Issuu

INSIDE TODAY

Edgewood stifles Eastwood in blowout. SPORTS Page 12

State’s General Fund woes to be at the center of new session.

Opinion Page 4

THE WETUMPKA HERALD Elmore County’s Oldest Newspaper - Established 1898

Wetumpka, AL 36092

50¢

WEDNESDAY • January 27, 2016

THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM

VOL. 118, NO.4

Will current superintendent be on ballot? Probate judge seeks clarification from Circuit Court on eligibility of independent candidates By JOHN PEELER Managing Editor

Probate Court Judge John Enslen, in his official capacity as the Chief Elections Officer of Elmore County, has petitioned the Circuit Court of Elmore County for an emergency declaration judgment and finding on whether Andre’ L. Harrison, current superintendent of education for Enslen

Elmore County, can be placed on the ballot as an independent in the upcoming March 1 primary. Harrison, who was previously disqualified as a Republican candidate due to missing a certificate of administration from the Alabama State Department of Education, sent a letter of intent to Enslen Jan. 4 indicating he would run as an independent candidate, the petition alleges. In his petition, Enslen seeks the answers to four basic questions: Whether Harrison can appear on any subsequent ballot for an election after being disqual-

ified for that year; whether Harrison may legally be an independent candidate; whether Harrison’s name should appear on the election ballot in the event he supplies the requisite independent-candidate petition and whether any votes cast for him if his name is placed on the general-election ballot, should be counted. Should Harrison be required to present an independent-candidate petition, the petition would have to contain not less that 625 valid signatures of registered See COURTS Page 2

Wetumpka man murdered, suspect in custody

Water main break slows traffic By JOHN PEELER Managing Editor

By JOHN PEELER Managing Editor

The Wetumpka Police Department is investigating a murder that occurred around 5:15 p.m. Monday in the 1000 block of N.W. Main Street. Lt. Ed Gumpf said the WPD responded to a call and found an unresponsive white male with a sin- Sanders gle gunshot to the chest. Gumpf identified the deceased as 57-yearold Tracey Brooks of Wetumpka. He said the suspect; Jacob Sanders, 23, was apprehended and has been charged with murder. Sanders is being detained in the Elmore County Jail. His bond has been set at $150,000. Gumpf said the investigation is still pending.

Contributed / The Herald

Senator Clyde Chambliss and Representative Mike Holmes listen to Elmore County Engineer Richie Beyer brief the two during the Autauga and Elmore counties road tour. The tour was part of the DRIVE Alabama campaign.

Road Tour comes to Elmore County Legislators sample road and bridge issues facing Elmore and Autauga By JOHN PEELER Managing Editor

Legislators representing Autauga and Elmore counties, along with Autauga County Engineer John Mark Davis and Elmore County Engineer Richie Beyer toured the two counties recently for a sampling of the road and bridge issues facing the two counties. The tour is part of the DRIVE Alabama campaign. Beyer said he and the Davis collaborated together to highlight the positive things the counties

Elmore County Art Guild officially opens gallery STAFF REPORT The Herald Staff

USPS 681-260

have done through the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program. “This was to show some of our legislators some of our needs,” he said. “Just to drive home the point to them we are doing everything we can with our resources, but we really are in need of some more road and bridge funding. We want to take what we’ve done good in ATRIP and leverage some of that money on routes that are eligible for federal funds … which is in our case about 75 percent of our paved road system.” See TOUR • Page 2

A broken water main slowed traffic on Alabama state Route 14 between Wetumpka and Tallassee at mile marker 177 Monday and Tuesday and backed up traffic until around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday making a long wait for motorists. “There were two leaks, one leak … and all the rain we’ve had washed the bank off and it undermined our pipe,” said Robert Prince, Central Elmore County Water and Sewer Authority general manager. Prince said the break occurred Monday afternoon and crews have been working on the leak continuously. Around 5:15 p.m. Tuesday the water authority crews began cleaning up the area, allowing traffic to flow in both directions.

The Elmore County Art Guild has officially opened their Gallery space at Wetumpka City Hall, Administrative Building , 408 South Main Street. Guild member Kathy Atchison is getting the gallery ready for visitors. There are 12 participating members that have their artwork on display and to sell until

March 31. They are Doris Bell, Bobby Carr, Libby Christensen, Shirley Esco, Barbara Fitzgerald, Judy Lea Graves, Rebecca Grice, Carol Hickman, Mary Jacobs, Manjula Kumar, Adelia Turner, and Paula Wheat. Each artist has been entering competitions and displaying and selling their work for many years. Atchinson encourages residents to come by and enjoy the local Elmore County artists.

C &S

DEER PROCESSING –Whaley Family–

88199 Tallassee Hwy. (1 Mile from the old Johnny G’s) •Vacuum-seal

Available •Basic Cut . . . Starting at $ $5 $55 55

( 334) 283-2876 ( 334

Kathy Atchison is busy getting the Gallery ready for visitors at the Elmore County Art Guild gallery in the City Hall Administration Building. Contributed / The Herald