SPORTS, Check out our All-County Girls Basketball Team Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 1, 2023 | VOL. 124, NO. 9 | $1.00 FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00 Wetumpka man charged WEDNESDAY, with murder in Monday morning shooting
Holtville High School basketball coach arrested
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
TheCliff Elmore County Sheriff’s By Williams Office is still trying to get to the botStaff Writer tom of a Monday morning incident thatAleftvirtual Christianteacher Baker, 19, dead at Elmore after a shooting on Ceasarville Road. County School’s Edge program Currently Jason Gosdin, 39, of has been arrested and charged Wetumpka, sits in Elmore County with school Jail charged withemployee murder and distribno uting obscene material to a stubond available to him. dent. According to Elmore County Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said Emmanuel Andre Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon.
Sheriff Bill Franklin, Elmore County deputies responded at approximately 4:20 a.m. Monday to a mobile home onWilson Ceasarville wasRoad. the head basket“It seems was a party ball coachthat at there Holtville High going on out there at a School and was mobile home,” Franklin said. “Our problem placed on adthat is sort of hampering our efforts ministrative right now, the level of inebriation leave Jan. 13 that a lot of these people at the party accordingisto El- it doubly diffiexperience making more County cult to try to piece some of this stuff SchoolsThesupertogether. level of inebriation is intendent Richard Dennis. WILSON “We had a report,” Dennis said. “We had a preliminary
Aerospace industry supplier lands in Tallassee
extremely high.” seat of a vehicle. in the groin. Mr. Baker then opens Franklin said it is still early in the “He got pistol whipped by Mr. the door and tries to flee on foot. He investigation but it appears Gosdin Gosdin,” Franklin said. “According evidently collapses.” received a phone call from someone to [Perry], just as soon as he gets Bakerwas is found by first respondFranklin said investigators Wilson released on a investigation and handed it off at the party. hit with the first lick, the first strike, ers still alive and speaks with aflaw to the appropriate authorities. with the Elmore County Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes “We are trying to determine he pretty much knocks him unconenforcement. He was also placed on adminis- iff’s Office have the alleged vic- ter turning himself in accordexactly who that was,” Franklin said. tim’s scious.” “He tells our deputy, who shot phone. Authorities collect- ing to the Elmore County Jail trative leave at that time.” “[Gosdin] drives to this trailer where Baker is soon injured in the incihim and where it took place,” website. Dennis said school officials ed Wilson’s phone as well. his ex-wife was.” dent. Franklin said. “We have a dying “You could see a conversaDennis said Wilson also follow the same procedure Franklin said the initial investi“There is a round that is fired declaration. He is telling us before he between two,” Franksports at Holtwhen receive gation administrators revealed there were several a tion in that vehicle the by Mr. Gosdin that coached expires other what happened to him.” report of allegations against lin said. “Mr. Wilson is going ville schools including being 19 year olds there including Login strikes Christian Baker in the back Franklin said Gosdin left the school staff employees. toseat,” contend someone the the head track coach and assisPerry who wasand sitting in the front Franklin said. “He had gets shot See MURDER, Page A6 “Once we hand it over, we security code to his phone and tant football coach. know very little about what is he was not responsible. There Dennis said other staff would going on,” Dennis said. “We is other information we can’t fill in for the duties of Wilson at cooperate with authorities if disclose now but I don’t think Holtville while he is on adminnecessary.” it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave.
