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WEDNESDAY • JULY 18, 2018

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

Vol. 29, No. 29

Dozier elected as circuit clerk By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer

Wetumpka resident Michael Dozier was elected as Elmore County Circuit Clerk during the Republican primary runoff election on Tuesday, July 17, defeating incumbent Brian Justiss by more than 1,000 votes. Dozier received a total of 5,379 votes and Justiss received 4,078 votes. Dozier will begin his six-year term in January 2019. “I’m excited to serve the people of Elmore County,” Dozier said. “We’re just

going to do what we have to do to be fully prepared for the day that we take office.” Dozier referred to his campaign as “long and draining,” and said he is happy to have won after running for office for the first time. “It’s a lot of hard work. We went door to door, not only for the primary, but also for the runoff. It’s not cheap for sure,” Dozier said. As the son of former Elmore County Circuit Clerk Larry Dozier, who served in the office for 16 years, Dozier said his background is one of the things that prompted him to run. “I grew up in the office,” Dozier said.

When making the decision to run, Dozier said he believed that he was capable of improving “the state of the office.” “I felt like it was time for me to take a stand and try to bring the office back to where it once was and to do my part in serving the people,” Dozier said. One of the problems facing Elmore County residents, Dozier said, was the lack of timely responses to phone calls made to the circuit clerk’s office. “That’s going to be the number one thing we try to fix, immediately,” Dozier said.

Justiss said he is glad to have served his six-year term as circuit clerk and is thankful for his time in office. “I enjoyed representing and helping the people of Elmore County and providing the services I was elected to provide,” Justiss said. Out of the 55,385 Elmore County residents who are registered to vote, a total of 10,479 cast their ballots. Elmore County’s overall voter turnout amounted to 18.92 percent, with 30 out of 31 precincts reporting. Provisional ballots will be counted at a later date.

Murder suspect in Holtville homicide denied bond request By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer

An Elmore man charged in connection with a Holtville homicide will remain in jail after a judge denied his motion to modify his bond. Efrem Edrick Brown, 56, who lists an address on Alabama 143, had sought a bond hearing to remove the cashonly portion of his $50,000 bond. Brown was initially arrested and charged with the murder Brown of 55-year-old Tony Carr of Holtville on April 25. Carr’s body was discovered by his wife and brother in the garage behind his Holtville residence between 5:30 and 6 p.m. on April 16. It is believed Carr was shot to death earlier that day. Authorities initially thought Carr died as the result of blunt force trauma, but it was later determined he had been shot in the head. Court documents stated Brown was employed by Carr, and that Carr had told his wife, brother and best friend he would likely fire Brown. In the motion, Brown cited several personal reasons why See BROWN • Page 2

Submitted / The Observer

Elmore County High School graduate and Eclectic native Blake Swicord, second from the right, will complete his work with the Harvard University Visiting Research Internship Program. Through the internship, Swicord gained real-world experience in the medical field.

REAL-WORLD EXPERIENCE Eclectic native reflects on internship at Harvard

By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer

s he nears the end of his time working with a prestigious eight-week internship program at Massachusetts General Hospital, Eclectic native and recent Troy University graduate Blake Swicord said his experience will leave a lasting impression on his future medical career Swicord is one of six students from throughout the United States participating in the Harvard University Visiting

Refuge Baptist Church honored Arvel Griffith, left, and declared July 15 ‘Arvel Griffith Day’ as he celebrated his 99th birthday. Arvel is pictured with Bro. Steve Scarborough who is pastor at Refuge Baptist Church.

Research Internship Program. The program began on June 4 and will end on July 27. Swicord described his experience with VRIP as incredible. “Basically, the program was giving me experience in these labs, showing the problems that there are in healthcare,” Swicord said. “The program has made me realize that, one day, we can solve some of these.” Swicord said he applied to the program in January because of his interest in doing medical research outside of Alabama. “As much as I loved it, I thought I would also love some See HARVARD • Page 2

Refuge Baptist declares July 15 Arvel Griffith Day in honor of valued community member By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer

Arvel Griffith was born on July 15, 1919 in Red Hill. Red Hill’s Refuge Baptist Church held a special lunch last Sunday to celebrate a special member of the community. Griffith celebrated his 99th birthday on July 15 and Refuge Baptist Church declared it “Arvel Griffith” Day for his “Untiring service and heart to

Submitted / The Observer

see the Kingdom of God expanded to all people shall be declared,” Refuge Baptist Church’s Bro. Steve Scarborough. A graduate of Wadley College, Arvel served in the WWII and retired from Maxwell Air Force Base where he was supervised daily inventory operations in 1962. “Throughout his years of service to our Lord, from the local church, 79 years at Refuge, to State Conventions See GRIFFITH • Page 2

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Obituaries Charlene Wilson Gross GROSS, Charlene Wilson a resident of Wetumpka, Alabama passed away Monday, July 9, 2018 at the age of 60. Visitation will be held Thursday, July 12, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. with the funeral services at 12:00 p.m. at Equality Methodist Church with Rev. David Jones officiating. Burial will be at the church cemetery with Gassett Funeral Home of Wetumpka directing. Mrs. Gross is survived by her children Ashley Adams (Hunter), Trey Gross (Alex), brothers, Jimmy Wilson, Chris Wilson (Pam), aunt Ann Skellie, grandchildren Baylor Adams, Baxlee Adams, and Lincoln Gross. Pallbearers will be Jonathan Wilson, Oliver Faulkner, Evin Wood, Johnny Wood, Johnny Abrams, and James Butler. Flowers will be accepted or memorial contributions may be made to Comfort Care Hospice, 315 St. Luke’s Drive, Montgomery, Alabama 36117. Online Guest Book available at www.gassettfuneralhome.net

Brown

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he believed the cash-only stipulation should be removed. “My family needs me. I’m their sole provider,” Brown wrote. “My medicine is not coming in time.” The request was denied by Elmore County District Court Judge James Glenn Goggans on July 13. In June, Brown’s attorney also filed a motion to remove the cash-only portion of his bond and to reduce the bond amount. The motion claimed that Brown was not a flight risk and has “close ties to the community.” This request was also denied, and Brown’s case was bound over to the Elmore County Grand Jury. Murder is a Class A felony, meaning Brown could be sentenced to life in prison if he is convicted. As of July 16, Brown remained in the Elmore County Jail.

Griffith

continued from page 1

of Hawaii and Wyoming, and our National Convention serving at Glorieta Retreat Center in New Mexico and places beyond our knowledge,” Scarboroug said. “We celebrate his accomplishments and take note that this is a significant day in the life of our church.” Arvel was born in Red Hill and has been a member of Refuge Baptist Church for 79 years. He has three children, Rodney, Wayne and Judy. He was married to Mytrice Cason Griffith for 37 years and has been married to his current wife Faye Abrahams Griffith for 37 years. When Griffith wasn’t serving his country he enjoyed fixing cars and was an electrical specialist. “He was always busy,” Arvel’s son Rodney Griffith said.

Carmen Rodgers / The Observer

Local fishermen are left without a fishing hole for the remainder of the summer and much of next summer after Alabama Power lowers the water level on Lake Thurlow in order to replace the spill gates on Thurlow Dam leaving the boat ramp at Tallassee’s Riverwalk completely exposed.

