, shelter, health care and companionship.
• Commit to the rela-
tionship for the life of your pet(s).
• Provide appropriate exercise and mental stimulation.
• Properly socialize and train your pet.
2. INVEST
• Recognize that pet ownership requires an investment of time and money.
• Make sure your pet receives preventive health care (vaccinations, parasite prevention), as well as care
for any illnesses or injuries.
• Budget for potential emergencies.
3. OBEY
• Clean up after your pet.
• Obey all local ordinances, including licensing, leash requirements and noise control.
• Don’t allow your pet to stray or become feral.
4. IDENTIFY
• Make sure your pet is properly identified (i.e., tags, microchips, or tattoos)
Beauregard is 3 ½ year old male, possible Walker Hound/ Beagle mix who weighs only about 35 pounds. He showed up as a stray at a house and was brought to us. Beau is a silly boy, will beat us and even himself up with his tail when he is excited. He amazingly responds to ‘come’ and also seems to know the commands, “Lay down” and “Sit.” He loves playing fetch and is a very
sweet boy. The Humane Society of Elmore County’s adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old. Cats over 1 can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, deworming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough and a free health exam with your
participating veterinarian. If you are interested in meeting Beauregard or any of the pets at HSEC, the first step is to fill out an adoption application online. Once approved, you will be contacted by someone from the humane society. HSEC is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. The phone number is 334-567-3377 and the website is www.elmorehumane. org.
Ivey announces $7.6 million in funding for road, bridge projects
Gov. Kay Ivey on Wednesday announced more than $7.6 million in state funding is being awarded to cities and counties for 26 road and bridge projects across Alabama, highlighting her ongoing commitment to enhancing Alabama’s infrastructure.
and keep its registration up-to-date.
5. LIMIT
• Don’t contribute to our nation’s pet overpopulation problem: limit your pet’s reproduction through spay/ neuter, containment or managed breeding.
6. PREPARE
• Prepare for an emergency or disaster, including assembling an evacuation kit.
• Make alternate arrange-
ments if you can no longer provide care for your pet.
• Recognize any decline in your pet’s quality of life and make timely decisions in consultation with a veterinarian.
We take all the above to heart when doing our adoptions so that our pets can go to their best possible homes because their future is our priority.
Rea Cord is the executive director of the Humane Society of Elmore County.
According to a press release from the Office of Gov. Kay Ivey, the grants are the first round of funding made available this year under the Alabama Department of Transportation’s Annual Grant Program created by the Rebuild Alabama Act. The Rebuild Alabama Act, overwhelmingly passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor Ivey in 2019, requires ALDOT to establish an annual program setting aside a minimum of $10 million off the top of the state’s share of gas tax revenue for local projects. Additional funding will be awarded later this year.
state funding and $560 coming from local funding.
“Alabama is on the move, and through Rebuild Alabama, we’re laying the foundation for a stronger, safer future,” Ivey said. “Thanks to our sustained investment, a recent national study ranked Alabama as having the second-best roads in the country.
also contributed more than $5.6 million in local matching funds. All projects are required to move forward within one year of the awarding of funds.
In Elmore County, the Rebuilding Alabama funds will go toward resurfacing 2.38 miles worth of six city streets. The total for the project is $250,560 with $250,000 coming from
From resurfacing rural routes in Lamar to widening major highways in Cullman, we’re not just paving roads, we’re paving the way for opportunity.”
Of the awarded projects, cities and counties
Since the passage of the Rebuild Alabama Act, ALDOT’s Annual Grant Program has awarded more than $63 million in state transportation funding for local projects.
For more information about the Annual Grant Program, visit the program’s dedicated webpage at https://www. dot.state.al.us/programs/ RAAGrantProgram. html.
Our View Opinion
Mental health
is just as important as physical health
When discussing health and wellness, there’s one thing that always comes up — physical well-
there is always a conversation about maintaining physical health. But overall health includes everything in addition to physical health — one factor being mental health.
Although becoming a common topic in today’s society, mental health is often seen as something separate from physical health. Because we can’t see our mental health, it’s often encouraged to just push through various issues, or to get over different emotions.
However, mental health is just as important as physical health. According to the National Alliance on Mental Illness, nearly 60 million Americans experience mental illness — that’s 1 in 5 adults. While mental illness is often seen as more severe illnesses, such as schizophrenia or psychosis, mental illness is much more common than most realize.
Severe anxiety, major depression, post traumatic stress disorder, bipolar disorder and other personality disorders all fall under the umbrella of mental illness. People with these disorders might not think they have a mental illness, but they do.
Although they can’t be seen by the naked eye, mental illnesses are real and require treatment, just like physical illnesses. Those who have mental illnesses who go untreated can experience more severe issues.
According to NAMI, people with depression have a 40% higher risk of developing cardiovascular and metabolic diseases than the general population. Additionally, those with mental illnesses are also likely to abuse drugs, struggle in school or in their careers and can experience problems with the people in their lives.
With May being Mental Health Awareness month, take better care of your mental health on a daily basis. That can look like anything from going on a daily walk, journaling, spending more time with friends and other leisure activities. If you feel like you need to see a medical professional, take the extra step. After all, mental illness is an illness, too.
.jpeg attached to the email. Announcements will appear within 10 days in The Tribune, The Herald or The Observer.
Always keep dreaming. That’s what I learned on my recent trip to London. No matter how far-fetched a dream may seem, keep it close. Put it on the bucket list. Save the money, find a way. You never know what may happen. Over the last few years, my father has suffered the loss of his parents. It’s changed his perspective in a lot of ways, and our relationship has blossomed since. As you all know, I also suffered the loss of my brother-in-law a little over two years ago. It has taught me many lessons, but most importantly to always put family first.
After these losses, my father decided to take my brother and I on a trip anywhere in the world. No matter how far or how distant, how off the beaten path it was, he would take us both anywhere we wanted to go. My brother chose Norway. He wanted to go hiking and see places he had never seen before. He went to Kjeragbolten and was daring enough to conquer it — look it up, you’ll be amazed. He hiked to Trolltunga and stood on top of the world.
I looked at his photos longing for my place. See, I hadn’t chosen a trip for myself then. But I thought long and hard about where I wanted to go. I
A place where childhood dreams come true
knew it had to be spectacular. There’s so many places in the world I long to explore. I love books and documentaries about the planet and what it has to offer.
London, so we spent our weeklong holiday there. Yes, holi day — because that’s what the Londoners say.
more than I could’ve expected. Childhood dreams came true for me. It wasn’t just Stone henge either, but the little vil lage we explored called Lacock where real-life Harry Potter scenes were filmed. It was eating at Restaurant Gordon Ramsay, a three-Michelin star love affair with food. It was exploring Bath, where fudge was created, and sitting at that little Asian cafe with my dad sipping mocktails and cham pagne (for him).
