INSIDE TODAY:
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The Tallassee Tribune DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER TALLASSEE AREA
TALLASSEE, AL 36078
50¢
August 23, 2017
TALLASSEETRIBUNE.COM
VOL. 118, NO. 34
Police identify 18-month-old drowning victim
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
The Tallassee Police Department has identified the toddler who drowned Saturday in the Tallapoosa River in Tallassee as 18-month-old Preston Williams from Phenix City. The young boy’s family members were in Tallassee visiting friends from the area.
way back across the river,” Jones said. “That’s when the situation quickly took a tragic turn for the worst. We believe they slipped and dropped the child in the water.” Divers from the Elmore County Sheriffs Department arrived around 3p.m. to begin searching the river for the boy’s body. Several fire departments were on scene, but the Tallassee
Fire Department was first to arrive. “Once we talked to the family and realized the circumstances, we searched the area and it became apparent that this was a recovery effort and we called the divers,” Jones said. According to Jones, another member of the party had to be rescued after water began to rise leaving the See DROWNING • Page 2
IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Jones given life, 282 years for crime spree that began in Tallassee
According to Tallassee Fire Chief Travis Jones, the call for help came in at 1:45 p.m. reporting that the toddler had fallen into the Tallapoosa River in an area near what locals refer to as the “Big Eddy” in Tallassee at the boat ramp behind AES on Alabama Highway 229. “Once the family realized the water was rising, they tried to make their
Tallassee’s own inducted into Senior Citizens Hall of Fame
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Ronald Griffith of Tallassee received a high honor when he was inducted into the esteemed Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame during a special ceremony held in Montgomery at the First Baptist Church. Griffith was acknowledged for his service as state president of Alabama Retired State Employees Advocacy League/ Alabama Public Employees Advocacy League. Griffith was also honored for his efforts to preserve penSee GRIFFITH • Page 3
Submitted / The Tribune
Madelaine Worley, a senior at Tallassee High School, is honored as a Teen Spotlight in Potential Magazine for excelling in her academics and talent. She is featured alongside her parents, Danny and Cindy.
Tallassee senior featured in Potential Magazine STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Submitted / The Tribune
Ronald Griffith of Tallassee was inducted into the prestigious Alabama Senior Citizens Hall of Fame.
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Madelaine Worley, a senior at Tallassee High School, was recently honored as a Teen Spotlight in Potential Magazine for excelling in her academics and talent. At the young age of four, Madelaine and her family were forced to evacuate their Louisiana home due to Hurricane
Katrina. They traveled to Tallassee to stay with family and have lived there ever since. Madelaine started kindergarten in the Tallassee City School District and has been thriving there for her entire academic career. Her claim to fame is her love for music, which began at the end of her sixth grade year. She was at a standstill with other extracurricular See WORLEY • Page 3
Garnetts celebrate 65th wedding anniversary STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Mr. & Mrs. Elmer Lee Garnett celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Aug. 19 at a dinner at Howie’s Restaurant in Smiths Station. Their children hosted the dinner in their honor. Elmer and Carolyn (Godwin) were married on Aug. 16,1952, in Meridian, Mississippi. They lived in Tallassee until Elmer’s career in the Army eventually took them to Fort Benning and Columbus, Georgia, where they lived for most of his 28 years of military service. For the past 30 years, they have resided in Smiths Station. Elmer and Carolyn have three sons, Danny (Debbie), Tommy (Cheryl) and Scott (Debbie). They also have many grandchildren and great-grandchildren who lovingly refer to them as Nan and Pap. Their loving hearts and open doors keep a steady stream of family and friends gathered around the dinner table challenging Nan and Pap to a quick game of dominos or marbles.
Submitted / The Tribune
Left: Elmer and Carolyn (Godwin) were married on Aug. 16,1952, in Meridian, Mississippi. They lived in Tallassee until Elmer’s career in the Army eventually took them to Fort Benning, Georgia. Right: Mr. & Mrs. Elmer Lee Garnett celebrated their 65th wedding anniversary on Aug. 19 at a dinner at Howie’s Restaurant in Smiths Station.
LINVILLE Time to Get EMORIA M
F U N E R A L
Tariq Khalil Jones, 35, of Tuskegee, Alabama, was sentenced to life in federal prison plus 282 years on Aug. 23 for committing numerous armed robberies and a carjacking, announced A. Clark Morris, Acting U.S. Attorney for the Middle District of Alabama. The trail of crimes began on Jan. 16, 2016, when Jones robbed the Dollar General on Notasulga Highway in Tallassee. After robbing the Dollar General Jones went on what officials described as a “crime spree”. Jones made his way from Tallassee to Georgia robbing businesses as he went. Jones robbed Tiger Spirits and the Chevron Store 10 in Auburn. The Family Dollar in Opelika and Dadeville were also targeted by Jones and he robbed businesses in the Georgia cities of Newnan and LaGrange. In all, Jones robbed ten businesses as he made his from Alabama to Georgia and back. Jones used a firearm during each of the crimes and while fleeing one of them, he shot at a vehicle with a father and his 3-year-old daughter inside. Luckily, neither was harmed. After another robbery, he carjacked a woman in the store’s parking lot. Jones was indicted in October 2016 See JONES • Page 2
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