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SPORTS, PAGE B1

ECLECTIC, PAGE B6

Tallassee to take on sectionals this weekend

ECHS senior wins Republican Party scholarship Dedicated to the Growth and Prosperity of the Greater Tallassee Area

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VOL. 126, NO. 6

FEBRUARY 7, 2024

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New rec center among projects in planning stages Surveys for quality of life projects have provided information for city and county leaders to help bring new Lodging taxes from across Elmore facilities for recreation and educaCounty could bring about $10 miltion. lion in projects to Tallassee. “Nothing has been finalized yet,” Millbrook is getting 17 Springs Tallassee Mayor Sarah Hill said. thanks in part to investment from “We are putting together a whole city and Elmore County funds. The recreation plan for about 20 to 30 majority of lodging tax is collected years.” in western Elmore County along the The plan will have multiple Interstate 65 corridor. But some of phases. The first part includes a new that funding is coming east to fund artificial turf field for J.E. “Hot” quality of life projects in Tallassee. O’Brien Stadium and new recreation By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

center. A new rec center will likely be located on the site of the current city shop, where the city owns 17 acres. It would include walking trails potentially down to the lakefront where the city already has a boardwalk. Possible amenities in a new community/recreation center could include multiple basketball courts, pickleball courts, meeting rooms and workout areas. Hill said the plan is to use the See CENTER, Page A6

CLIFF WILLIAMS | TPI

The quality of life project would install an artificial surface at J.E. Hot O’Brien Stadium. It would allow more use of the facility.

Wetumpka man pleads guilty to killing black bear plea deal, according to court documents. ADCNR conservation A man who was arrest- education coordinator ed in September for Marriane Gauldin said in shooting a black bear had September she believes his day in court. the bear shot in the WallMichael Cole Watsboro community is the kins, 33, of Wetumpka same bear videoed and pleaded guilty to two of posted to social media the three charges against him day before. stemming from the inci“It was killed very dent. close to where the video According to court was taken,” Gauldin said. records, Watkins entered She said it was a male guilty pleas to hunting a bear and at least 3 years black bear and hunting old. Gauldin said black after dark before Elmore bears are considered a County District Court game animal in the State Judge Glenn Goggans. of Alabama, but that The charge of hunting doesn’t mean they can be during a closed season hunted. was dismissed. “Due to low population Goggans suspended a there is no open season six-month jail sentence on black bears,” she said. for 24 months of probaAccording to Gauldin, tion and a $4,000 fine. there has never been a Watkins also loses his reported incident of an hunting and fishing privi- aggressive bear initiating leges for three years. contact with a human in Law enforcement offi- the state. cers with the Wildlife Harming or killing a and Freshwater Fisheries black bear is a Class A Division of the Alabama misdemeanor in the State Department of Conserva- of Alabama and carries a tion and Natural Resourc- punishment of up to one es were agreeable to the year in jail if convicted. By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

“Due to low population there is no open season on black bears”

JACKSON, REELTOWN COMMUNITY

RALLY FOR ONE ANOTHER One of her final wishes was a selfless one as she donated her Make-A-Wish elody Jackson has Foundation money to the touched all of us in Reeltown band. one way or another. Jackson was diagnosed As we grapple with the with terminal cancer in death of Melody, who took August 2023. In January, she her last breath Monday donated $30,000 through the night, it’s hard to fully quan- Make-A-Wish Foundation tify what she meant to Reel- to Reeltown High School’s town and the surrounding marching band for them to community. receive new uniforms. By LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN Mangaing Editor

Before being diagnosed with adrenocortical carcinoma, Jackson was in the band and played the alto saxophone. She knew new band uniforms were something the band needed. Her aunt Jennifer Spain said Jackson is a naturally giving person and through it all has been thinking of See RALLY, Page A6

ABIGAIL MURPHY | TPI

Reeltown High School student Melody Jackson died Monday, Feb. 5 after a battle with terminal cancer.

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