Former Lt. Governor and State Leader George McMillan passed away Easter weekend in Birmingham. George was 81. McMillan had a meteoric career in Alabama politics. He grew up in Greenville where he had extensive family connections. He was a young, superstar politico coming out of high school. He went to Auburn University, where he was a sensational student leader. He was President of the SGA. He met and became good friends with another student leader at Auburn, our current Governor Kay Ivey. Kay and George are the same age and were political allies, remaining good friends through the years. George must have been an outstanding student at Auburn because he went to the prestigious Virginia Law School after college. After graduating from UVA Law School, George came back home and settled in Birmingham and began the practice of Law. He married Ann Roper Dial, whose father was a prominent Birmingham businessman. He and 40-year veteran State Senator Gerald Dial of Lineville were close. Gerald was George’s chief legislative ally during George’s tenure as Lt. Governor. Shortly after beginning his law practice, a State House seat came open in Jefferson County. George won that seat. In the next election, young Mr. McMillan slayed a giant. The most powerful State Senator in the state, George Lewis Bailes, hailed from Jefferson County. George McMillan took him on in what most folks thought was a David vs. Goliath match. George McMillan won and made a statewide name for himself. He went to Mont -
Eventually, though, I settled on Stonehenge. Ever since I was a little girl, I’ve been fascinated by Stonehenge. Weird, I know. I vividly remember when I was in elementary school, we had a project in which we had to create a structure out of Styrofoam. I chose Stonehenge. I painted it and built it as best I could. I never dreamed I would actually be there. But just two weeks ago, I really was. I stood amongst stones that had been there for 5,000 years. Mysterious stones that have always caught my attention.
However, what I quickly realized in planning my Stonehenge experience was you can’t exactly spend a week there. There’s quite literally nothing around. Even the visitor center is a bus ride away, or a beautiful 30-minute walk through the Salisbury Plains. It’s just a day trip from
The moments like seeing one of those red telephone booths for the very first time or hav ing a meal where Princess Diana used to frequent. And it was the big moments, like seeing the studios where the Harry Potter series was filmed or riding the London Eye and getting to see the sights from 135 meters in the air. What London taught me is simple: Dare to dream. You never know what might come true.
gomery and became a very effective and respected State Senator.
McMillan only served one term in the Senate, 19741978, because he was on a fast track. He was elected Lt. Governor in 1978. After one term as Lt. Governor, he again revealed that he had no reluctance to take on a challenge or a giant. He ran against George Wallace for Governor in 1982 and came within an eyelash of beating him in the Democratic primary that year. In 1982, Governor Fob James decided not to run for re-election. Former Gov. George Wallace was attempting to be elected to a fourth term as Governor, after having waited out four years due to being term limited. McMillan and Wallace wound up in a run-off. Wallace ironically won the Democratic run-off because he received the bulk of the Black vote – a political irony that is still difficult for national political historians to fathom and understand. Wallace went on to win the General Election in a landslide, defeating Republican Montgomery Mayor Emory Folmar. Winning the Democratic Primary at that time was tantamount to election.
McMillan was often compared to another former Lt. Governor and short-term Governor, Albert Brewer. Similar to McMillan, Brewer had all but beaten Wallace in a titanic Governor’s race a decade earlier in 1970. Both Brewer and McMillan were heralded
Lizi Arbogast Gwin is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. She can be reached at 434-962-9420 or via email at lizi.gwin@alexcityoutlook.com.
Remembering George McMillan
as having the potential to give Alabama a “New South” Governor. McMillan made a second attempt for the governorship in 1986, but he failed to gain traction. He was beaten out of the two run-off spots by Lt. Governor Bill Baxley and Attorney General Charlie Graddick. Neither Baxley nor Graddick would become Governor. Guy Hunt, the unknown Republican candidate from Holly Pond in Cullman County, won the Governor’s office. Hunt became the first GOP Governor of Alabama since Reconstruction. That 1986 election ended the Democratic Party reign in Alabama politics. The days of electing a Democratic Governor in the Heart of Dixie ended that year and probably forever. That year also marked the end of George McMillan’s political career. In 1989, McMillan founded City Stages, a large musical festival in downtown Birmingham. It became one of the largest and most renowned musical festivals in the nation. George ran City Stages for a decade during its prime years. George McMillan was a vivacious person with a gregarious, warm, genuinely friendly demeanor. He was a friend, and I always enjoyed visiting with him and talking politics. In fact, it can be said and is seldom said about someone who spent their life in politics, I never heard anyone say, “I do not like George McMillan.”
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 steve@steveflowers.us.
STEVE FLOWERS Columnist
LIZI GWIN Managing Editor
Project seeks to preserve rare music
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Music from Elmore County was carefully documented Friday.
It could soon be a part of an online archive at the Birmingham base Southern Music Research Center.
“Our mission is to document and preserve the musical history, legacies and culture of this region,” director Burgin Mathews said. “We have a special kind of investment and interest in Alabama music history, but our focus is Southern more broadly.”
Mathews and the Southern Music Research Center were at Wetumpka’s Kelly Fitzpatrick Center for the Arts to scan and copy music, photographs and more at its first community archiving day.
“It went extremely well,” Mathews said. “We have been very fortunate to have some connections with Elmore County Black History Museum, with the Wetumpka Public Library, with the Elmore County Historical Society and Museum. They’ve all helped us connect with people in the community.”
Library director Susan Hayes brought an artifact of significance to The Kelly to be scanned. Sheet music composed by Wetumpka native Florence Golson Bateman, who was born in 1891. She was a composer, musician and teacher, who went blind as a teenager.
“This was hanging up in the library,” Hayes said.
It is such pieces that Mathews is looking for.
“We are looking for those rare pieces that are not readily available to the public,” Mathews said. “We are creating an archive with them that can be accessible to the public and searched.”
Elmore County Black History Museum curator Billie Rawls was there going through her personal collection of music memorabilia. Much of hers centers around local gospel groups and a book called the Gospel Pearl.
“So many people learned songs by hearing them,” Rawls said. “This book was used to help teach those songs. Some go back to the days of slavery.”
Rawls heard about the project and spent time speaking with her friends and acquaintances to gather all sorts of information. She brought in personal hymnals, sheet music, photographs and programs. It was everything Mathews was looking for and more.
“There are so many stories here,” Mathews said. “It’s just so amazing.” Mathews and his crew scan numerous items and were set up to copy records and cassette tapes.