Thurlow Dam work leaves local boaters put out By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer

Alabama Power recently began work to replace the spill gates at Thurlow Dam. In order to do this the water level in Lake Thurlow had to be dropped to ensure against overflow during the construction. Lake levels have continually dropped since work began on the dam. Levels are so low the only boat access to Lake Thurlow is no longer accessible because it no longer extends into the water. This has caused frustrations for many who regularly utilize the boat ramp. “I can’t put my boat in,” lifelong Tallassee resident Bill Patterson said. During Tuesday’s work session, Tallassee

Mayor Johnny Hammock informed the city council about concerns with the now inaccessible boat ramp that were recently voiced by community members and how much the prospective boat ramp extension project would set the city back. “I had an estimate done for where the water is right now,” Hammock said. “With the water level where it is as of today, it will be $8,000.” According to Hammock, the cost of extending the Lake Thurlow boat ramp will be even more because the water level is expected to further drop in the near future. “I talked to the power company today and they are about to drop it another 5 feet,” he said. “Once the water level drops it will be even more.” According to Hammock, the end cost could reach upwards of $20,000 to extend the ramp far enough to be usable even when water

levels are extremely low. This left Hammock questioning the financial practicality of the project. “Is it fiscally responsible to spend this money for a few people to be able to use that water this summer and next?” he asked. “Actually, it wouldn’t even be useable this summer because when they drop it again the bed has to dry out and the sediment harden. So, actually, one summer’s use?” In addition to lacking the needed funds for the purposed extension project, Hammock believes boaters would face hazardous conditions if the water were accessible. “I have fished out there my whole life and there are spots where you aren’t used to it being that low. There’s going to be stumps under the water and other things that will tear a prop up,” he said. Hammock then went on to explain he was opposed to spending such

Harvard

a large amount of money on a project that would serve only a portion of the city’s population for one summer and that could potentially risk boater’s safety. “It’s my personal opinion, but I don’t think we should do it from a safety aspect,” Hammock said. “I know it’s an inconvenience for a lot of people but I think it’s a waste of taxpayer money when we don’t have it in the budget.” Members of the council agreed the boat ramp extension project at Lake Thurlow was not feasible. “That’s a lot of money,” councilman David Stough said. “I’m not sure we should spend that money.” One councilman had a simple solution to the boaters who have been put out by the lack of access to Lake Thurlow. “They can go 5 miles up the road and get on the middle pond,” councilman Jeremy Taunton said.

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time doing research out of the state and getting out of my comfort zone,” Swicord said. As part of the program, students are paired with a mentor and work in labs at Harvard-affiliated hospitals. Swicord is currently being mentored by cardiologist Anthony Rosenzweig. “He’s a great guy,” Swicord said. “He’s super nice and he’s been a great mentor to me.” Swicord graduated from Troy University in 2017 with a degree in

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biology-medical science and will begin his second year of medical school at the University of Alabama at Birmingham after the program ends. Swicord said he had ambitions to become a doctor even before he graduated from Elmore County High School. Swicord said one of his main reasons for becoming a doctor came on his 13th birthday, when his father was severely injured in a motorcycle accident. He said his father’s recovery was only through the grace of God and the work of the doctors. While Swicord has accomplished many things since, he credited much of that to the people who mentored him during his years in Eclectic. Swicord thanked his high school AP Biology teacher, Kyle Futral, for instilling a passion for science. He also expressed his appreciation for Montgomery Cardiovascular Association President Rick Roney, who was the father of his youth pastor at Eclectic, for allowing him to shadow local doctors and giving him guidance when he needed it. “I don’t think I’ve really done anything,” Swicord said. “It’s all the incredible people I’ve been surrounded by who have pushed me in this direction.”

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JULY 18, 2018 • PAGE 3

Jones talks new cold case bill By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Sen. Doug Jones took time out of his schedule to speak with media outlets around the state Thursday morning to elaborate on his recently introduced bill, the Civil Jones Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018, which would make classified documentation from criminal civil rights cases available to the public. “I have been working in a bipartisan way to get this going,” Jones said. “The problem with the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) as it is written is that it prevents the timely release of executive branch records, and congressional records are not subject to public disclosure.” Jones added documentation released through FOIA is oftentimes redacted and the application process to receive documents is cumbersome, making it that much more difficult to obtain information by less-dedicated researchers and investigators. Jones’ bill, similar to the 1992 bill that established a procedure for declassifying government documents surrounding the 1963 assassination of President John F. Kennedy, will create an impartial review board to go over documents from investigations into criminal cases from the civil rights era and will be responsible for making them available to everyone interested in looking into these investigations. “This bill expands the universe of people who can investigate these crimes,” Jones said. One thing that makes Jones’ legislation an interesting bill is it was, at least in part, the vision of a New Jersey high school teacher, Stuart Wexler, and some of his students at Hightstown High School. “It’s interesting that it means so much to students who weren’t even born at the time of these cases, that they’re interested in this,” Jones said. “They approached me about this even before I was considering running for the Senate. I have enthusiastically endorsed their efforts.” While Jones feels not every unsolved case from the civil rights era, many of which are from Alabama and Mississippi, will be solved if the bill passes, is then signed into law and the documentation is available, he does hope this brings some

closure to those involved by knowing the truth about what happened and why. Jones added there has been a companion bill introduced in the House of Representatives. With this House bill and the re-opening of the 1955 Emmett Till case from Mississippi, Jones hopes his legislation will gain a great deal of traction during this legislative session and potentially even be signed into law by President Donald Trump before the end of the year. Jones said he has heard from a number of senators who are supportive of this bill and are interested in becoming co-sponsors to this bill. While he did not want to name specific names just yet, he said these potential co-sponsors were coming from both sides of the aisle, and Jones felt good about getting their names added to the legislation in the coming weeks. “Some of these names may surprise you,” Jones said. “There has been no noise of opposition yet. I anticipate there might be some though,” which he felt might come mostly from individuals whose parents and grandparents may have been involved in the crimes. Along with gathering support from fellow senators, including those on the Homeland Security Committee, Jones has been working to garner support from the Department of Justice and Attorney General Jeff Sessions, who Jones said has been open to looking into these records. Jones has also been working to coordinate with the National Archives, as it would also be involved with the release of the documents in question. In addition to talking about the Civil Rights Cold Case Records Collection Act of 2018, Jones also commented on President Trump’s recent nomination of Brett Kavanaugh as the next Supreme Court Justice. “I feel we have to take responsibility and look at the nominee,” Jones said. “I want to do my due diligence and look at him carefully. I take this very seriously. I want to do my research and then cast my vote on what I think is best for the country.” Jones said he has plans to meet Kavanaugh in the future, but wants to try and avoid doing this until he has done his due diligence and better understands Kavanaugh’s background. “I expect to meet him, but not soon,” Jones said.

