Central Alabama Tribe takes runner up in World Series
Keeping with tradition on Fourth of July
Our dwelling place is ready
Eclectic Observer Page 4
Page 8
The
Page 6
THURSDAY • JULY 7, 2016
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 27, No. 26
Ribbon cut on library annex
By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
Dozens of area officials and residents were on hand in Eclectic Tuesday afternoon for the ribbon cutting ceremony for the Eclectic Library annex building, which turned into a dedication of the library in the name of longtime director Betty Coker. Several dozen area residents were on hand for the scheduled rib-
bon cutting ceremony Tuesday for library’s newest addition. Eclectic Town Mayor Gary Davenport acted as master of ceremonies for the event and gave a brief history of the library, which opened in 2010. As part of the library history Davenport gave a sometimes humorous account of the trials the library and city faced with renovating the annex building to be suitable for use as a library facility. Davenport and Coker then recognized local resident Betty Fulmer,
who provided a significant grant to the library to help pay for the renovations to the annex. Fulmer provided funds in remembrance of her son Randy Fulmer who passed in 2012. The big surprise came at the end of the presentation when Davenport recognized Coker with two proclamations approved by the Eclectic Town Council. The first was to proclaim July 5, 2016 as Betty Ingram Butler Coker day in the See LIBRARY • Page 3
School board discusses Redland expansion
Partial results emerge in inmate death By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Preliminary results for the female inmate who died in Elmore County Jail in late June offer a potential cause of death, however final results might not be available for weeks, said an official with Elmore County Sheriff’s Office. An autopsy was requested from the Alabama Department of Forensic Science, however full blood toxicology results are not yet available, said Sheriff Bill Franklin. But, he said, a pathologist working with the results said at this point there was reason to believe Diana Layne, 39, of Pell City, died from acute bronchial pneumonia. The specialist, Franklin See INMATE • Page 3
Today’s
Weather
96 74 High
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Kenneth Boone / The Observer
The Russell Lands July 4th Blast lit up the skies over Eclectic and Kowaliga Bay Monday night as thousands took in one of the largest firework shows in the South both on land and on the water.
The Elmore County School Board heard from two specialists, an architect and engineering firm as well as an area demographics specialist, in regard to school capacities and space usage for the county, but particularly for Redland schools. At a recent school board meeting, close to an hour and a half was devoted solely to the topic, which was introduced by Bruce Christian, BOE assostamt superintendent for special projects, and Claire Moore, interim assistant superintendent elementary schools/federal programs. They were said to be the “co-facilitators” working with the Redland Elementary School Study Group. A representative with the engineering firm Goodwyn, Mills and Cawood Inc., gave a lengthy presentation to the board about what was called a “facility assessment.” Freddie Lynn Jr. spoke about his group’s history performing the research for various school systems and state departments. See SCHOOL • Page 3
Eclectic library meets shoe drive goal website, the group works with partners in 26 developing nations. The shoes provided as part of the drive become inventory for families who survive on as little as $2 per day. Part of the group’s goal is to keep shoes from ending up as trash in landfills and repurposing the footwear for families in need. The library entered into an agreement with the organization to provide 2,500 shoes for what Coker said would earn the library approximately $1,000, which she said would be used to pay the library’s utility bills. As of Tuesday afternoon several hundred shoes were still waiting to be picked up by Funds2Orgs, so an official final tally of the amount earned by the library is not yet known. In addition to the shoe drive, Coker said that the library does receive quite a bit of help from grants and other community groups and that every bit helps. See SHOES • Page 3
By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
Low
FRIDAY: HIGH 96 LOW 75
William Carroll / The Observer
Eclectic Mayor Gary Davenport and Eclectic Public Library Director Betty Coker make presentations to a number of volunteers and contributors during the ribbon cutting ceremony for the library’s annex building.
For the last couple of months the Eclectic Public Library has been working diligently collecting shoes from the community as part of a fundraiser for the library, the number 3,700 on the library’s front window proclaims its success in the endeavor. For over two months library staff have continually updated the front window of the library with the overall tally of pairs of shoes obtained through the fundraising drive. As of Wednesday, that number currently stands at 3,700, far in excess of the 2,500 shoes the library originally needed to meet its quota. The organization that the library has been working with on this project is Funds2Orgs, an organization that collects shoes for families around the world. According to the Funds2Orgs
William Carroll / The Observer
Several bags of shoes stored in the Eclectic Public Library Annex building as part of the library’s shoe drive fundraiser. The library far exceeded its goal of obtaining 2,500 pairs of shoes by June 30.
FREE ESTIMATES!
Hedging, Fall Cleanup, Leaf Removal, All Yard & Lawn Maintenance
(334) 309-4422 • (334) 580-7879
Th
e
725 Kelly Fitzpatrick Drive • Wetumpka, AL Phone: 334-300-0270
Embroidery • Decal Vinyl • Heat Press Vinyl