Within a few hours, Mathews was calling the Southern Music Research Center’s first community archiving event a success.
“We didn’t know quite what to expect,” Mathews said. “We had some good connections here. Elmore County really did come out to support us. I can see a section in the archive for just Elmore County.”
Mathews plans to bring the project back to Elmore County at some point to do more archiving.
“We will definitely come back for some of the collections we heard about,” Mathews said. “They make it worthwhile for the trip. We hope we can do another public event like this, but we will also be happy to make arrangements to pick items up to scan and then bring them back. It is all so very valuable.”
CommunityCalendar
APRIL 24 -MAY 10
UNNECESSARY FARCE: The Wetumpka Depot Players are presenting Unnecessary Farce from April 24 to May 10. Go to www. wetumpkadepot.com for more information and tickets.
SATURDAY, MAY 10
MAY MARKET: Eclectic the Beautiful will host its fourth annual May Market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10. It is a fundraiser for the organization and will feature more than 75 vendors ranging from food, crafts, artwork, jewelry, paintings, wreaths, bows and more. There will also be food vendors.
CRAWFISH BOIL & MUSIC
ECLECTIC TOWN COUNCIL
month. For more information, visit www.thekelly.org.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
GRACE POINT: Celebrate Recovery meets at Grace Point Community Church at 78223 Tallassee Highway in Wetumpka each Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. All are welcome to the meetings which provide a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits and hangups. For more information, visit www. Gracepoint.info or contact Gwin Greathouse at gwingreathouse@ gmail.com.
CELEBRATE RECOVERY
FESTIVAL: The Reeltown Volunteer Fire Department is hosting a crawfish boil and music festival beginning at 2 p.m. Saturday May 10 at 19700 Highway 49 South Notasulga. Music will include Jeff Bates, Andy Griggs, Russell Craig, Devin Moon, Jeff and the Johnsons and Shades of Gray. Admission is $35 and food is separate.
BATTLE OF THE BRUSHES: Sunshine and Pixie Dust is hosting Battle of the Brushes at the Wetumpka Depot Saturday, May 10. It is a live painting competition. For more information go to www. wetumpkasbattleofthebrushes.com.
MEETINGS: Eclectic Town Council meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at Town Hall. Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. with work sessions taking place prior to the meeting at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the Dr. M. L. Fielder Municipal Building, 145 Main Street.
JULY 7-11
YOUTH THEATER CAMP: The Wetumpka Depot Players is hosting a musical theater camp for ages 8 to 15 July 7 to 11. Send an email to kmeanor@wetumpkadepot.com for more information.
JULY 14-27
YOUTH THEATER CAMP: The Wetumpka Depot Players is hosting a two-week teen intensive camp for ages 13 to 18. Send an email to kmeanor@wetumpkadepot.com for more information.
ONGOING
SUPPORT GROUP: The last Thursday of every month, Restoration 49 Coffee Shop plays host to a support group for parents who have lost a child. The meetings begin at 6 p.m. each month. For more information, please contact Heather Baker at hbakerjj@aol.com.
PRESCHOOL STORYTIME: Preschool Storytime takes place at 10 a.m. every Friday at Wetumpka Public Library.
NAACP MEETINGS: The Elmore County Branch No. 5026 of the NAACP meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday (executive committee) and every fourth Tuesday (full membership) at the Martin Luther King Center at 200 North Lancaster St. in Wetumpka. OPEN MIC: The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts an open mic jam session from 7 to 9 p.m. every second Friday of the month at 560 Highway 9 in Equality. There is no charge but donations are welcome as they keep the center running. Bring a snack or finger food to share during the intermission. RED HILL COMMUNITY CLUB
MEETINGS: Red Hill Community Club Meetings are held every second Monday of the month. Join the Red Hill Historical Preservation Association in the auditorium of the Old Red Hill School, located off state Route 229 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss upcoming events.
MOUNT HEBRON CHURCH OF CHRIST: Come join us at 4530 Mt. Hebron Road in Eclectic. Our Sunday school begins at 9 a.m. followed by worship service at 10:30. There is also a Wednesday night Bible study at 7 p.m. For more information call Pastor Edwin Walker at 334-541-2025
LUNCH AND LEARN: Lunch and learn Tuesdays with Kelly are scheduled at the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery at 124 Company Street in Wetumpka from noon to 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each
SANTUCK: Celebrate Recovery meets each Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at Santuck Baptist Church at 7250 Central Plank Rd. This is a Christcentered, 12-step program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hangups. Call 334-567-2364 for more information or contact jyates@ santuckbaptist.org.
GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS: Gamblers Anonymous meets Saturdays at 6 p.m. at Cedarwood Community Church at 10286 U.S. Highway 231 in Wallsboro/ Wetumpka. Call 334-567-0476 for more information.
AA MEETING: Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held Mondays at 7 p.m. located at 105 Tuskeena St. in Wetumpka. RED HILL SCHOOL: The Red Hill School on Highway 229 in the Red Hill Community in Tallassee is open Fridays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for local live music performances. No admission is charged but donations are welcomed to maintain the building and pay for refreshments.
MASTER GARDENER
HELPLINE: If you have gardening questions you can call the Master Gardener Helpline at 1-877-2524769. The helpline starts March 1 and ends in August.
CHILDREN’S HARBOR: Children’s Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store Located on state route 63 just south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of children’s harbor and the Family Center at Children’s Hospital. Call 334-857-2008 for more information.
CLIFF WILLIAMS TPI
ABOVE: Billie Rawls talks about some of the pieces of music and other related items she has collected over the years. She brought part of her collection to be scanned by the Southern Music Research Center as it hosted its first community archiving event. BELOW: A page is marked in the Gospel
Chen announces intention to run for state auditor in 2026
By MELODY RATHEL Multimedia Reporter
The next general election will be here before you know it.
Although it is more than a year away, candidates are beginning to announce their intentions to run for various government positions, one of them being Derek Chen.
Although not a lifelong resident of Alabama, Chen discovered his love for the state of Alabama in law school when he moved to the state from California.
“I moved to Alabama to go to law school at (Samford University Cumberland School of Law),” Chen said. “Not long after, I moved to Birmingham, and I just absolutely fell in love with Alabama, and I knew that’s where I wanted to spend the rest of my life. After I graduated from Cumberland, I set up shop and practiced law in Jefferson County.”
During this time, he pursued his master’s degree in Business Administration at the University of Alabama.
Now that he has extensive law and business
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by students and staff.
experience under his belt, he feels compelled to serve Alabama — he intends to run for Alabama State Auditor in the 2026 General Election.