Pet of the Week – Bennett Bennett is a six-month old hound mix boy who is just a happy-go-lucky teenager wanting a family to call his own. Bennett and his sister and brother (Dottie and Cody) should be in the 40-pound range when fully grown and are just playful, easygoing pups that will be content camping, going out on a lake, taking walks or just hanging out on the couch in the air-conditioning. Shelter adoption fees are $100 for dogs and $50 for cats under one-year-old; cats over one-year-old can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choos-

ing. This adoption fee completely covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, de-worming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough, free health exam with a participating veterinarian. To meet Bennett and all the other pets at the shelter, visit 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. Visit www.elmorehumane. org for more information or email hselco@ bellsouth.net or call 334-567-3377. The shelter is open for adoptions Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Annual auction quickly approaching By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

Just two weeks remain until our 13th annual Wags & Whiskers Auction and your chance to find some treasures while also supporting our shelter. We hope to have a packed house at the Wind Creek Wetumpka Entertainment Center located at 100 River Oaks Drive in Wetumpka on Friday, July 27. We will start the evening with great food provided by Wind Creek, two cash bars, a huge selection of items up for auction, door prizes and more. All the proceeds go to directly to our shelter so we can continue to be a vital resource for both our human and animal community here in Elmore County. This is both a silent and live auction and don’t worry if this is new to you – we will be happy to show you how it works. Silent auction bidding begins at 6 p.m. when we open the entertainment center doors but bidding will go on throughout the evening. Wind Creek Wetumpka will ensure a great layout of food for everyone as well as two cash bars. Scott and Michelle Williams and the great crew from High as the Sky Auction Company will crank up the live auction bidding about 7 p.m. and Kyle Kessler from Kyle-Co Entertainment will keep us informed throughout the evening

as our master of ceremonies. Silent auction bidding will continue throughout and until the cowbell clangs and our many auction volunteers will then help everyone collect their items and do the final payment processing. Parking for our auction will be in the lot across the road from the entertainment center and please refrain from parking in the gas station/store area or behind the center as your vehicle is subject to being towed. So we can prepare the printed listings for auction night, any item accepted now may be held for next year’s auction, or if used this year, will not be listed online and may be listed in the “too-late-to-classify” section of the program. You can preview every item that will be in our auction by checking out our special auction website: www.elmorehumane. auction where you’ll find pet items, weekend hotel/resort packages, Talladega packages, gift certificates, wine and other baskets, artwork, home décor, and more. You can purchase tickets for $25 person at our shelter located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka or at the door. We also have a limited number of tables seating 10 for $300. Come to the shelter or call us at 334-567-3377 to pay for your table before they are all gone.

Tallassee City Schools

850 Friendship Road | Tallassee, AL | 334.283.2760

Teachers of the Year! Natasha Bell Sullen named Teacher of the Year for Tallassee Elementary and Tallassee City Schools Natasha Bell Sullen will be the Guidance Counselor at Southside Middle School for the 2018-2019 school year. Before becoming the counselor at SMS, she spent 20 years at Tallassee Elementary School teaching multi-age (K-1), Kindergarten, and as a Guidance Counselor. She is currently co-director of the Extended Day Program at TES. Natasha is a native of Shorter, AL. She attended Deborah Cannon Wolfe and she graduated from Booker T. Washington High School. She received her Bachelor of Science from Auburn University Montgomery in Early Childhood/Elementary Education, Master of Science in School Counseling from Alabama State University, Certiﬁcation in School Psychometry from Troy Montgomery, and her Education Specialist in Guidance Counseling from the University of West Alabama. Natasha is a member of the Tallassee Education Association, the Alabama Education Association, and the National Education Association. She has been recognized as reading teacher of the year for many years while teaching Kindergarten, Wal-Mart Teacher of the year, Who’s Who Among American Teachers, and most recently teacher of the year for TES and Tallassee City Schools.

April Powell named Teacher of the Year for Tallassee High School April Powell is a 2000 Tallassee High School graduate; she graduated Auburn University in 2004 with a Bachelor of Science in Secondary English Language Arts Education. In January 2005, she began her teaching career at Tallassee High School, where she currently chairs the English department and teaches AP English Language and Composition and English 12. Mrs. Powell also sponsors the National Honor Society for THS. She has created content for ACCESS and currently works with ACCESS as both a teacher and facilitator. Presently, Mrs. Powell is seeking her master’s degree.

Josh Taylor named Teacher of the Year for Southside Middle School Josh Taylor is graduate of Reeltown High School (2002), Auburn University (2008) with a bachelors in social science education, and Liberty University (2011) with a Masters of Arts in Religion (Christian Leadership emphasis). He married the former Laci Whitman of Notasulga in 2012 and since then they have settled in Notasulga and have two children, Cooper (2) and Carter (5 months). Josh has been employed at Tallassee City Schools for the past 4 years at Southside Middle School where he teaches 8th grade history. In addition to teaching, he has coached multiple sports for the system, been a new teacher mentor, SGA student sponsor, and a member of the Superintendent’s Teacher Advisory Team.

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Opinion

“Our liberty cannot be guarded but by the freedom of the press, nor that be limited without danger of losing it.” —Thomas Jefferson

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YOUR VIEW

As population rises, leaders ignore the obvious

T We’d like to share your thoughts and opinions with the area. It’s free, and it only takes a few moments of your time to submit a letter to the editor. You may submit one letter per month, limited to 300 words or less. You can mail your letter in to us, or email it.

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Eclectic Observer

he Washington Post recently published a column titled “Why do we need more people in this country anyway?” which is making an internet splash among stable population and true environmental advocates. Michael Anton, a former national security official, wrote his piece in the wake of the recently derailed congressional effort to pass an amnesty that would sharply increase today’s U.S. population, 328 million and rising, over the coming years. The Pew Research Center projected, chillingly, that the U.S. population will reach 441 million people by 2065, and 88 percent of the 113 million person growth will be from immigrants and births to immigrants, the result of federal immigration policies. Anton points out what slower population champions have argued, correctly but unsuccessfully, for decades — that immigration is a net benefit to the immigrants and to their cheap labor devotee employers. But as for the U.S. residents, both the native-born and lawful permanent residents, pinpointing the tangible benefit to continuously adding more than one million legal immigrants annually, and tolerating several hundred thousand illegal immigrants, is difficult. And perhaps the best reason to adopt a more viable immigration policy is that the current one isn’t sustainable and already shows signs of collapse. Drive anywhere in the U.S., and as motorists crawl along, they find themselves entrapped by road construction signs. Discount expansionists’ distracting, specious claims that

JOE GUZZARDI Columnist the U.S. is a nation of immigrants, and that more immigration reflects who we are as Americans. The reality is quite different. More people leads to, among other negatives, more strain on our already inadequate schools, our crumbling infrastructure and our delicate, overburdened ecosystem. Step back in time to President Richard Nixon’s administration. During his years in office, Congress passed the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 (NEPA) and created the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970. Also passed were the Clean Air Act of 1970, the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972 and the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The Safe Water Drinking Act of 1974 was introduced by President Nixon, and eventually signed by President Gerald Ford. But the modern immigration wave has brought 60 million immigrants since the 1970s through 2015, and their arrival has done much to negate the Nixon era’s environmental advances. Bulldozing millions of acres of prime farmland and natural habitat during the last decades to make space for development has resulted in what’s commonly referred to as urban sprawl, a term too benign to adequately describe what is widespread loss of fields, pastures, wetlands and woodlands, an area larger in the aggregate than Maryland, lost in just an eight-year period in the early

2000s to build housing projects and strip malls. More than half the lost land was in what the Census Bureau identifies as Urban Areas or, more simply stated, places where people live. Neighborhoods where families have settled and are enjoying their lives are disrupted as more people encroach on their turf. Completely missing from the effort to rein in rampant population growth are the very groups that should be leading the charge — the prominent environmental organizations that, according to their mission statements, are profoundly concerned about America’s ecological future. To the contrary, evidence points to the disturbing conclusion that these so-called environmentalists don’t value domestic ecological sustainability enough to publicly promote immigration policies that might make it achievable. Instead, they consider population as a singular global issue rather than a destructive local one. In past years, environmental groups educated the public about population growth’s inherent dangers. Even though President Bill Clinton’s 1997 sustainability task force concluded, “This is a sensitive issue but reducing immigration levels is a necessary part of population stabilization and the drive toward sustainability,” those who claim the environmental mantle continue to ignore his warning. Joe Guzzardi is a Progressives for Immigration Reform analyst who has written about immigration for more than 30 years. Contact him at jguzzardi@ pfirdc.org

