SPORTS: Stanhope girls fall in bowling semifinals Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
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Relief is on the way for those who need assistance after the Jan. 12 tornado
Holtville High School basketball coach arrested
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
By Cliff Williams Not only did FEMA send a team Staff Writer of 10 representatives to assist at the relief center at the Elmore County A virtual teacher at Elmore Courthouse, the U.S. Small Business County School’s Edge program Administration (SBA) and the State beenalso arrested and charged ofhas Alabama have representatives with school employee distribready and willing to help. Those uting obscene material to a stuseeking assistance can also fill out an dent. application online or on the app or Elmore County Sheriff Bill by calling 1-800-621-3362. Franklin said Emmanuel Preferably, those looking forAndre assisWilson II, 32, of tance can now visit theMontgomery courthouse to turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon.
talk directly to someone directly at a disaster relief center (DRC). FEMA external affairs specialist Wilson wassaid thesome headstill basketDarrell Habisch prefer ball coach at Holtville High sitting across the table from someSchool and was one. placed ad-in these situa“It is so on difficult ministrative tions because you are emotionally leaveHabisch Jan. said. 13 “Many people upset,” according to Eldon’t like doing it online or on the phone. much prefer to come moreThey County inSchools and sit down one on one to talk superabout their situation.” intendent RichResidents ard Dennis.who have already started “We the application processWILSON can also had a recheck for status updates at the DRC. port,” Dennis said. “We had a preliminary
Habisch said having the center at the courthouse has its advantages. “If you have lost your documeninvestigation andit handed it off tation you can find here,” Habisch to the appropriate authorities. said. HeDocumentation was also placed thaton canadminisbe found trative leave at can thatrelate time.” at the courthouse to propDennis saidResidents school will officials erty ownership. need follow theSecurity same number, procedure an ID, Social insura when administrators receive of ance information and photographs damage. of allegations against report The initial application is school staff FEMA and employees. for“Once Individual we Assistance hand it (IA). over, we “Wevery can help with immediate know little about what is going on,” Dennis said. “We See authorities RELIEF, Page if A3 cooperate with necessary.”
Franklin said investigators Wilson was released on a with the Elmore County Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes afiff’s Office have the alleged vic- ter turning himself in accordtim’s phone. Authorities collect- ing to the Elmore County Jail ed Wilson’s phone as well. website. “You could see a conversaDennis said Wilson also tion between the two,” Frank- coached other sports at Holtlin said. “Mr. Wilson is going ville schools including being to contend someone had the the head track coach and assissecurity code to his phone and tant football coach. CLIFF staff WILLIAMS | THE HERALD he was not responsible. There Dennis said other would has opened a Disasterwe Recovery floor ofoftheWilson Elmore County forsecond the duties at isFEMA other information can’tCenter fillonin the Historical Courthouse. disclose now but I don’t think Holtville while he is on adminit’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave.
Chamber holds luncheon
welcoming members By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon.
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 couCLIFF WILLIAMS/ ple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your THE HERALD attendance is an indication people want to get back CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD together and have these opportunities to see each The Elmore County Food Pantry hosted its annual Taste of Elmore County Monday night. It’s the pantry’s largest fundraiser of the year and features Elmore County restaurants serving samples of favorites. See CHAMBER, Page A3
A Delicious
Donation
Food pantry hosts year’s biggest fundraiser
Elmore County Police EMA offers continue CPR training investigation, man no longer suspected
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
“The more, the better” — it’s a phrase normally used with money, friends, vacations or happiness. But in the case of those needing a quick response to a medical emergency such as a heart attack, more is not better — unless it’s about the availability By Jake Arthur of someone to correctly respond to a medical emergency. Once a quarter Chief Videographer the Elmore County EMA and partner Haynes Ambulance offers CPR/AED training the Police are still investigating theand fatal classes are always full. shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart park-
ing lot on Jan. 20. See TRAINING, Page Police were dispatched to the parking lot A3 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. According to Wetumpka police chief Greg Benton, this was not a random shooting. “This was not random, not a random act,” said Benton. “We believe the victim and the perpetrator knew each other.” This is the first homicide in Wetumpka in over three years. The last homicide in the city took place in 2018. “It’s not a good way to start out the new year,” Benton. By CLIFF said WILLIAMS Benton didn’t want to speculate on the News Editor
From ‘atrocious’ to best in state
Wetumpka junior wins top theater award in state
See SHOOTING, Page A3 Wetumpka High School junior Monica Velma was shy when she first began walking the halls of the school as a freshman. But there was something about Velma that Wetumpka theater director Jeff Glass saw. Glass convinced Velma to audition for the school’s theater program and at first, Glass shift in a positive direction. was The questioning if Velma would be able to do school experienced a 62 anything percent after the audition. “It was absolutely atrocious,” Glass said decrease in discipline referrals, Velma’s audition. “She was so nervous she 50 percent decrease in of chronic broke down in tears. Finally, I was like, ‘Can absenteeism, 7 percent increase sing anything?’ She sang, ‘Watermelon in the graduation rate, 33you percent Sugar’ increase in CCR rate and a 20 per-by Harry Styles. It wasn’t good but there was something about her.” cent increase in ACT proficiency Glass was still questioning himself about in the last five years. allowing Velma into the theater program but
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year Staff Report The Alabama Association of Secondary School Principals (AASSP) named Holtville High School principal Kyle Futral the 2022 Alabama High School Principal of the Year. The High School Principal of the Year award was presented to Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a
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schoolwide assembly at Holtville High School. Elmore County Superintendent Richard Dennis was in attendance for the presentation. “Kyle Futral is an exceptional principal and is very proactive and innovative in his thinking and approaches to managing his school,” Dennis said, As principal of Holtville High School, Futral has transformed
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the school culture from that of a school struggling with low morale, achievement and attendance to a school that strives for excellence. By collaborating with staff, many of the school’s issues were identified and addressed. Futral’s leadership style of listening, encouraging, supporting, organizing and challenging the staff and students, caused the school culture to
See PRINCIPAL, Page A3
FUTURAL See AWARD, Page A2
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