Foundation for new bleachers being laid.
Remembering our fallen warriors this Memorial Day.
Looking for something? Check this week’s classifieds.
Eclectic Observer Page 4
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The
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THURSDAY • MAY 26, 2016
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 27, No. 21
Personnel changes announced at school board meeting
Superintendent Andre Harrison announced Chris Holley as the new Holtville Elementary School principal, and presented Shayla Broadway, a 6th grade math teacher at Wetumpka Middle School, with the Montgomery chapter Air Force Association Teacher of the Year award.
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
William Carroll / The Observer
There was a lighter tone during the most recent county board of education meeting, and as the school year draws to a close this
week, last minute awards were presented and changes to personnel and administration were announced. Superintendent Andre
County to lease building for energy savings project
Harrison introduced the new principal for Holtville Elementary to the crowded meeting room. Chris Holley was said to have See SCHOOL • Page 3
Electic schools get needed connectivity upgrade New fibre optic network slated to be in place by next school year
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
By WILLIAM CARROLL Staff Writer
Ms. Dottie, a 6-yearold Rat Terrier, was said to have protected her owners, Sue and Mike Bellury, from a 2-foot rattlesnake which found its way into their Eclectic home.
The Elmore County Commissioners voted to approve leasing the old emergency management office space in the Thames Building to Schneider Electric for use as a project office during the county’s emergency savings project Monday evening. County Engineer Richie Beyer said that Schneider had approached the county about renting the space. “Schneider Electric has already begun mobilizing for our project,” he said. “As they were trying to get set up one of the things they looked at was bringing in office trailers, and they approached us about renting the space.” Beyer said that Schneider is offering $400 a month for a sixto nine-month period of time. He told commissioners that the space is not currently being used and that the county is continuing
Submitted / The Observer
Local woman ‘fortunate’ dog finds rattlesnake By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
An Eclectic woman said she was alerted to a rattlesnake holed up in her home by her small dog, a 6-year-old rat terrier named Ms. Dottie, who nearly died from its effort to vanquish the venomous intruder. Sue Bellury, 68, gave her account of an incident she said happened after visiting with a family member, who lives near her and her husband, Mike Bellury, at their home on Rock Hill Road. She said she had left a screen door
See COMMISSION • Page 3
propped open with a small piece of wood so Ms. Dottie could come and go as she pleases; a practice Bellury said she has since stopped. “I quit doing it after this episode,” said Bellury. Coming back into the house, Bellury said she noticed a rat sitting motionless on top of the piece of wood used to prop the door open. Bellury’s said she grabbed a piece of firewood, hit the rat and then disposed of See BITE • Page 3
By next school year all of the students in Eclectic area public schools should have a faster connection to the information superhighway. Troy Cable was recently awarded a contract to bring 10 billion bits per second of connectivity to Eclectic Elementary, Middle and High schools. According to information provided by Troy Cable, the company will invest $481,000 during phase one of the construction project, which will provide 10-gig connections for all three schools. According to the company, phase one should be completed by July 1, in time for the 2016-2017 school year. Phase two of the project will provide approximately 160 broadband connections to residential homes in rural Elmore County with a capacity of 1 gbps. The project is part of a larger contract granted to Information Transport Solutions. ITS representative Barke Hughes said that the upgrade would significantly increase the bandwidth available to the schools. “It is about ten times the bandwidth they currently have,” he said. “It was definitely a move Elmore County needed to make.” Hughes said that the project is moving along quickly and that the goal is to have the schools up and running faster by the start of the next school year.
Cancer support group to assist people in community
Dr. Brandon Johnson explains the various forms of cancer as well as treatment options for patients touched by cancer.
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Submitted / The Observer
Tallassee’s newest cancer support group continues to help people and family members of those who have been touched by cancer. James Martin founded the organization as a way for people to come together and share life experiences with each other as way to help heal. The support
group is looking into ways to further help cancer patients with expenses. Often cancer treatments are very costly, perhaps the most costly on the pharmaceutical market. Even those with the best insurance can be left toting the burden of extra copays. “Even if they have insurance, they have to go so often that it really adds up quickly,” said
Today’s
See CANCER • Page 3
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Martin. This is why he hopes to soon be able to offer assistance to those who need it most at time when it is most needed. Open Arms cancer support group is also looking into offering assistance with the cost of transportation to and from doctor’s appointments for patients with
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