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334-567-7811 • Fax 334-567-3284 email: news@thewetumpkaherald.com THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER (005-022) is published weekly on Wednesday by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Periodical postage paid at Wetumpka, Alabama. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Eclectic Observer, P.O. Box 99, Wetumpka, AL 36092-0099 ISSN # 1536-688X We reserve the right to refuse to print any advertisement, news story, photograph or any other material submitted to us for any reason or no reason at all. •Obituaries - $.25 per word per paper. Additional $15 charge for a photo per paper. (Herald, Weekend, Observer, Tribune). •Weddings/Engagements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a 2-column photo. •Birth Announcements - $.25 per word per paper. $15 charge for a photo. SUBSCRIPTION RATES One Year in Elmore, Tallapoosa or Coosa County: $25 One Year Elsewhere: $38 The publisher reserves the right to change subscription rates during the term of subscription at any time. To subscribe or if you miss your paper, call 256-234-4281. © 2016 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. All rights reserved and any reproduction of this issue is prohibited without the consent of the editor or publisher. ADMINISTRATION Steve Baker, publisher publisher@thewetumpkaherald.com David Granger, managing editor david.granger@thewetumpkaherald.com NEWS Carmen Rodgers, staff writer carmen.rodgers@thewetumpkaherald.com . . . . . . . .Ext. 101 Amalia Kortright, staff writer amalia.kortright@shelbycountyreporter.com SALES Marilyn Hawkins, marketing consultant marilyn.hawkins@TheWetumpkaHerald.com . . . . . . Ext. 309

The Resistance is a failure

ou don’t need 20/20 vision to see that whole world is waiting for the Democratic Party to push back against the tyrannical tendencies of the Trump administration. And waiting. And waiting. And waiting. Those of you with weak stomachs need to avert your eyes and keep all children sequestered behind closed doors (at least until after the midterms are over) because the current state of the American Opposition Party is… well, it ain’t pretty. These pitiable progressives have managed to combine ineffectiveness with indecision. Add a sprinkle of incipient infirmity and a soupcon of both inert and inept, and you end up with a recipe for impotency, irrelevancy and extinction. A message that their candidates are finding increasingly difficult to sell to concerned constituents. “Join the Democrats. Just like you, we’re confused too.” Watching them desperately bumble about these days is scarier than finding scorpions in your underwear. Like a letter from the IRS with a big red “Urgent!” stamped on the outside of the envelope. Or the sound of a gun being cocked in the dark. Nearby. If this current liberal narrative were being chronicled on the big screen, it would qualify as the most boring horror movie ever made -—another “Saw” sequel,

WILL DURST Columnist but one in which everyone sits around talking to their detached limbs and absolutely nothing happens. They are “The Walking Dead” without all the lighthearted slapstick. There is a growing consensus the Democratic Party should be stripped of the word “party” as it doesn’t really apply anymore. It certainly doesn’t fit in terms of celebration. There’s no frolicking or joviality or joy. Just fingerpointing, recrimination, and whining. Lots and lots of whining. “We can’t fight like him, we have morals.” Then again, if you mean “party” in terms of a gathering of like-minded individuals, that too leaves quite a bit to be desired. More like a loose collection of misfits who cluster together for the sole purpose of claiming not to like President Donald Trump. Or each other. And that’s about it. They don’t really stand for anything, not even the National Anthem. You can’t even accuse Democrats of being afraid of their own shadow, because at this point they don’t cast one. Besides, it’s

hard to see your shadow when your head is so far up your butt you can tickle your spleen with your elbow. Not only are they not in the game, they don’t seem to be aware that one is being played. The Republicans attack with torches and pitchforks and the Democratic response is to introduce legislation to reform pitchfork safety standards. “You should put corks on those. Phosphorescent for nighttime visibility. And if you insist on carrying torches, they need to be flame-resistant. At least one and three-quarters inches long. Should come in for around $12 a piece. I know a guy who knows a guy that can knock them out for six.” So if you’re waiting for Democrats to stand up to this wanna-be third world strongman and establish any sort of resistance at all, you’d best be advised not to hold your breath unless you enjoy that certain bluish look most often associated with people no longer eligible for social security benefits due to the fact they’ve become altogether much too skinny and dead. Will Durst is an awardwinning, nationally acclaimed columnist, comic and former sod farmer in New Berlin, Wisconsin. His column is provided by Cagle Cartoons, Inc.

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CommunityCalendar Saturday July 21

• ‘GREASE’ FLASH MOB: A “Grease” Flash Mob will be July 21. Keep your eyes peeled for practice dates and times. It will be downtown Wetumpka. • SELF DEFENSE SEMINAR: A free Women’s Only Self Defense Seminar will be hosted by 1 st Line of Defense LLC at Impact Fitness & Sports Training located at 1040 US Hwy 231 in Wetumpka from 2 to 10 p.m. Organizers are very excited to provide their first Women’s Self Defense Seminar during which they will provide all guests with tools (techniques) addressing common unwanted physical gestures all the way up to full blown attacks. In today’s world

these attacks can occur randomly and at unique locations. Organizers will address how to recognize them and how to react to as many as possible. Please contact Renshi DeAndre Scott on Facebook messenger with any questions. • BREWFEST: The Coosapalooza Brewfest will be held at Coosa River Craft House located at 108 South Main Street in Wetumpka from 2 to10 p.m. Join in for the first-ever Coosapalooza Brewfest. Enjoy the beautiful sights and sounds of downtown Wetumpka alongside the Coosa River as you sample craft brews from around the state. All proceeds from the $20 Brewfest booklets will go to Main Street Wetumpka’s

mission of downtown revitalization. • CARS AND COFFEE: Cars and Coffee will be held at O’ Reilly Auto Parts at 4680 US Hwy 231 in Wetumpka from 8 to 10 a.m. Every third Saturday of each month at 8 a.m. car enthusiasts from all around the state come together for cars, coffee, conversation and connections. Come out and meet new people, see new cars and have a good time. There will be a StreetLight Car Club booth at these events to answer any questions and take applications. Please park in the side parking lot.

Wednesday July 25

• VBS: Noah’s Ark Adventure VBS will be at Redland Road Church of Christ located

JULY 18, 2018 • PAGE 5

Submit calendar items: Participate in your Herald

and Observer by calling 256-234-4281, faxing them to 256-2346550, sending your event to the.editor@thewetumpkaherald.com or logging on to http://www.thewetumpkaherald.com/. at 2480 Redland Road in Wetumpka from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Classes are for all ages.

Friday July 27

• AUCTION: Central Alabama Chapter Dinner & Live Auction will be hosted by Alabama Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation on July 27 from 6 to 10 p.m at the Wetumpka Civic Center located at 410 South Main Street Wetumpka Al. Organizers say it is the do-not-miss social event of the year with a chance to win top notch forearms premium hunts and exclusive RMEF merchandise. There is a kind of camaraderie and sense of purpose and accomplishment that keeps most attendees coming back year after year. Guests are invited to support a cause

UNIQUE TALENT:

that’s close to the hearts of hunters, their families and the future of great outdoors. • ANNUAL ACTION: Wags & Whiskers Auction will be July 27 from 6 to10 p.m. at 100 River Oaks Drive in Wetumpka. All are invited to join the Humane Society of Elmore County at its 13th annual auction. There will be hundreds of items up for auction (both silent and live), great food door prizes and more. All the proceeds go to the humane shelter to help ensure it can continue its work and be there to help all the pets brought to the shelter in need of its help. The fun, food, cash bar and bidding begins at 6 p.m. when the Entertainment Center doors open.