Chamber holds luncheon
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
welcoming members
Police continue investigation, man no longer suspected
High paying aerospace jobs are in Elmore County. Velocity Composites has located its new U.S. headquarters in Tallassee. The facility will supply By GKN Cliff Aerospace Williams with cut carbon Members shapes. Initially the company has hired about Staff Writer of the 40 full time employees and hopes to double Wetumpka that numberThe in the near future. Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its Chamber of “At theannual moment we havetooneinstall contract Commerce luncheon new officers and board with GKN and obviously willtime be in a while Thursday. attend the members for thewefirst chamber’s “A The COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gathSee AEROSPACE, Page A2 Taste of Our erings but the chamber celebrated the successes of Home Town” business in Wetumpka. By Jake Arthur luncheon. “We haven’t been able to do this for the last couChief Videographer CLIFF WILLIAMS/ ple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your THE HERALD attendance is an indication people want to get back CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE Police are still investigating theHERALD fatal together and have these opportunities to see each Redland Elementary School fourth grader J.D. Bailey, right, is dressed as President John shooting F. KennedyinastheheWetumpka speaks to other Redland Walmart parkduring a Black History Living Museum. ing lot on Jan. 20. See CHAMBER, Page students A3 Police were dispatched to the parking lot around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. Once there, they found Centell Winston, 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot wound CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD in the driver seat of his vehicle. Velocity Composites strategic operations diAccording to Wetumpka police chief rector Jeff Armitage looks over work done Greg Benton, this was not a random shootin the clean room. The company is gearing ing. up to supply GKN and others with cut car“This was not random, not a random bon pieces. act,” said Benton. “We believe the victim and the perpetrator knew each other.” By CLIFF WILLIAMS This is the first homicide in Wetumpka News Editor in over three years. The last homicide in the city took place in 2018. istory came to life at Redland Elementary School. “It’s not a good way to start out the new Twenty two third and fourth graders studied year,” said Benton. up and dressed in costume to help their classmates Benton didn’t want to speculate on the learn about Black History. The likes of Kamala Ingram State helping Harris, Octavia Spencer, Mae Jemison, Eleanor See SHOOTING, Page A3 Roosevelt, Barack Obama, John F. Kennedy, Kathsolve two problems serving erine Johnson and more were brought to life by the only the incarcerated students. “I wanted to do something different,” Redland Elementary School counselor Brittany Brown said. By CLIFF WILLIAMS “The living Black History Museum is teaching our News Editor students diversity, cultural differences and empaStaff Report schoolwide assembly thy.” at Holtville the school culture from that of a shift in a positive direction. The Ingram State Technical College (ISTC) High School. Elmore County Su- delivered school struggling with low The presenters a brief biography of mowho school experienced a 62 percent is unique. The Alabama Association of perintendent Richard Dennis was in rale, achievement and attendance decrease in discipline referrals, they represented the cafeteria. Unlike other technical schools and Secondary Schoolits Principals to a school that strives for excel- 50 percent decrease in chronic believe the students may learn and remember community colleges, entire student in attendance for the“Ipresentation. (AASSP) named Holtville High “Kyle Futral is an exceptionlence. By collaborating with more this way,” Brown said. “Before coming instaff, absenteeism, 7 percent increase population is either serving or has served today, some were asking what their friends will be. School principal Kyle Futral the al principal and is very proacmany of the school’s issues were in the graduation rate, 33 percent CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD time in prison. According to Alabama I think theythinkwill listen to theirand fellow studentsFutral’s more increase 2022 Alabama High in his identified addressed. CCR rate and a 20third per-grader Chelsea Brown dressed as OcRedlandinElementary School Bureau of Pardons andSchool ParolesPrinDirectortive and innovative thantoa managing teacher and learn more about thelistening, people repcipalWard, of theISTC Year.is the only school in ing leadership style of en- cent ACT to proficiency taviaincrease Spencerinspeaks other Redland students during a Black History Cam the and approaches resented by their classmates.” The High School Principal of his school,” Dennis said, couraging, supporting, organizing in the last five years. Living Museum. United States entirely behind the fence and the Year award was presented to As principal of Holtville High and challenging the staff and stuSee INGRAM STATE,aPage A3 See PRINCIPAL, Page A3 Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during School, Futral has transformed dents, caused the school culture to FUTURAL
COMING TO LIFE
Elementary students use living museum to teach Black History
Workforce Development
and Recidivism
H
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
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