“I think it’s important we have transparency and efficiency in government and make sure that the taxpayers’ resources are being used properly,” Chen said.
“The state auditor’s job primarily entails keeping track and inventory of physical state property that has the market value for $500 or greater.”
Additionally, the state auditor sits on several
“It exposes them to so many of the trades that have a high demand for employment right now,” Free said. “The students
boards, including the State Board of Adjustment and the Penny Trust Fund Board. The state auditor is also responsible for appointing registrars in 66 counties in Alabama.
“I think that’s a very overlooked but important part of the job,” Chen said. “Registrars are the only officials in the state of Alabama that have the authority to add or remove anyone from the voter rolls, so I think it’s important to get good, competent and qualified folks in those positions that understand the importance of election
get to see all of the things and begin to look at a future beyond school.”
The Be Pro Be Proud trailer has another advantage. Free can only teach so many students. The trailer can expose students that are not in Free’s classroom. While Free and Tallassee High School already have some of the
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a total of 18 students who qualified for the state competition.”
The Tallassee High School FFA program earned first place in the construction competition with John Robert Baxley being the top overall scorer in the competition. They were first place in landscape and Iza-
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very meticulously, and that nothing slips through the cracks. Oftentimes, (people) lose touch of how all the taxpayers’ resources actually belong to the people, and not the agency — ultimately, it belongs to the citizens. I think it’s important that we have folks that keep track of the state’s property like that would keep track of their own property.”
security and integrity and maintaining the rule of law.”
Throughout his education and career in law and business, Chen believes he has developed skills to fulfill the responsibilities of the role.
“One of the really important things I’ve realized in my career is the importance of being very thorough and very meticulous,” Chen said. “I think that it’s so important that we have a state auditor that puts a lot of focus on being sure that our property is being kept track of
programs the students got to see, it brought others into view.
“Even if we don’t have the program, we can work with local businesses and industries to get them started down the path if it is something they want to do,” Free said. “We can partner with Southern Union or CACC as well.
bel Diego was the top individual scorer. They were also first place in small engines and Hunter Schieferstein was the top individual scorer in the district.
Tallassee was also first place in aquaculture and veterinary science. Free is especially proud of the vet science program.
“I don’t really have a background in animal science,” Free said. “We partnered with 4D Veterinary and this is all thanks to Dr. Lovelady. He has worked with our students to get them here.”
The Tallassee Ag Mechanics team was second with overall top scorer Jackson Pledger. Tallassee also placed second in the quartet and fourth in floriculture.
“A lot of the publicity follows me, but it’s all them,” Free said.
“They’re the ones that
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service and success and practices what he preaches. From serving on various boards and committees over the years to eating lunch in Tallassee’s restaurants everyday, to serving on the Tallassee City Council representing Ward 7 for the last five years, Hughey lives and breathes Tallassee.
“I saw an opportunity to serve on the council five years ago and stepped up,” Hughey said. “I knew there was gonna be some exciting things going on and thought it was my turn to serve.”
Hughey was part of the council that saw $15 million of grants awarded to the city for the replacement of cast-iron gas lines. He was there as the utilities and streetscape in downtown Tallassee were improved, mostly through
matic ties from Taiwan’s government to China’s government.
“When that happened, everyone in Taiwan thought the communists were about to come over and invade Taiwan. Everyone who could get out, got out, and my grandparents went through the legal process, applied for their visas and immigrated to the United States with my parents.”
Although born and raised in the United States, Chen’s family history goes back to the Chinese Civil War. “My great grandparents were soldiers in the Chiang Kai Shek Army during the Chinese Civil War,” Chen said. “They fought the communists during the war, and as the communists started taking over large areas of China, Chiang Kai Shek and his military retreated to the island of Taiwan. So my great grandparents, with my grandparents, who were kids at the time, retreated to the island of Taiwan — that’s where my parents were born. In the late 1970s, the United States switched diplo-
It is all about helping the students. Anything that we can do to introduce the kid to the trade, if we can get them here.”
It was an experience Free saw a few weeks ago at a conference. Other career tech professionals gathered and one of the programs was the Be Pro Be Proud trailer.
put in the work for it. I’m incredibly proud of them for what they did.”
FFA and the vocational agriculture program is popular at Tallassee High School. Free fell in love with the school and the program while interning there with now superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin.
The program has continued to grow. To accommodate more students, Free goes without a planning period so more students get to experience vo-ag.
But the opportunity for students is growing as it adds a second ag teacher next school year. It will be a familiar face as Free shared his classroom with Amanda Teixeira almost five years ago. She will be returning to Tallassee.
“She fell in love with the school and program just like I did,” Free said. “I’m giving up my classroom because that is what
grant funding. Hughey voted to renovate the city’s wastewater treatment facility to provide decades more service to aid in growth of the city. He was also part of the council to help secure funding from the Elmore County Commission for renovating the downtown water tower and Quality of Life projects at J.E. Hot O’Brien Stadium and new recreational center.
“All the many accomplishments the current council has enjoyed will translate into a bright future for the City of Tallassee,” Hughey said. “The ground work has been laid through infrastructure improvements that will translate into increased population and retail and industrial growth. I want to continue to serve Ward 7 and the citizens of Tallasse to keep a good thing going.”
Hughey might have just five years of experience on the council, but his knowledge of city govern-
His family’s immigration to the United States is ultimately what inspired him to get his name on the ballot.
“I have been a lifelong Republican,” Chen said. “I think it’s so important to have strong constitutional conservatives in all levels of government. Oftentimes, the focus is on big national offices, but really state and local offices have a lot of impact on the people. I think that it’s so important for me to make sure that our folks here in Alabama are well represented, have competent representation and have somebody who’s going to roll up their sleeves, do the job and do the job effectively.”
“We got to do a lot of the things the students get to experience in this,” Free said. “It allows us to showcase so much more in a short period of time. Otherwise we would just be pointing the students to websites for more information. We are exposing them to things they may have never thought of.”
it took to get her. I’ll be moving to the annex but will meet my students in the shop when needed.”
Free’s move also allows him to do more in his new role as career tech director while also maintaining in agriculture roots.
Teixeira went to Auburn for its animal science program. Next she landed at Eufula High School.
“She will bring so much to our programs,” Free said. “She has great knowledge in animal science and aquaculture.”
While Free knows a lot about Teixeira, the students will get a chance to compete against her at the state competition in June.
“She has helped that program and will have eight teams competing at state,” Free said. “I know she will do well and hope she does well here at Tallassee.”
ment goes back more than five decades. He was born and raised in Carrville, now east Tallassee. He commuted to Montgomery to help with production in television before moving his commute to Union Springs to get his start in radio. A few years later he shortened his commute to his hometown.
