SPORTS: Football practice officially kicks off, B1 Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
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Wetumpka 2 yearbasketball old diescoach of gunshot Holtville High School arrested
ByBy CLIFF WILLIAMS Cliff Williams News Editor Staff Writer
AAWetumpka toddler at died tragvirtual teacher Elmore ically early Saturday morning. County School’s Edge program Elmore Sheriff Bill has beenCounty arrested and charged Franklin said theemployee 2 ½ year distribold with school found handgun material in his parents’ utinga obscene to a stubedroom dent. as his mother was at work and theCounty father slept. Elmore Sheriff Bill “The dadsaid got Emmanuel up during the Franklin Andre Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon.
night and was investigating a Wilson was the head basketnoise heard,” Franklin said. ball he coach at Holtville High “He walked outside School and was to see what was goingon on.”adplaced Franklin said the father carried ministrative aleave .40 caliber with him Jan.handgun 13 outside. according to El“FromCounty my understanding when more he came back in he put the gun Schools superon the nightstand intendent Rich-and went back toard sleep,” Franklin said. “A short Dennis. WILSON “We had a report,” Dennis said. “We had a preliminary
time later he was awakened to investigation and handed it off onethe gunappropriate shot.” to authorities. Franklin theadminischild got He was alsobelieves placed on up and started to wander in the trative leave at that time.” house as the father slept. Dennis said school officials “The child undoubtedly was follow the same procedure curiousadministrators I’m sure,” he said. “Hea when receive eased out bed I think against and report of ofallegations picked itstaff up.”and employees. school Franklin tod-we “Once webelieves hand itmost over, dlers have strength to is know veryenough little about what going on,” Dennis said. “We cooperate with authorities if necessary.”
pull the trigger of a handgun and Wilson ent wayswas of securing guns and Franklin said investigators released on a maneuver the gun some. talking with family about with the Elmore County Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes gun afarehave talking about a vicgun tersafety, andhimself Franklininsaid it’s iff’s“You Office the alleged turning accordwithphone. a two- Authorities to three-inchcollectbarrel,” ingimportant to have County a plan for your tim’s to the Elmore Jail Franklin said. “They can make household. ed Wilson’s phone as well. website. the guncould go off.” “Everybody different “You see a conversaDennis said takes Wilson also Ambulance with coached safeguards as far as putting the tionHaynes between the two,”along Frankother sports at Holtthesaid. Elmore County Sheriff’s weapon in a safe location, edulin “Mr. Wilson is going ville schools including being responded to thehad callthe just thecating aboutand guns is toOffice contend someone head children track coach assisnorth ofcode Wetumpka. important Franklin said. security to his phone and tant footballtoo,” coach. Every gun owner has differhe was not responsible. There Dennis saidSee other staff would GUNSHOT, Page A8 is other information we can’t fill in for the duties of Wilson at disclose now but I don’t think Holtville while he is on adminit’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave.