Woodcarvers gather for classes, exposition

By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer

A woodcarver needs three basic things, according to woodcarving instructor Mac Proffitt: a pencil, a Band-Aid and imagination. There were plenty of all three on the first full day of the 33rd annual Southeastern Woodcarving School and Exposition, which began on Friday and lasted through Sunday at the Wetumpka Civic Center. The event, co-hosted by the Central Alabama Woodcarving Association and the City of Wetumpka, featured classes on different types of woodcarving and painting. Through the classes, visitors had the opportunity to learn about numerous methods of woodcarving, including carving scenes on walking sticks, scenic pictures into blocks of wood, faces, woodland animals, house figurines, human busts, caricatures, birds and bowls. A wood burning and a painting class, as well as an introductory woodcarving class, were also offered. The work of many woodcarvers and artists was also on display for public viewing. Central Alabama Woodcarving Association volunteer Judy Brooks said the exposition also served to garner the community’s interest, particularly from young people. Brooks briefly stopped to admire the work of intermediate woodcarver Harold Davis, who carved a portrait entitled “Tree of Life” out of basswood. “He carved in behind it,” Brooks said. “It really has one of those ‘wow’ factors.” As with Davis’ art, Brooks said much of the woodcarvings, gourd art and folk paintings shown off at the event had special qualities to them. According to Brooks, this is the first year the event has been an exposition instead of a competition. She said the association made the change to make woodcarvers and artists of all experience levels feel more welcome. “We wanted all woodcarvers to be able to present their pieces without feeling like they had to be experts,” Brooks said. “An exposition allows everyone to enter.” Brooks said he first day saw about 100 attendees, and the event drew a diverse range of people to Wetumpka from around Alabama and several different states. “You’ll have anything from every walk of life,” Brooks said.

In the many years she has been involved with the event, folk art instructor Ethel Green said much has changed. When she first started, Green said woodworking was primarily dominated by men, and their wives developed competitions for things like baking, quilting and painting among themselves. “The men would come and carve, and their wives would come along,” Green said. “There needed to be something for the wives to do.” One thing that hasn’t changed, according to portrait carving instructor Dylan Goodson, are the friendships among the woodcarvers that have been established and strengthened over the years. “It’s providing an opportunity to gather and learn new techniques and skills,” Goodson said. “Everybody gets together to see people they haven’t seen in a year.” One of her favorite things about the event, she said, is being able to see how those who have come year after year develop their art. “I get to watch their progress, and that feels really good,” Brooks said.

Amalia Kortright / The Observer

Woodcarving instructor Mac Proffitt, top, works on his carving of a woman during one of the classes. Woodcarver Harold Davis’ ‘Tree of Life’ portrait carving, above, was one of the many works of art on display for the public as part of the Southeastern Woodcarving School and Exposition.

Human bust carving instructor Ken Carter said woodcarving has a unique appeal to many people, and the deep sense of accomplishment it often comes with was evident at the event.

“It’s the ability to remake something through the medium of working with wood,” Carter said. “Sometimes I’ll look at my hands, and I’ll think ‘Wow, these hands did that.’”

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PAGE 6 • JULY 18, 2018

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

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JULY 18, 2018 • PAGE 7

Hampton Inn hosts job fair By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer

The soon-to-open Hampton Inn and Suites Hotel on South Main Street held a job fair to meet potential employees on Monday. General Manager Samantha Hall said the event welcomed roughly 200 job seekers hoping to fill one of the hotel’s many open positions — about 50 more than she had initially expected. In the week prior, Hall said she had received more than 75 applications. The job fair gave her a chance to meet with prospective employees and answer questions. Hopefully, Hall said, the hotel will hire at least half of its staff from the people who attended the job fair. Hall said the hotel is looking to hire between 25 and 30 people for both fulltime and part-time positions, including front desk clerks, housekeepers, breakfast hosts, maintenance workers,

front desk managers and housekeeping managers. She said people of all experience levels were welcome to attend. “We’re going to be a very busy property,” Hall said. “We are going to be looking for anyone who has that Hilton experience, but we are willing to train anyone if they’re willing to learn.” As a newcomer from Phenix City to Wetumpka, Hall said the job fair served as a way to get her more acquainted with her surroundings. “I’m using this as a good opportunity to get to know the people in the area,” Hall said. Construction on the hotel began about four years ago, but was halted for a while. Construction resumed in August 2017. Hall said the Hampton Inn’s official opening date has not been finalized, but she hopes to open by early August. In the meantime, Hall said she is ready to focus on hiring the right people

Amalia Kortright / The Observer

In order to fill open positions at the Hampton Inn, a job fair was held Monday. The hotel is expected to open in several weeks.

after the event ended successfully. “I have some follow-up interviews,

and we may be fully staffed after that,” Hall said.

PAGE 8 • JULY 18, 2018

TheWetumpkaHerald.com

THE ECLECTIC OBSERVER

‘Hands on a Hardbody’ premieres Thursday By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Staff Writer

The Wetumpka Depot Players’ adaptation of “Hands on a Hardbody” will hit the stage for the first time on Thursday and is set to run through Aug. 4 at 7:30 p.m. nightly. Director Kristy Meanor said “Hands on a Hardbody” is a musical set in 1980s Longview, Texas, that revolves around 10 contestants involved in a competition to see who can keep their hands on a truck the longest. “It’s a different musical in that it’s got a lot of heart to it. There’s some meat to it, as well. It’s not all fluff,” Meanor said. “I think that’s what’s been unique about this particular process.” According to Meanor, “Hands on a Hardbody” premiered on Broadway several years ago and was based on a true story that was later adapted as a documentary. “The documentary has a huge cult following,” Meanor said. “People love that documentary because the contestants are so colorful, and they’re also very unique and passionate about winning the truck.” Meanor said “Hands on a Hardbody” was selected to match the Texascentered theme of the rest of the Wetumpka Depot Players’ shows this season. “It sort of fell into our lap. All the shows we were picking out had a Texas theme to them, so that was kind of fun,” Meanor said. “After we started one Texas-themed show, we got to thinking about ‘Hands on a Hardbody’ as a possible musical this summer.” Perhaps the show’s most unique factor, according to Meanor, is the fact that an actual pickup truck is used onstage. While the truck is not driven during the show, Meanor said it does rotate onstage. “It really becomes the 11th character of the show,” Meanor said. She said the use of the truck in the show has been challenging for her, the cast and the set crew. In order to get the truck in the building, Meanor said it had to be transported in four shipping containers and reassembled onstage. “We knew that would be a stretch

Courtesy / Wetumpka Depot Players

Members of the ‘Hands on a Hardbody’ cast rehearse one of the show’s musical numbers. The Wetumpka Depot Players’ production will make its debut at 7:30 p.m. Thursday.

for us, but it would be something that would challenge us in a good way,” Meanor said. Another thing that makes the show stand out, Meanor said, is the diverse range of genres used in the musical numbers. “The music ranges from pop to rock to gospel to country, and we knew our audiences really dig that kind of music,” Meanor said. Of the 16 actors that will be performing, Meanor said she cannot find a weak link in the cast because they are all so talented. “Everybody in the show is such a strong actor, singer, dancer that I truly believe that it’s an embarrassment of riches. Sometimes it doesn’t line