When Hughey helped start WACQ in 1979, he reported on council proceedings in Carrville. He has been running around Tallassee ever since, reporting, selling advertising, visiting with people and eating in its local restaurants. Recently Hughey has been found in Taste of Talisi, 1220 Cafe and more visiting with diners and eating lunch.
“They advertise with us,” Hughey said. “I feel we need to support them as they support us. It’s also a good way to keep up with what is going on.” Municipal elections are August 26.
SUBMITTED | TPI
Derek Chen announces his intention to run for Alabama State Auditor in 2026.
Messing up a good conspiracy
f you were planning to fool a bunch of people that an event happened (when it actually did not happen), then how would you go about doing it? Experts on conspiracy theories say that if you want a conspiracy to work, then you want to make the event as private as possible, and you want to include the smallest number of people as possible. Otherwise, it will be a failed conspiracy because those factors would increase the chance of being caught in a lie. Let us now run the reports of Jesus’s appearances after His death through this filter of “privacy” and “few in number.”
Eminent Bible Scholar Peter Williams has meticulously documented how public these events were.
He writes, “The resurrected Jesus is recorded as appearing in
Judea (Mt 28:9; Lk 24:31, 36) and in Galilee (Mt 28:16–20; Jn 21:1–23), in town (Lk 24:36) and countryside (Lk 24:15), indoors (Lk 24:36) and outdoors (Mt 28:9,16; Lk 24:15; Jn 21:1–23), in the morning (Jn 21:1–23) and the evening (Lk 24:29,36; Jn 20:19), by prior appointment (Mt 28:16) and without prior appointment (Mt 28:9; Lk 24:15,34,36; Jn 21:1–23), close (Mt 28:9, 19; Lk 24:15,36; Jn 21:9–23) and distant (Jn 21:4–8), on a hill (Mt 28:16) and by a lake (Jn 21:4), to groups of men (Jn 21:2; 1 Cor 15:5,7) and groups of women (Mt 28:9), to individuals (Lk 24:34; 1 Cor 15:5,7–8) and groups of up to five hundred (1 Cor 15:6), sitting (Jn 21:15 implied), standing (Jn 21:4), walking (Lk 24:15; Jn 21:20–22), eating (Lk 24:43; Jn 21:15), and always talking (Mt 28:9–10, 18–20; Lk 24:17–30,
36–49; Jn. 20:15-17, 19-29; 21;6-22)” (from “Hope in Times of Fear” by Tim Keller,pg.10).
Where did they see Jesus after He had died? They saw Jesus, in laymen’s terms, “Here, There, and Everywhere!” Who saw Jesus after He had died? Lots of different people saw Jesus after He had died.
What is the point?
The point is this: If the disciples were making up Jesus’s appearances after He had died for the purpose of deceiving others, then they were hurting their case because they have Him reportedly appearing in so many different public places among so many different people (the Apostle Paul said that Jesus appeared to “over 500 people, many of whom are still alive today…” in 1 Corinthians 15:6).
It would be too easy to falsify these events with these many
Tallassee Churches
appearances among this many people. Proving His appearances as false would be as easy as sliced butter. The disciples would have served their supposed false cause better by having the story that Jesus appeared one time, in a private room, to one or two disciples.
This, however, is not the case for the appearances of Jesus Christ.
I want to argue that one evidence that His appearances are real (and there are many sets of evidences not mentioned in this article) is that Jesus lived publicly, He taught and performed miracles publicly, He was beaten and crucified publicly, and then He was placed in a public tomb (where anyone could find Him), He was then not found in that public tomb, and then He began to appear publicly in many settings to many individu-
BILLY REINHARDT Pastor
als. Privacy does not define the birth, life, death, resurrection, and appearances of Jesus Christ. While it has been noted in several scholarly works that naturalistic explanations surrounding Christ’s resurrection have all failed, we can take the famous Sherlock Holmes’s statement to heart: “When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth.”
Billy Reinhardt is the pastor of Riverside Heights Baptist church in Tallassee. He lives in Tallassee with his wife, Jessica, and their four children. He blogs at www.billyreinhardt. com where he writes articles on matters of faith, family, and culture.
Tallassee’s Jhakhia Anderson signs to Wallace State
By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter
This is the start of something special for Tallassee girls basketball.
Tallassee senior Jhakhia Anderson ends an over a decade-long streak of being the first girls basketball player to sign to play at the collegiate level. Anderson won’t make a long trek — heading to Selma to play at
Wallace State next fall. Wallace State is a junior college in Selma that plays in the Alabama Community College Conference. The Patriots are coming off a 10-16 record, going 7-5 in conference play. Anderson will be coached by head coach Yulonda Randolph. Anderson was the Tigers’ leader in points last year with nearly 10 a game while also finishing second on
Reeling in a state champion
Rebels take home gold on Lake Martin
By LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN Managing Editor
Despite being a team full of youngsters and being in fourth place heading into the state championships, Reeltown was not about to let anyone stop it.
The Rebels came home with two top-10 finishes en route to the smallschool division state title in the Alabama Student Angler Bass Fishing Association championships.
The Rebels amassed 787 points in the final tournament, more than 30 points better than the next finisher and surpassed Brooks, North Sand Mountain and Holtville, to claim the top spot.
“Oh, you have no idea how good it felt,” Reeltown fishing coach Chad Ledbetter said. “One of them, of course, was my son Ben so to be a part of that and captain of that was amazing. I’ve watched a lot of these kids from when they were in kindergarten together to playing young foot-
ball together to wrestling together. To see them go out there and mature like they have and do like they did on the water, I mean, that’s just phenomenal.”
Reeltown had its best tournament of the year on Lake Martin this past weekend to ensure the victory. But it wasn’t all bunnies and roses.
The Rebels had their work cut out for them.
Despite being in a strong position after Day 1, Reeltown needed to step it up — and that it did.
Vann Thomas and Corey Geer weren’t even in the top 50 after Friday, but they pushed through a rain delay and a weather-shortened tournament on Day 2 to earn the Rebels’ best boat finish. They totaled 12.52 pounds, good enough for seventh overall. The individual standings are not broken into small and large school divisions either.
“It was really, really critical that we were able to do what we did on
the team in the rebounding department with 6.5 per game. She racked up 45 steals on the season. Anderson was the top scorer from inside the paint and she also got things done behind the arc being third on the team in 3-point shooting percentage. “To my knowledge, there is no other former Lady
ALL GOOD THINGS END
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
After dominating in Game 1 of the AHSAA Class 4A baseball third round, Tallassee couldn’t muster up the same offense in the second two games against Bibb County.
