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SATURDAY-SUNDAY • JULY 23-24, 2016
THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 11, NO. 28
Elmore County judge responds to news story By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
A recent article by an area news agency has elicited a response from a local judge questioning the story’s veracity and motive and has embroiled a superintendent candidate in the process. Last week WSFA in Montgomery ran a story regarding documents it had obtained in a public records request involving current Elmore County Superintendent Andre Harrison’s removal from the
Republican ballot in the March primary. Specifically it cites contract documents obtained by the station and asserts in its online edition, “Two contracts tell a different story of what took Harrison off the primary ballot.” It then gives an account of two contracts, one dated Nov. 13, between Elmore County Probate Judge John Enslen and J. Brent Helms, chief clerk of the Probate Office of Elmore County and the second between the same two parties dated Jan. 4. The first contract tasks Helms with several jobs including: 1) verifying the statutory deadline by which
a certificate from the state superintendent of education must be filed; 2) whether such certificate was filed by Harrison; 3) whether Harrison’s name should appear on the ballot; 4) provide a memo to Enslen on the issues and 5) if necessary, draft a petition for a declaratory judgment. For this Helms was paid $2,000 in addition to his normal appointment salary of $44,900. The second contract tasks Helms with: 1) drafting a response to a letter written by Harrison dated Jan. 4; See JUDGE • Page 7
Parole hearing set for woman in ‘Baby Ashley’ case
Local salon joins effort to help sick PD dog By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
A parole hearing for a Coosada woman charged with attempted murder of her daughter in 2002 by placing her in an oven, is set for next week, and a local DA said he would push for five more years. The district attorney’s office for Autauga, Chilton and Elmore counties sent out a statement regarding the case of Melissa Wright. According to the statement, Wright was convicted in 2003 after she put her infant, who was reported to be 14 months old at the time, in an oven set to broil. The hearing is scheduled for July 26 at 8 a.m. in Montgomery. District Attorney Randall Houston said he will be present for the hearing. Houston played an instrumental role in the case roughly 13 years ago. “Our ultimate goal will be to have the parole board keep her in for another five years,” said Houston. He said the girl was referred to at the time as “Baby Ashley.” However now, he said, Ashley Smith is 15 years old and will be at
Corey Arwood / The Herald
Above, Richard Wilson with Mr. Wilson’s Show and Party Horses of Montgomery gave brief riding lessons to the kids at the CJ Deputy Summer Program at the MLK Recreation Center. Below kids wait in line with frozen snacks to have their face painted by Thereisa Gilbert of Elmore County Partnership for Children on the last day of the CJ Deputy Summer Program.
Police sergeant leads summer program
See PAROLE • Page 2
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
A program for local youth, directed by the efforts of a Wetumpka police sergeant, drew to a close last week on one last fun-filled day where upwards of 100 children gathered where they had played games, and had two meals in a safe setting since June. Sergeant Ella Roberts of the WPD has led the C.J. Deputy Summer Program over the last two years of the program’s being “back up and running” she said. See SUMMER • Page 2
The children of employees at a local salon went to work raising funds for a Wetumpka police dog whose story has been shared throughout the state drawing hundreds of donations and thousands of dollars to help with its medical costs. They set up a lemonade stand in front of the business where their parents work in downtown Wetumpka and sold lemonade to commuters on Thursday and Friday for WPD Officer Hunter Saint’s K9 counterpart, Keela. By the end of their first day, Paula Sagent, owner of The Gab, said they had raised about $300 for Keela, who was in between trips to a veterinary hospital at Auburn University for seizures, Saint said. Saint began an online fundraising attempt a little less than two weeks ago, which has garnered approximately 200 donations ranging See DONATIONS • Page 5
Area ladies participate in women in business meeting By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
The kickoff meeting of the River Region Women in Business group was held Thursday at the Civic in Wetumpka and around two-dozen ladies participated in the event. Group organizer Shea Irvine said that she had the idea for the group because there was not a similar group in the region and she wanted to create one. “I wanted a group that could focus on the struggles I and other business women face,” she said. “I needed this group because there wasn’t one.” Irvine then focused on some statistics
stating that women-owned businesses were becoming more prevalent and were responsible for $1.6 trillion in productivity. Irvine said that initial membership fees for those present at the meeting would be $25 and that all members also needed to be members of the Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce, which helped sponsor the event. Irvine said she anticipates the group would meet at least once a month starting in September and that the meetings would include not only networking opportunities for women but also roundtable discussion and mentoring opportunities. Jackson Thornton provided a $300 donation See WOMEN • Page 3
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Shea Irvine (standing) speaks to an assembled crowd of area businesswomen who came to participate in the kickoff of the River Region Women in Business group at the Civic Center in Wetumpka.
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