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LOCAL, PAGE B6

LOCAL, PAGE A3

SPORTS, PAGE B1

ALL-COUNTY BOYS BASKETBALL TEAM REVEALED

Elmore County Black History Museum opens INSIDE:

Tallassee, AL 36078

Red Hill community cleanup coming soon SEE UPCOMING COMMUNITY EVENTS, A6

$1.00

MARCH 8, 2023

TallasseeTribune.com

VOL. 125, NO. 10

Two Tallassee residents arrested for capital murder in Macon County STAFF REPORT TPI Staff The alleged killers of pregnant Shorter resident Jessica Bean are in the Macon County Jail facing capital murder charges.

Council honors Tallassee wrestlers By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor The Tallassee City Council celebrated the success of this year’s Tallassee High School wrestling team. Coach John Mask said the Tigers were successful as a team, finishing second in the duels but singled out four wrestlers who placed in the top four in their weight classes. Mask said senior Rutland Phillips finished the year 49-4 and was second in the state at 106 pounds. Sophomore Mason Nelson earned a 41-4 record and captured third at 113. Senior Caden Griffith was 47-6 and took fourth in the state at 182. Sophomore Land Bell finished 43-3 with most losses at higher weight classes. Bell was the state champion at 132.

NEAR PERFECT WASTEWATER REPORT

The council approved an annual report for the discharge from the city’s sewage lagoons to the Tallapoosa River. “It is a summary report of daily reports that has to come before the council,” CDG engineer Jeff Harrison said. “There were no violations, period. That is incredible.” Harrison noted the city lost points due to the age of the lagoons which will be rectified with upcoming renovations at the city’s wastewater treatment facility.

PUMP STATION BUILDING SURPLUSED

It’s a white building on Gilmer Avenue between First Community Bank and Taco Bell and owned by the city. But it hasn’t been needed in years. It was built to house a pumping station as the City of Tallassee expanded its water system west into the Tallaweka area. Today the pumps are bypassed and a developer is interested in buying the property if the building isn’t there. “We don’t need it,” public works superintendent James Garner said. “There is some work that needs to be done.” The work needed would move the city’s water lines into the right of way of the road. The council surplused the building but said it didn’t want to see See COUNCIL, Page A2

According to court documents Desirea Monique Driscol, 25, and Darrian Daqwon Kennebrew, 27, both of Tallassee were arrested Feb. 23. Court documents state the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency State Bureau of Investi-

gation aided in the investigation. Those documents also state Bean, 39, was pregnant when she was shot last month near Keys Court in Shorter. “On or about Sunday, Feb. 5 the defendant(s) did commit the murder or act as an

accomplice of Jessica Bean,” the documents state. Kennebrew was arrested Feb. 23 and Driscol was arrested Monday. Both are in the Macon County Jail with no bond available to them.

‘One fish, two fish, red fish, blue fish’ Local celebrities read to students during Read Across America CLIFF WILLIAMS THE TRIBUNE

Thing 1 and Thing 2,The Lorax, Cat in the Hat and more made appearances at Tallassee Elementary School last week. Students and staff celebrated Dr. Seuss and other authors as students dressed as their favorite book characters and listened to some of their favorite books read by local celebrities including Tallassee High School students and mascot Tally. The program is designed to encourage students to read and learn how reading can help take them anywhere in life they want to go.

‘A Failed Experiment’ By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor Court dockets are packed and riddled with names. Some of those names are repeat offenders and 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney C.J. Robinson said the Prison Reform Act of 2015 passed by the Alabama legislature has tied the hands of law enforcement, prosecutors

District attorney explains hands are tied on keeping guilty behind bars

and judges. Robinson said the 2015 legislation to control the prison population is “a failed experiment.” “In 2015 our state put a price tag on public safety,” Robinson said. “We had to make a decision. Our state decided that instead of increasing prison capacity, we would prioritize who was going in.” Robinson said the state prisons were at 197 percent of capacity in 2014.

“That has shrunk once the prison reform act came in,” Robinson said. “For every one person that goes in, essentially two come out.” But in reducing the prison population, Robinson said the public is now at a higher risk of becoming a victim. “We have early release,” Robinson said. “We have more parole hearings. See EXPERIMENT, Page A3

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