Ultimately, the Tigers’ season ended Friday in a 2-0 loss.
Tallassee, which finished with a 23-12 record, started the series extremely well. The Tigers amassed 14 hits
in the opening game and scored run after run to earn an 8-1 victory. Brue Milner led the way with three hits and four RBIs; he scored a pair of runs as well.
Bry Hathcock also finished the first game with a trio of hits.
Thomas Lemmond and Chase Webster combined for four singles.
The Tigers’ pitching staff also had quite the impressive day, finishing with just four hits against. Chase Chumley started the after-
noon on the mound, allowing just four hits and one run in 5 2/3 innings. Jack Butler came on in relief and pitched 1 1/3 shutout innings and struck out two batters. Tallassee played a flawless defense in Game 1. Games 2 and 3, however, once again saw some great pitching and defense, but it was the offense that couldn’t match up.
After amassing 14 hits in the first game, the next two games saw just five hits combined for the Tigers.
The Rebels go marching in Reeltown advances to state semifinals
By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter
If it is going to Game
3 — Reeltown is going to take it. For the second time in the AHSAA Class 2A baseball playoffs, the Rebels have snatched Game 3 by more than 10 runs. First, it was Isabella and this time it was Cottonwood, advancing Reeltown baseball to the fourth round for the first time in school history.
The first game showed much of what made Reeltown successful all year, taking the 6-4 victory.
JaMarkius Smith manned the mound for the first four frames, sending 10 batters back to the dugout before
Brody Smith came in to close things out with three strikeouts.
However, it was pleasant to start. Cottonwood struck first in the bottom of the fourth and added two more runs in the fifth to hold a three-run lead after Reeltown. That was until the top of the sixth inning.
Reeltown poured in on Cottonwood, scoring six runs thanks to some timely hitting.
“But I’ll tell you, we played five innings of really stressful baseball,” Reeltown coach Matt Johnson said.
“They had a one-run lead on us the majority of the game, and then in the sixth inning, we just came alive.”
However, the late-game
success did not carry over into Game 2. The Bears took an 8-0 win to even the series due in large part to the success of pitcher Braylon Morris and his 11 strikeouts.
Reed Wood, Xander Johnston and Branton Spraggins were the only batters to come away with a hit on the day while the Bears piled on nine hits.
“We didn’t hit the ball very well in the second game at all,” Johnson said.
“Of course, they threw a really good pitcher, and we didn’t swing the bat well.”
Even with the struggles that reared their head for the Rebels in Game 2, they responded in a big way to take the series with an 11-1 win. Hagan Lewis stole
the show in the final game, pitching all five innings with two strikeouts to his name then turning around to put up three hits. JaMarkius Smith and Bordy Smith chipped in two two hits each while the Rebels as a whole put up 12 hits.
“Hagan started for us and pitched an unbelievable game,” Johnson said. “I think we ended up with like 15 hits. We were able to close it in five innings, which is huge to keep (Hagan’s) pitch count down, because it’s a short week going into this week.”
Next up for Reeltown will be Pike Liberal Arts, although still early into the scouting process Johnson knows it’ll be a tough game.
Branton Spraggins and the Reeltown Rebels have advanced to the AHSAA Class 2A baseball playoffs, their longest run in program history.
However, Johnson is proud of his team for what it has been able to accomplish by making it to the fourth round for the first time.
“The guys have really been playing good ball
lately, especially throughout the playoffs,” Johnson said. “The second game against Isabella was pretty rough. Other than that, they’ve been very consistent. Really proud of them.”
SAMUEL HIGGS TPI
Tallassee’s Brody Wisner fires a throw to first base against Bibbs County.
SAMUEL HIGGS TPI Tallassee’s Jhakhia Anderson signed her Letter of Intent to play college basketball at Wallace State.
SUBMITTED | TPI
Reeltown’s fishing team wins a state championship on Lake Martin on Saturday.
See ANDERSON, Page B2
See REELING, Page B2
ECHS takes 3rd, Holtville 4th at state fishing tournament
It was an exciting weekend for Elmore County’s fishing teams as Elmore County High School placed third in the large-school division and Holtville captured fourth in small schools at the Alabama Student Angler Bass Fishing Association state championships.
The teams had to overcome rough weather on Saturday that ultimately shortened the tournament, but the Elmore County teams shined through.
For ECHS, the Panthers were sitting in just fifth place heading into the state championships but had their second-best showing of the year on Lake Martin this weekend to move into third.
The top boat for Elmore County just snuck into the top 10 as Sam King and Keith Roberts finished ninth overall in the individual standings, which are not separated into divisions. King and Roberts’ big fish weighed a staggering 4.12 pounds but still managed to be only the second biggest catch in the tournament. The duo totaled 12.40 pounds on Martin.
Elmore County also got a strong finish from Eli McGhee and Abe McGhee, who placed 15th overall with 11.90 pounds.
Like ECHS, Holtville also had its second-most points of the year scored on Lake Martin. The Bulldogs didn’t put any in the top 10 but had consistent finishes across the board.
Carson Taunton and Dylan Patrick were the best anglers for Holtville on Friday and Saturday, capturing 29th place with a total of 11.25 pounds. Thomas Blakeney and Jake Thomas were just three places behind with 11.18 pounds of fish.
Wetumpka struggled in the team standings, taking 11th place overall in the large-school division. But the Indians had two really strong boats as Matthew Park and Vladimir Weaver had the third biggest fish of the tournament, weighing in at 3.74 pounds. The two totaled 11.89 pounds, good enough for 16th place overall. Finishing as the top Wetumpka boat were Adison Turner and Tensley Stever, who took 14th place.
TJ Clary leads county at state track meet
TPI Staff
Winning a team championship is no easy feat.
But winning an individual state championship might be even harder.
That’s exactly what Wetumpka’s TJ Clary did this weekend at the AHSAA Class 6A Track & Field Championships. Clary cleared 6-8 in the high jump to take the gold medal.
The Indians had several finishers climb the podiums in Gulf Shores as well. Kymani Clary was the next highest finishers for the boys, as he jumped 46-0.5 in the triple jump to take fourth overall. In the shot put, JD Denmark placed fifth with a throw of 50-0.
On the girls side, Jamirayah Smith was the highest finisher, taking fourth in the 100-meter
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dash in a mere 12.31 seconds. Jada Walker earned fifth place in the 200 with a time of 25.48, and Tremya Thomas took sixth place in the javelin (116-3). In Class 5A, Holtville and Elmore County both had state placers.