Drive a Little, Save A Lot!

up that way,” Meanor said. “All just recognizable, strong talent from all around the river region that are playing all the roles in the show.” Auditions were initially held at the end of May and Meanor said they have been working on “Hands on a Hardbody” for about six weeks. “We work pretty hard. We come in and we work weeknights and weekends. We have to produce it in that amount of time, because we have four to five other productions that fall during the year as well,” Meanor said. “We work fast and hard.” Typically, Meanor said shows by the Wetumpka Depot Players are filled close to capacity each night, and they’re

hoping each performance of “Hands on a Hardbody” is no exception. “Several colleagues of mine that have directed this show have said that sometimes, during the first week, it’s not a sellout,” Meanor said. “But after the first weekend sees it, they tell their friends, and it usually becomes a sellout by the time the show’s over because it’s a word-of-mouth kind of show.” Tickets for “Hands on a Hard Body” are $12 in advance and $15 at the door and online. Tickets may be reserved by calling the Depot at 334-868-1440 or by visiting the theatre’s website at www. wetumpkadepot.com. The Wetumpka Depot is located at 300 S. Main St. in downtown Wetumpka.

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people/students. Getting young people excited about saving can be a somewhat abstract subject. Let them know their dreams can be achieved with thoughtful planning and a bit of discipline. Social Security is securing today and tomorrow with your help and the help of today’s educated youth. We’re also always here for you if you need information about programs and benefits. Visit us anytime at www.socialsecurity.gov.

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JULY 18, 2018 • PAGE 9

The problem of evil and the God we cannot control

he varieties of pain and evil in this world are diverse and, often, immense. We see tragedies occur in others’ lives, and we have tragedies descend into our own lives, and we often ask the question, “Where is God?” Hurricanes, earthquakes and tornadoes ravage cities and leave hundreds to thousands dead as well as hundreds to thousands homeless. Diseases such as cancer and dementia overtake and torture the bodies of those whom we love. Death comes too soon for many we know and love and we’re left with unspeakable grief and a million broken pieces to mend. Financial disaster strikes and we fall into despair wondering if we’ll be able to pay the electricity bill this month and put enough food on the table for the week. Relationships are ruined and left in ashes as the sins of infidelity and pride begin to reign the day at the place we call home. Betrayal of close friends reach deep into our hearts and leave wounds that we’ll carry with us the rest of our lives. Often, in this life — and often just around the corner — we are left with pain and disappointment for which we have no category. What is our response to God in the midst

AME ZION Mt. Zion Chapel AME Zion 2340 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-4413 Rogers Chapel AME Zion 709 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8144 Jackson Chapel AME Zion 4885 Coosada Rd., Coosada Jones Chapel AME Zion 2414 Ingram Rd. (Co. Rd. 3), Elmore ABUNDANT LIFE Abundant Life Church 9301 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-9143 ASSEMBLY OF GOD Agape Tabernacle Assembly of God 1076 Kowaliga Rd., Eclectic 541-2006 Bethel Worship Center 11117 U.S. Hwy 231., Wetumpka 567-5754 Crossroads Assembly of God 2534 AL Hwy 14., Millbrook 285-5545 First Assembly of God 3511 Shirley Ln., Millbrook New Home Assembly of God 5620 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 569-2825 BAPTIST Abraham Baptist Church Millbrook Antioch Baptist Church 1115 Antioch Rd., Titus 5672917 Beulah Baptist Church 2350 Grier Rd., Wetumpka 514-2881 Blue Ridge Baptist 4471 Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-4325 Brookwood Baptist Grandview Rd., Millbrook Calvary Baptist 504 W. Osceola St., Wetumpka 567-4729 Central Baptist 3545 W. Central Rd., Wetumpka 541-2556 Coosada Baptist 20 Kennedy Ave., Coosada Deatsville Baptist 184 Church St., Deatsville Eclectic Baptist Church 203 Claud Rd., Eclectic 5414444 Faith Baptist

of our ruins? What do we often think of God or say to Him whenever we face such fierce varieties of opposition in this life? The many types of evil in this world, in reality, illicit so many types of responses from us that it would be impossible to detail each one and to walk through the types of questions that we normally ask God, but probably the most common questions we ask are, “Why, God?” and “Where are You, God?” For some of us, we believe in and trust in a God Who is all-loving, allpowerful, all-knowing, sovereign, in control and reigning over the universe at every second of its existence, yet we look in bewilderment at the darkness that exists within this world, and, might I say, we also look at bewilderment at the darkness that exists within us as well. God is definitely not unconcerned with our pain, nor does He turn a blind eye to our pain. He has promised to always be with us and to never leave us nor forsake us. God reigns supreme and nothing escapes His eye. If we don’t rest in these promises, then we are doomed for despair. Also, we must, as individuals, show great concern and compassion

64 Chapel Rd., Wetumpka 567-4417 First Baptist Church 205 W. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-5191 First Baptist of Elmore Hwy. 14 Co. Rd. 74, Elmore Galilee Baptist 95 Old Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-4178 Good Hope Baptist 1766 S. Fleahop Rd., Eclectic Goodship Baptist 1554 Hwy. 143, Millbrook 285-0094 Grace Baptist Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka 567-3255 Grandview Pines Baptist 346 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook 285-5125 Green Ridge Baptist 288 Turner Rd., Wetumpka 567-2486 Harvest Baptist 2990 Main St., Millbrook Hillside Baptist 405 Old Montgomery Hwy., Wetumpka Holtville Riverside Baptist 7121 Holtville Rd., Wetumpka 514-5922 Lake Elam Baptist 4060 Gober Rd., Millbrook Liberty Hill Baptist 61 Crenshaw Rd., Wetumpka 567-8750 Lighthouse Baptist 2281 Main St., Millbrook Living Water Baptist 1745 Grass Farm Rd. (Co. Rd. 80), Titus 514-7304 Millbrook Baptist 3431 Browns Road, Millbrook 285-4731 Mitts Chapel Baptist 935 Cold Springs Rd., Deatsville 569-1952 Mt. Hebron West Baptist 150 Mt. Hebron Rd., Elmore 567-4441 Mt. Herron East Baptist Church 4355 Mt. Herron Rd. Eclectic, Al 36024 334-857-3689 Mountain View Baptist 1025 Rifle Range Rd., Wetumpka 567-4458 New Harmony Baptist 3094 New Harmony Rd., Marbury 312-1878 New Home Baptist

BILLY REINHARDT Riverside Heights Baptist Church towards those who are going through such unthinkable pain. We must weep with those who weep and we must lend a strong shoulder and a listening ear to all who need one. If anything is to describe the Christian, and the God of Christianity as one of His many attributes, it must be love, especially love towards the downcast and the hurting. However, I cannot help but think of what might be lying underneath our complaints to God. There is a single question that I have meditated on recently, and I am wondering if this single concept might reveal more about what’s going on in our hearts than we realize. Here is the question: What if our disappointment with God in the midst of our trials and pain is merely a reflection of the realization that we cannot control, nor we can manipulate, God to order our lives the way that we would like? There are some who believe that we can control and manipulate God if we “just

have enough faith,” and there are some who believe that if we just “do enough good things,” then we can, somehow, avoid evil or stop evil from coming into our lives altogether; but aren’t these really just tactics to attempt to control the Sovereign Lord of the universe? In the middle of our hurting and disappointment, I can’t help but think that, at least some of the time, we are upset that we are not in control of the universe. Do we desire to assert our wisdom as greater than the wisdom of God? Do we believe that the universe, and particularly our own lives, would be “better” if only we were ordering the uncontrollable factors in our lives? Could it be that at least some of the emotions behind some of the evil in our lives is an objection to the fact that God rules everything and we don’t? Do we wish that God were “in a box” that we could move and push and dictate to do just as we will? Do we wish God were more “machine-like” to where if we just “hit the right buttons” and “pulled the correct levers” that we would be guaranteed to manufacture the precise results we desired? While it does seem attractive to want a God that we can control,

