Holtville Heroics: Dawgs snap 6-game skid to rival Wetumpka. See Sports, Page 12. Wetumpka, AL 36092
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SATURDAY-SUNDAY • FEBRUARY 20-21, 2016
THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 11, NO. 8
Judge rules Harrison onto ballot
By MITCH SNEED and CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writers
Voters in Elmore County will see the name of current school superintendent Dr. Andre Harrison on the ballot in November. Judge Sibley Reynolds ruled Wednesday that Alabama’s “Sore Loser” law, which was cited in a motion he filed in January, does not apply in this case. The law prohibits candidates who lose a primary election to run under the banner of a different
party in the general election. Wednesday’s order by Reynolds means that Harrison’s decision to run as an independent candidate does not apply because he hadn’t lost an election, he was just not allowed on the ballot due to a paperwork issue. Harrison This clears the way for Harrison to compete for the spot he now holds, but he
will be an Independent and will face Richard Dennis, who is now unopposed in the March 1 GOP Primary. The news was welcomed by Harrison. “We were very thrilled with the judge’s ruling,” Harrison said. “My attorney was confident all along that the law did not apply to me. We now have a chance to allow the people of Elmore County to choose the next superintendent. We have a lot of innovative things going on in Elmore County and we want to continue that work.”
County fire association looking to fund training expansion
See HARRISON • Page 3
Four teachers honored by school board Wetumpka teachers respond to being named 2016 teacher of the year
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Elmore County Fire Fighters Association wants to add a burn facility at its training grounds and expand on its training tower to make room for high-rise search and rescue along with rope and high-angle training operations. It would be the second phase of construction for the roughly twoyear-old tower and cost about $100,000,” ECFF Chairman John Wilson said. The burn building would require the construction of a new structure at the ECFF countywide training grounds in Wetumpka, while the tower would be extended. At the outset of the tower’s initial construction Wilson said his organization had funds of its own directed toward the construction, but went to the Elmore County See FIRE• Page 2
Harrison’s election woes began in December after Dennis, who is principal at Prattville High School, raised questions with Elmore County Probate Court Judge John Enslen. He claimed Harrison had missed a filing deadline with verification of his professional credentials that is supplied by the State Department of Education. Harrison was a day late on filing that form, so Enslen asked Reynolds for an emergency ruling on Harrison’s status
Corey Arwood / The Herald
At Thursday’s local Republican forum, candidates running for Elmore County Commission Districts 1-3 were from left to right: Troy Stubbs, David Bowen, James “Trey” Taylor, Mack Daugherty and Shanna Chamblee.
GREAT DEBATES
Local candidates debate at Republican Committee Forum By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Republican candidates for Elmore County offices who are up for election on March 1 convened at the county judicial building to discuss their platforms and debate the issues that set them apart or likened them to one another. In all, there were around 13 candidates gathered at the Elmore County Republican Executive Committee Candidate Forum. There were candidates from Elmore County Commission districts 1-3, along with those running for District Attorney, Superintendent of Education and Board of Education District 4 all at Thursday’s forum.
“I enjoyed the forum, it’s unusual to get to see everybody at the same time and what surprised me more than anything is how well conducted they were,” said Chuck Billings, of Elmore County’s Lightwood community. The chair of the ECREC, Vicki Bonner Ward, said she thought the forum went “exceptionally well.” “I was really pleased with the people that turned out and I think the candidates gave some informative answers,” Ward said. Another audience member, Kathleen Holt, seemed equally satisfied with the event and also seemed focused on the content of the forum as a highlight. See DEBATE • Page 2
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
The Elmore County School Board released the results for the 2016 teacher of the year awards for all Elmore County schools and a list of roughly 20 teachers from the entire school system. Of those, four teachers were honored from Wetumpka schools. Kimberly Deem, a first grade teacher from Wetumpka Elementary School, was honored. “I was very honored to receive the award. It was a pleasant surprise especially to have been nominated by my coworkers at the first level and then nominated by the school, it was a definitely a pleasant surprise,” Deem said. Deem, a Montgomery native who has taught at WES for about 9 years, said teaching first grade kept her young. She said her philosophy was to be at school everyday, and as Deem said “try to be my own teacher of the year every year.” At Wetumpka Middle School, two teachers were honored. Kimberly Olsen received the award for teaching 5th and 6th grades at the middle school. Olsen said she has taught 5th grade at WMS around 16 years after moving to the Eclectic area from California around 20 years ago. She said the nomination and award came as a See TEACHERS • Page 2
Auto program expansion praised at groundbreaking ceremony By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
The groundbreaking ceremony for an automotive technology expansion at Elmore County Technical center that was said to benefit both students and the local economy drew praise from high profile state and local officials. Martha Roby, U.S. representative for Alabama’s 2nd district, was present and Corey Arwood / The Herald delivered remarks. Pictured from left at Friday’s ground breaking were Larry Teel, She later participated in the groundbreakPresident Board of Education, Michael Morgan, Vice President Board ing and posed in line with Andre’ Harrison, of Education, Rep. Martha Roby, Dr. Andre’ L. Harrison, Superinten- Elmore County Board of Education superdent, Dale Bain, Board Member and Dr. Jimmy Hull, Director Elmore intendent, along with other ECTC adminisCounty Technical Center.
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tration and county officials as they hoisted golden shovels for photographs. According to information from ECTC, the expansion will connect to the Automobile Technology building by way of a canopy. It is expected to eventually house two vehicle bays, a vehicle lift, compressed air outlets for use of electrical power tools and roll-up doors that will provide access to the work areas. The total area of the project is about 2,000 square feet. Jimmy Hull, ECTC director, said that through analysis of workforce data from See EXPANSION • Page 3
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