Holtville’s Jesse Thomas earned fourth place in the discus with a throw of 146-3. For ECHS, Jackson Mann was fourth in the 800 (1:59.79). On the girls side, Ally Orr took fifth place in the javelin (103-3).
Tallassee’s best Class 4A finish came in the relays as the boys 4x100-meter relay finished in 43.76, good enough for third place.
Tra’mel McCoy also showed out, earning a fourth-place finish in the 110 hurdles (15.40). He also earned a field medal, taking eighth in the triple jump.
Tiger who has signed the scholarships to play college basketball,” Tallassee basketball coach Alfonzo Johnson said. “Very proud of her. She is a
REELING
Continued from B1 STAFF REPORT
Friday to get us to that point,” Ledbetter said. “Then we had one team that was one of the
member of the 500-point club.” Johnson believes not only is Anderson’s signing significant to the program for her to continue her education at the next level but will also inspire the underclassmen she played with to show them they can accomplish the same. “When I first took over the girls
lower teams going into Saturday, but they went out there and they executed on Saturday and were able to take themselves from like 50th-something place to seventh overall.” Reeltown’s Ben Ledbetter and Braxton Lemley weren’t
program, I wanted to get someone signed,” Johnson said. “Once we get someone signed, I want to keep getting someone signed every single year. Girls basketball was one lacking in the past, but I believe this is what’s to come for our basketball program.”
Anderson plans to attend Wallace State and pursue a nursing degree
far behind, also cracking the top 10 with an eight-place finish. They totaled 12.48 pounds.
What’s even more impressive about Reeltown’s firstplace finish was the Rebels did it despite their young age. Thomas is a junior, but Geer
there. Although it was her only offer, she enjoyed the campus and can’t wait to build new relationships with her new teammates and new coaches.
“First of all, it’s my only choice,” Anderson said. “But, I mean, it looks like a great school, and they have a great nursing program that has something that I can major in.”
is a freshman and Ben Ledbetter and Lemley are only eighth-graders.
“I’m hoping that bodes well,” coach Ledbetter said. “They all know how to put their nose to the grindstone. They just get in there and
they fish the entire time. They change up patterns when they’re not working, and they’re not scared to do that. I think that’s going to be the key to these guys being real successful over the next four years.”
ANDERSON
PHOTOS BY SAMUEL HIGGS | TPI
The Reeltown community gathered to watch the Reeltown football team get its state champion rings. Each ring was engraved with each player’s last name as well as the score of every game they played this season — all the way to the 49-13 victory over Tuscaloosa Academy in the Class 2A State Championship game.
‘BACK IN TIME’
THS hosts spring choral show
Resilient Rebels fight back in regional action
By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter
If it’s a battle you want, it’s a battle you’re going to get.
The Reeltown softball team found itself in a tough position to open up the AHSAA Class 2A Regional Tournament — facing a seven-run deficit to Ranburne. However, Reeltown gritted its teeth and got to work. Ultimately falling to Ranburne 7-6, the Rebels scored six unanswered runs to keep things competitive, something even head coach Travis Spraggins was impressed with.
“Overall, extremely proud of the girls’ performance in both games,” Spraggins said. “First game, you know, we got behind eight ball, made some errors early on, but they showed a lot of fight, a lot of scrap and that’s what we need to be successful in this tournament.”
Rather than sit on the loss, the Rebels found their stride against Highland Home in the second game. Before the Flying Squadron even got a chance to bat, the Rebels jumped out to a six-run lead before ending the game in three innings with a 17-0 win. Hits came in bunches for Reeltown, racking up 13 through three frames. Lilli Johnston and Lainey Patillo accounted for three hits each while pitcher Cridan Dunn sent batters back to the dugout with two strikeouts. Spraggins was impressed with the way his girls responded and has seen significant growth from
Reeltown Kira Chappell rounds the bases against Highland Home in the AHSAA Class 2A Regional Tournament.
his squad all throughout the year.
“I think it says a lot, as far as where we started and where we are, not only as a program, but as a team,” Spraggins said. “It kind of showed me a little bit that they are willing to get dirty
and are willing to get after and they’re willing to sacrifice themselves.”
Reeltown opened Day 2 with a game against Southeastern, one of the top dogs in the tournament. However, Spraggins
knows if they show the same level of grit his team showed against Highland Home and Ranburne, they’ll be in a good spot to come away with a state bid. “They need to show them-
selves and prove themselves,” Spraggins said. “They want to be the team in the second half of that first game (against Ranburne). That’s the team they can be, showing up every single time.”
your own thing. You also want answers to big questions because you feel curious and contemplative. Nevertheless, you’re willing to help others and be supportive if you can. This is good. Tonight: Take a pause.
LIBRA (Sept. 23-Oct. 22) Today is the kind of day when you feel the need for more privacy. Naturally, you’ll be sociable with close friends and partners (that’s who you are). However, you’re also thinking about other things (like your future) and what values are most important to you. Lofty thoughts. Tonight: Enjoy solitude.
SCORPIO (Oct. 23-Nov. 21) You might be involved with clubs and organizations today, especially charitable groups that want to help those in need. Or you might want to help out a friend. Whatever the case, you feel generous and benevolent to someone. You’re also keen to work and be productive in a hands-on way. Tonight: Ignore criticism.
SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Do be aware that you’re high-viz, which means people know details about what you’re doing. They also notice you more than usual. Meanwhile, you’re in a work hard/party hard mood, and because your personal freedom matters to you today, you will do what you want! Tonight: Stay positive.
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19) Lofty and profound discussions will interest you today. You want to learn more about everything. You want answers to big questions. In particular, you might be curious about religious and philosophical ideas. This is also a fun-loving, playful day. Enjoy! Tonight: It’s OK.
AQUARIUS (Jan. 20-Feb. 18) In nancial negotiations with others today, you’ll be generous and supportive, which is a good thing. Nevertheless, be mindful of your own needs and wants, because if you don’t take care of yourself, you’ll be no good to anyone else. Be cautious. Don’t give away the farm. Tonight: Take a news break.
PISCES (Feb. 19-March 20) Enjoy relations with partners, spouses and close friends today.
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PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF LARRY M. MCLEOD, DECEASED CASE NO.: 2025-130 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of LARRY M. MCLEOD, deceased, having been granted to DARENDA M. MISSILDINE on April 23, 2025 by D. JASON BRITT, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
DARENDA M. MISSILDINE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF LARRY M. MCLEOD. DECEASED
Attorney of Record for Personal Representative: JAMES R. BOWLES ATTORNEY AT LAW 2 SOUTH DUBOIS AVENUE PO BOX 780397 TALLASSEE, ALABAMA 36078 334-283-6548
Tallassee Tribune: Apr. 30, May 7 and 14, 2025 EST/MCLEOD, L.
PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF MELVIN DOUGLAS RUSSELL, DECEASED. CASE NO.: 2025-108 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE
Letters Testamentary in the Estate of MELVIN DOUGLAS RUSSELL, deceased, having been granted to ELIZABETH DEE DUKES RUSSELL on April 29, 2025 by D. JASON BRITT, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.
Public Notices
ELIZABETH DEE DUKES RUSSELL PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF MELVIN DOUGLAS RUSSELL, DECEASED.
Attorney of Record for
Personal Representative: MICHAEL S. HARPER A PROFESSIONAL CORPORATION ATTORNEYS AT LAW 213 BARNETT BOULEVARD POST OFFICE BOX 780608 TALLASSEE, ALABAMA 36078 334-283-6855
Tallassee Tribune: May 7, 14 and 21, 2025 EST/RUSSELL, M.
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Eclectic Fire Department rescues dog from fire
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Fire fighters are ready for most anything. Car wrecks — check. Fires — check.
And in the case of the Eclectic Fire Department, rescuing dogs also makes the list..
The department was paged out to a fire on Claud Fleehop Road Wednesday afternoon.
“We were told there was fire visible from beneath the home,” Eclectic fire chief
Josh Dorminey said. “Dispatch said all residents had gotten out.”
The Tallassee, Red Hill and Friendship volunteer fire departments were also paged out.
Firefighters got to the home with smoke inside and flames under it. The residents were out but two dogs remained in the home.
Inside the smoke filled home Eclectic fire fighters quickly located the first dog unharmed. The second dog was found lethargic by Tallassee firefighters and passed off to the Eclectic crew.
“We put a pet oxygen mask on him,” Dorminey
Elmore County rallies back against Demopolis
By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter
The Elmore County softball team fell victim to a slow start in the first game of the AHSAA Class 5A Regional tournament on Monday.
The Panthers opened with the Shelby County Wildcats, where they fell 6-3. It was Shelby County who struck first with two runs in the third inning, which gave them a lead to hold onto for the rest of the day.
Elmore County picked up runs from Lalha Culpepper, Addie Patterson and Kayden Edwards in the top of the fourth inning, but that’s about all the offensive output Elmore County could get.
“The first game, we kind of had a slow start,” Elmore County coach Meghan Harris said. “We didn’t come out swinging the bats, and we kind of played it kind of slow, and couldn’t get in the rhythm that first game, and kind of got defeated ourselves.”
Elmore County found its rhythm in the next game, but still fell victim to a slow start. Demopolis jumped out to a three-run lead over the Panthers until
the bottom of the third inning. They came away with a 14-4 victory, scoring seven runs in the third frame and then piling another four in the fourth.
“I think the girls kind of had a fire in them and came out, started hitting the ball,” Harris said. “They let the ball travel in some more, and started seeing it hit the bat, they just decided to start hitting. So I think when our bats are going like that, we do really well.”
Elmore County keeps its season alive with a win over Demopolis, with the Panthers opening Day 2 with Holtville. Harris keyed on keeping their bats hot, but wants to make sure their defense and pitching are still coming to play like they did in Day 1 of regionals. However, she knows that all come from being mentally tough.
“I think it’s more mentality and being mentally tough,” Harris said. “Because, I mean, most of this game is mental, and if they get in their heads and don’t come out strong with that strong mentality, then we play down. And we got to start the game off tomorrow, bats hot, ready to go.”
said. “He bounced back pretty quickly.”
The home sustained damage and the American Red Cross was contacted to help the family.
Dorminey said the department is prepared to resuscitate animals. Wednesday’s rescue was the second the department has made.
“We got the pet masks a few years ago when an organization came through offering them to fire and EMS departments,” Dorminey said. “We gladly put them on the trucks when we got them.”
PANTHERS’
YOUTH SHINES IN COMEBACK WIN OVER HOLTVILLE
By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter
The Elmore County girls soccer team remained undefeated after a come-from-behind 3-2 victory over Holtville in the AHSAA Class 5A playoffs.
It was Holtville who struck first, and second, both coming from freshman Hailey Phelps to put the Bulldogs out a 2-0 lead. However, from that point on Elmore County found its stride — scoring three unanswered goals from Cadi Crews, Delaney Hines and the game-winner from Kristina Elmore with five minutes left in the game. Even so, this is not the first time the Panthers have had to mount a comeback victory according to head coach Leslie Hines.
“Luckily, we’ve actually come back several times this season,” Hines said.
“We’re 19 wins in and no losses, and we want to keep that going. Personally, I told them at half-time. I said, ‘Y’all, we’re going to win this game. We are going to win this game.’ I felt it. We
got that last-minute goal in there before the half. And I just felt the energy change, I felt their demeanor change.”
Although the Bulldogs saw their season come to a close, John Stark was proud of what his team accomplished. They won their first-ever playoff game against Marbury the week before and took one of the better teams in Class 5A to the wire.
“We said, win or lose, we just want to leave it all out on the field,” Stark said. “And I think we did that. I couldn’t be more pleased with their effort, we’re tired. It’s been a long end of the season, but they came out, they were resilient the first half, and just got tired.”
What makes Elmore County’s season even more impressive is how young the team is. Most of the team is made up of underclassmen with only two seniors on the roster, with most having no previous soccer experience before this season.
“The only (senior) starter is our goalie, and the rest, we’ve got eighth-graders starting, ninth, 10th graders
(and) a couple of girls on the line are 11th graders,” Hines said. “I had more girls on this field tonight that have never played soccer before in their lives, and we just started really early on with basics and working together and everyone doing their job and getting better as the game went on.”
Next up for Elmore County is Indian Springs, who is a talented soccer team from Pelham that posts an 11-3-3 record this year. Hines knows it’ll be a tough task, but is more focused on how they can improve before the matchup.
“Indian Springs is an excellent team,” Hines said. “I try not to look ahead, I look at the game ahead of me that night. But at this point, we’re just going to go play the sport we love, and I’m going to coach the sport I love. I love these girls and this community of Eclectic, we’re just going to do the best we can. At this point, we have nothing to be sad about if we don’t move on to state. But that is the absolute goal.”
An Eclectic fire fighter gives a small dog oxygen after it was found in a burning home. The dog quickly rebounded.
Elmore County’s Lalah Culpepper catches a bunt attempt against Demopolis in the AHSAA Class 5A Regional Tournament.