Area Churches

1605 New Home Rd., Titus 567-0923 New Hope Baptist 6191 Lightwood Rd., Deatsville 569-1267 New Lily Green Baptist 6504 Deatsville Hwy., Deatsville New Nazareth Baptist Hwy. 143, Deatsville Pleasant Hill Baptist Pleasant Hill Rd., Eclectic 541-3460 Prospect Baptist Prospect Rd., Eclectic 5675837 Redland Baptist 1266 Dozier Rd., Wetumpka 567-8649 Refuge Baptist Church 3098 Red Hill Road Tallassee 334-857-2638 Rehoberth Baptist 8110 Rifle Range Rd., Tallassee 567-9801 Rushenville Baptist 10098 Georgia Rd., Eclectic 541-2418 Saint James Baptist 1005 Nobles Rd., Wetumpka 567-6209 Saint James Baptist 101 Gantt Rd., Deatsville 569-3006 Santuck Baptist 7250 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2364 Seman Baptist Seman, Alabama Shoal Creek Baptist 13214 Holtville Rd., Deatsville

569-2482 Springfield Baptist Hwy. 7, Millbrook Thelma Baptist 810 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-3665 Titus Baptist 6930 Titus Rd., Wetumpka 334-531-2120 Tunnell Chapel Baptist 210 Central Plank Rd., Wetumpka 567-2589 Victory Baptist 5481 Main St., Millbrook Wadsworth Baptist 2780 Hwy. 143, Deatsville 569-2851

BAPTIST - MISSIONARY Atkins Hill 565 Atkins Rd., Wetumpka 567-1141 Cathmagby Baptist 3074 Mitchell Creek Rd., Wetumpka 567-4787 First Missionary Baptist at Guilfield 412 Company St., Wetumpka 567-7455 Goodhope 1389 Willow Springs Rd. Wetumpka 567-7133 Lebanon 17877 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus 514-1097 Mount Canaan 1125 Weoka Rd., Wetumpka 567-2141 Mount Pisgah 16621 U.S. Hwy. 231, Titus

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567-3668 Mt. Zion 371 AL Hwy. 14, Elmore, 567-2613 Mt. Zion #3 1813 Luke Paschal Rd., Eclectic New Home 5130 Elmore Rd., Wetumpka 567-5966 Second Missionary 760 N. Bridge St., Wetumpka 567-8601 Spring Chapel Jasmine Hill Rd., Wetumpka 567-6493 Sweetwater 163 Michael Lane, Wetumpka 334-538-9415 Tabernacle Baptist 1020 W. Tallassee St., Wetumpka 567-0620 BAPTIST - PRIMITIVE Bethel Old School 4625 Jackson Rd. (C.R. 103), Wetumpka Providence 4850 Chana Creek Rd., Wetumpka CATHOLIC Our Lady of Guadalupe 545 White Rd., Wetumpka 567-0311

CHURCH OF CHRIST Church of Christ of Elmore 470 Caesarville Rd., Wetumpka 567-6670 Church of Christ Grandview Pines 165 Deatsville Hwy., Millbrook Cold Springs Church of Christ 5920 Alabama Hwy. 143, Deatsville Georgia Road Church of Christ 4003 Georgia Rd., Wetumpka 567-2804 Lightwood Church of Christ 251 New Harmony Rd., Deatsville 569-1510 Redland Road Church of Christ 2480 Redland Rd., Wetumpka 514-3656 Wetumpka Church of Christ W. Bridge St. At W. Main St., Wetumpka 567-6561 CHURCH OF GOD Elmore Church of God 10675 Rucker Road, Elmore Gethsemane Church of God 705 Cotton St., Wetumpka 567-9886

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this does nothing but diminish the true God of the Bible. A God that we can control is not a God worthy of our worship. A God that we can control is not a God, I would argue, that we can trust because he’s not a God that is all-wise and Sovereign. We have more to lose creating a God whom we can control than we have to gain by chunking the God of the Bible for one that’s made in our own image. The Living God is not a tame God, and may we find wonder and glory in the God Who is beyond our thoughts and Who is doing a trillion things that we cannot even begin to fathom in any single trial that comes our way. Romans 11:33-36: “33 Oh, the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways. 34 ‘For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who has been his counselor?’ 35 ‘Or who has given a gift to him that he might be repaid?’ 36 For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever. Amen.”

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Sports

PAGE 10 • JULY 18, 2018

Visit our sister website: TallasseeTribune.com TheWetumpkaHerald.com

The

Observer

2018 All-County Baseball Team Player of the Year

Coach of the Year Baird leads Holtville deep in playoffs By GRIFFIN PRITCHARD For The Observer

Driver is key factor in Bulldogs’ success By GRIFFIN PRITCHARD For The Observer

When Elmore County coaches were polled about the 2018 All-County Baseball Player of the Year, to a man Chase Driver was mentioned at least once or twice in the discussion. And, after looking at his contribution to Holtville’s 27 wins, it’s evident the 4A All-State Honorable Mention was a major contributor to Bulldogs’ 2018 success. “Chase was a good kid,” first-year Holtville coach Torey Baird said. “He had a good head on his shoulders and did a great job of keeping us in the game with his bat and with his arm.” The soon-to-be Central Alabama Community College Trojan, in his final kelly green season, posted eight wins on the mound with 67 strikeouts and an ERA around 2.3. “It’s always easier (for a coach) to know you have a guy like Chase up in a crucial situation,” Baird said. “You know, more times than not, they are going to come through. That helps the stress levels go

way down.” And the senior — now Bulldogs graduate — came through when the big hit was needed. He batted just south of .300 and reached base nearly 40 percent of the time with a slugging percentage over .530 batting from the middle of the lineup. During the 2018 campaign that took Holtville to the third round of the Class 4A playoffs, Driver drove in 35 runs and scored 42 with nine extra-base hits and six round-trip blasts. “Chase did a good job leading the team,” Baird said. “If he was having a good day, we fed off him. It goes the opposite way too. But, he did a great job of keeping an even keel all year. You know when he had his stuff figured out that we were going to have a good year.” Baird — who came to Holtville after stints in Russellville, Winston County, and Deshler — has seen good baseball players and knows Driver possesses a great upside. “He’s going to go to CACC and get stronger and better and continue to develop,” Baird said. “He absolutely has a chance to go on playing beyond CACC.”