Inmates, officer Police charged with Chamber holds luncheon continue murder in prison investigation, man no longer suspected
welcoming members
the state prison, according to Members An Alabama Departthe Alabama of the ment of Corrections officer Department Wetumpka and two inmates have been of CorrecChambercharged of in the murder of a tions. On Commerce state prisoner. Thursday, attend the SANDERS Rubyn James MurADOC chamber’s “A ray was an inmate at the Correctional Taste of Our Elmore Correctional Facil- Sgt. Demarcus Sanders Home Town” ity who died Wednesday By Jake Arthur and inmates Fredrick luncheon. following an incident at Chief Videographer See MURDER, Page A8 CLIFF WILLIAMS/ By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its annual luncheon to install new officers and board members for the first time in a while Thursday. The COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gatherings but the chamber celebrated the successes of business in Wetumpka. “We haven’t been able to do this for the last couple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your attendance is an indication people want to get back together and have these opportunities to see each
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Police are still investigating the fatal shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart parking lot on Jan. 20. Police were dispatched to the parking lot around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. Once there, they found Centell Winston, 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot wound in the driver seat of his vehicle. STAFF REPORT According to day, Williampolice L. Denny, Wetumpka chief TPI Staff 67, of Alexander the Greg Benton, this was not a randomCity, shootdriver, and Frankie E.W. ing. A two-vehicle“This crashwas that notArmstrong, 59,aofrandom Titus, random, not occurred Thursday the “We passenger, act,” has said Benton. believewere the both vicclaimed two lives. fatally injured when the tim and the perpetrator knew each other.” According toThis an AlaHondainAccord that is the first2008 homicide Wetumpka bama Law Enforcement Denny collidin over three years. Thewas lastdriving homicide in Agency release, approxed in head-on theatcity took place 2018. with the 2018 imately 12:03 p.m. “It’sThursnot a good way toSee start out thePage new A8 CRASH, year,” said Benton. Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
2 people die in vehicle crash Thursday
See CHAMBER, Page A3
AVAILABLE IN DOWNTOWN WETUMPKA
your grandfather’s hat and features onto hats. A floppy bullet from him, any trinket, beach hat with some Modge we can make a memory hat,” Podge applied quickly turns haron Brooks likes hats, Brooks said. “We can do it the hat into a cowboy style. but not just any hat. however, from basic on up.” “We have hats for both Brooks, owner and Brooks said some custom- women and men,” Brooks stylist at the Vault Variety ers seeking custom hats want said. “The idea is to be Shop in downtown Wetump- something simple, while oth- unique and different.” ka, hopped onto a national ers want detail after detail. Some of Brooks’ creations trend in February after notic“Some people want two have cards leading to hat ing the social media posts of scarves and a feather and oth- names such as the “Ace of Nashville’s Alexa Wisnieski ers don’t,” Brooks said. “We Spades.” and her custom hats. A cushave a selection of broken “We will rip the card and tomer and stylist, Brooks jewelry. We are really detail- burn the edges,” Brooks said. already had many hats in her ing them. We have used real “The limit really is the imagStaff Report assembly at Holtville school culture from that of a inventory but decided she schoolwide bones. We are using belts, all the ination.” School. Elmore County Su- school struggling mowould give the trend a try High sorts of stuff.” At first, Brookswith usedlow hats TheinAlabama Association of perintendent and Some attendance Wetumpka. She wanted Along Richard the way,Dennis Brookswas has rale, fromachievement her inventory. Secondary for the presentation. a school strives for excelto take School it a step Principals further and in attendance scrolled through more social towere new, that others vintage. (AASSP) Holtville is an lence. collaborating with staff, createnamed hats with even High more “Kyle mediaFutral than she canexceptioncount “I By found a couple real School principal Kyle the al principal is very the school’s meaning than justFutral customiadding to and her skills to proacmake many gemsofthere,” Brooksissues said. were 2022 Alabama andhats. innovative his think- identified and addressed. Futral’s zation. High School Prin- tivethe She hasinburned cipal of the andspray approaches managing leadership style listening, “MyYear. idea is if you have ingand paintedtocustom SeeofHATS, Page enA8 The High School Principal of his school,” Dennis said, couraging, supporting, organizing the Year award was presented to As principal of Holtville High and challenging the staff and stuFutral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a School, Futral has transformed dents, caused the school culture to By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
S
Wetumpka High receives bomb threat Thursday See SHOOTING, Page A3
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
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By CLIFF WILLIAMS News direction. Editor shift in a positive The
school experienced a 62 percent A videoreferrals, on social media decrease in discipline of a former Wetumpka 50 percent decrease in chronic Middle School student absenteeism, 7 percent increase threatening to blow in the graduation rate, 33 percent up Wetumpka School increase in CCR rate and aHigh 20 perdiscovered Thursday cent increasewas in ACT proficiency in the last fivemorning. years. Elmore County Schools See superintendent PRINCIPAL, PageRichard A3
Dennis said it was only a threat but was taken seriously and the individual will be held accountable. “This individual has a petition (for arrest) on him at this point,” Dennis said. “He will potentially end up (in a juvenile detention facility) for 72 hours. That is in addition to paying FUTURAL See THREAT, Page A6
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