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INSIDE TODAY: ELMORE COUNTY PET OF THE WEEK, PAGE B5
THE WETUMPKA HERALD Elmore County’s Oldest Newspaper - Established 1898
Wetumpka, AL 36092
50¢
WEDNESDAY • JUNE 28, 2017
THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM
VOL. 119, NO. 26
Commission honors longtime registrar By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
The Elmore County Commission honored a longtime county registrar and heard updates to activities that took place in the county over the last week at its regularly scheduled meeting Monday afternoon. The Commission honored longtime
Elmore County registrar Nancy Taylor with a proclamation commending her for her 14 years of service to the Board of Registrars. On hand to honor Taylor was State Auditor Jim Zeigler, one of three state auditors who appointed Taylor to the board. The other two were Beth Chapman, who made Taylor’s original appointment in 2003, and Samantha
Shaw. “The integrity of the election process does not begin at the polls,” Zeigler said. “It begins at the registrar’s desk. Now it falls to me to find three or four people to replace this one person.” Taylor was shocked at Zeigler’s coming from Montgomery for the proclamation.
“I’m just so shocked and honored that he came down to be here for this,” Taylor said. “It makes it even more special.” But Taylor wasn’t verbose in her remarks. “I’m not one to make a speech,” she said. “I talk on the phone all day long.” Taylor’s family was on hand to see their loved one honored. See TAYLOR • Page A2
PINKSTON SHINES
Second group filed complaint for religious endorsement
David Granger / The Herald
The Jessie R. Foster Early Head Start Center on Queen Ann Road in Wetumpka was one of two county EHS centers operated by the Elmore Community Action Agency closed last Tuesday by the Administration for Children and Families because of safety concerns.
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Early Head Start centers closed due to safety concerns Elmore Community Action Agency Head Start centers also affected By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
Two Elmore County Early Head Start centers and a third in Autauga County – all operated by Elmore Community Action Agency – were forced by federal officials to close, effective Tuesday, June 21. The agency’s 14 Head Start centers in Autauga, Chilton, Elmore and Shelby counties had already ended programming for the summer and were not affected, but will reopen under a new grantee. J.R. Foster Early Head Start in See HEAD START • Page A2
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Another complaint comes to city, WPD
Submitted / The Herald
Emily Pinkston, center, a rising senior at Wetumpka High School, was named Elmore County’s Distinguished Young Woman Saturday night at Wetumpka High School. Pinkston is shown here flanked by first runner-up Kasie Thomas, left, also of WHS, and Brantley White, second runner-up, of Holtville High.
Wetumpka student wins Distinguished Young Woman By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
Emily Pinkston, a student at Wetumpka High School and the daughter of District Judge Patrick Pinkston and his wife, Georgia, was named Elmore County’s Distinguished Young Woman for 2018 on Saturday night at Wetumpka High School. Pinkston was also the winner of the DYW scholastic award and the talent
award. She performed a musical theater piece titled “I Know It’s Today” from “Shrek the Musical,” a song about Fiona waiting in the tower for her Prince. “I’m happy and extremely excited,” said Pinkston, who spoke via telephone from a Latter Day Saints church camp in Nauvoo, Illinois. “Most of all, I’m thankful for the opportunity to represent Elmore County.” See DYW • Page B6
The organization lodging complaints against the city and police department over religious activities asserts the actions are not merely matters of differing viewpoints but of legality and there are violations of law occurring. But the Freedom From Religion Foundation was apparently not alone its efforts seeking redress from the city regarding religious activities. City Attorney Regina Edwards recently told The Herald that before the FFRF sent its series of letters to both her and Wetumpka Police Chief Danny Billingsley, another group – the American Atheists Legal Center – sent a letter to Mayor Jerry Willis regarding at least one of the same matters. Edwards said she spoke with the police chief to remedy at least one item from the list of issues addressed by the Freedom From Religion Foundation. Attorneys from the FFRF wrote Billingsley and Edwards letters notifying the city officials of what they said were constitutional violations happening within See COMPLAINT • Page A3
City of Wetumpka to host July 4 celebration By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
The City of Wetumpka will host its annual Fourth of July celebration on Independence Day at 6 p.m. in Gold Star Park. The activities will continue until 9 p.m. and culminate in a fireworks show sponsored by Wind Creek Casino, according to Tiffany Richardson, the city’s events director. “There will be live music for the adults and activities for the kids, as well,” Richardson said. “Wishbone will be playing. They’re a great Montgomery-based classic rock and dance cover band. They’re pretty popular in the River Region. “For the kids, we’ll have inflatables – slides, bounce houses, things of that nature – and other activities, too.” Richardson said Grumpy Dog and Sno Biz will be on hand providing food and refreshment, but coolers Submitted / The Herald are welcome. Montgomery-based Wishbone, a classic rock and dance-cover band, will rock the City of WeSee CELEBRATION • Page B6 tumpka’s July 4 celebration.