For Holtville seniors, Torey Baird represented another baseball coaching change, their third in three years. For Baird taking over a historic baseball program with high expectation and nine seniors, he saw the opportunity to make something special happen. And it did. Twenty-seven wins and a trip to the third round of the baseball playoffs was the result and for that, he has been named the 2018 All-County Coach of the Year. “After taking the job and getting to Holtville, the first thing I knew was that we had nine seniors,” Baird said. “I was the third head coach they’d had since they were freshmen. Any coaching change is hard, especially on the seniors. My No. 1 job was to try and get these guys on board. They are a great group.” The second thing Baird noticed before the season started was the strong work ethic possessed by Bulldog athletes. “All of them have jobs, and that’s something I had to get used to,” Baird said. “But it wasn’t just having a job, these kids work and do jobs you or I wouldn’t want

to do. Their work ethic was outstanding. OK, I thought, we’ve got something we can build on.” Baird went to work developing a program that would ultimately be successful and lived up to the legacy left by teams of the past. “They are used to success,” Baird said. “But I told them we are not cashing out in the second round. We are riding this thing as far as we can.” After starting 15-2 then dealing with the fear of a team not jelling through the grind of the regular season, the Bulldogs finished 27-9 overall with an area championship and a playoff berth to their credit. In the postseason, Holtville swept Handley and needed a third game to defeat Oak Grove (winning in extra innings of the if-necessary game) before ultimately losing to Andalusia in the third round. “We just ran into a freight train,” Baird said. Starting off with 27 wins leads to high expectations

for Baird in Year 2. “We’ve got a lot of key pieces coming back, but we’ve got to replace a lot of key pieces too,” Baird said. “We are losing our middle infield, the county’s Player of the Year (Chase Driver) and nine seniors. I’m excited to see how the players coming in progress and grow.” Holtville returns Drew Nobles (chosen to play in the AHSAA North-South All-Star game this week), Payton Coburn, Owen Chandlee (“He’s going to be a special player for us,” Baird said), Chapelle Washam and Hunter Martin (who was an AllMetro selection by the Montgomery Advertiser as a sophomore). “Those ninth graders we have are going to be sophomores and they are going to have step up,” Baird said. “These eighth graders that we’ve got coming into ninth grade, they are going to be asked to play a big role and some of them are going to have to grow up quickly.”

First Team Austin Downey, Elmore County utility

A multi-tool Panther who paced both offensive and defensive stats, Downey proved to be a team leader during a trying 2018 season. The junior right-handed pitcher — who also saw playing time in the middle infield and the outfield — started seven games (4-2 record over eight appearances) with one shutout and 40 strikeouts while posting a 1.875 ERA. “Austin has really good stuff and competes every pitch,” Panthers coach Michael Byrd said. “Our team always feel like we are going to win if he’s on the mound.” Downey, who also plays football and basketball, didn’t join the team until about three weeks into the 2018 season. He posted a .289 batting average with 13 hits (45 at-bats), a trio of doubles driving in nine runs while scoring 14 on his own. He stole eight bases and posted a .441 on-base percentage. James Duer, Wetumpka pitcher “When (Duer) pitched, we thought we were going to win,” Wetumpka coach Michael Dismukes said. “He was definitely our No.

1 on the mound.” Duer — one of the smartest student-athlete on this list with a 34 ACT score — posted 11 wins and four saves during the 2018 campaign that took the Tribe into the postseason. He finished the year with a 1.73 ERA, fanning 70 batters. “He’s very poised and has a great work ethic. You knew what you were going to get day in and day out,” Dismukes said. “He was such a relentless competitor, he’s going to be missed.” Flipping between the three and four hole in the Tribe’s lineup, Duer posted a .376 average reaching base nearly 43 percent of the time. He rattled off 35 hits (through 93 at-bats) and drove in 19 runs while scoring 14 of his own. He also picked up the key win on the mound against Benjamin Russell to put the Indians into the playoffs. Gabe Maynard, Edgewood pitcher/catcher Maynard fueled a Wildcats squad that were beasts in Elmore County but struggled outside the friendly confines. A senior pitcher and catcher, Maynard was hands down the offensive leader. The senior posted a .328 average with 39 hits (119 at-bats) and seven home runs (14 extra base hits) and a slugging percentage around .640.

Casey Baynes, Tallassee utility The name Baynes and the sport of baseball are synonymous with success. Baynes, who will play collegiate ball at Southern Union, made the most of his senior outing. “He’s steady,” Tallassee coach Adam Clayton said. “He’s a very dependable and we are going to miss his presence in the dugout. But I definitely look forward to seeing him compete at the next level.” Baynes batted .373 with 24 RBIs and 10 extra-base hits. He also drew a team-high 28 free passes. Overall, the soon-to-be Bisons baseballer posted a .555 on-base percentage and a .554 slugging with 17 stolen bases. His on-field production earned him a spot on the 4A All-State List as an honorable mention. Drew Nobles, Holtville, pitcher/centerfielder “We didn’t have an ace this season; we had a 1A and a1B,” Holtville coach Torey Baird said. “He was good for us all year on the bump and picked up his stick toward the end of the season.” Baird said Nobles’ biggest contribution to Holtville’s success was his play in centerfield. The junior AHSAA

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All-Star selection posted a .914 fielding percentage with 59 putouts. “That kid can track anything down,” Baird said. “But he’s got a great head on his shoulders, that’s what I like the best.” Nobles posted a .351 batting average. He drove in 20 runs on with 33 total hits (two triples, one home run) and scored 27. On the mound, he was Holtville’s Game 2 starter, won seven games and struck out 90 batters while working 59 and a third innings. Chase Sink, Stanhope Elmore utility In the coming spring, the Mustangs are going to have a huge line-up spot to fill. Sink, who signed with Faulkner University, posted a .340 average in his final year in Millbrook. The senior rattled off 33 hits (97 at-bats) and 11 doubles for a squad that advanced to the postseason as area champions. “This was his best year,” Mustangs coach Wes Dunsieth said. “He provided leadership for a young team was key a major presence in our lineup.” Sink drove in 16 runs and scored 27, reaching base 45 percent of the time. Jackson Gantt, Tallassee utility Gantt, a Class 4A All-State Honorable mention as a junior, had no problem getting on base, reaching 50 percent of the time while batting .394. He drove in nine runs and score 19 in 66 appearances. Tiger coach Adam Clayton described Gantt as “a

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great student-athlete. Jackson is very dependable and hardworking,” Clayton said. “He will do whatever it takes to be successful.” The junior Tiger rattled off 26 hits (24 singles and two doubles).

Jon Holbert, Wetumpka shortstop Indians coach Michael Dismukes referred to his senior do-everything-guy as the “type of guy you wanted in your lineup.” The recent Indians graduate batted leadoff, played shortstop and toed the rubber for the black and gold late in the season. “He’s probably our go-to-guy,” Dismukes said. “He was the one who got it started for us. He’s a very good competitor and came to work every day ready to go.” The senior L.B. Wallace signee batted .269 from the one-hole but reached base 34 percent of the time in 104 at-bats. He accounted for 24 singles and scored 25 runs, driving in 10. “Jon’s a very skilled player and a true leader,” Dismukes said. “He came on late for us on the mound. Both (James Duer and Holbert) were lights out. (As the coach) I was very confident with the way they performed on the mound and at the plate.” Holbert pitched only 32 2/3 innings late in the season and posted four wins with three saves and 29 strikeouts.

Honorable Mention: Wetumpka: Stephen King, Hayden Shepherd, Payton Mixson; Elmore County: Taylor Henderson, Chase Wilson, Kadin Edwards; Tallassee: Jake Burton, Caleb Stewart, Parker Neighbors; Stanhope Elmore: Bailey Barfoot, Chase Eddings, Nate Hodge, Sully Stevens; Holtville: Hunter Martin, Alex Cantrell, Chap Wilson; Edgewood Academy: Luke Sisson, Brandon Boone