Issuu

Get all the local prep football results with TPI’s Sports Extra. INSIDE TODAY Wetumpka, AL 36092

50¢

SATURDAY-SUNDAY • OCTOBER 22-23, 2016

THEWETUMPKAHERALD.COM

VOL. 11, NO. 40

County considers other bids for Thames building

By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor

Now that the city of Wetumpka has formally approved the bid it submitted to the county on Oct. 11, the Elmore County Commission now has two formal bids to consider regarding the acquisition of the old

Thames Pharmacy building, with the second proposal coming from the Adullam House. It is not clear however which, if any, proposal the commission will accept at its next regularly scheduled meeting on Oct. 24. At the previous meeting, Commission Chair David Bowen suggested that the city and Adullam

House meet to discuss a joint proposal that the county could consider. The Adullam House made the initial proposal on the property after open discussions during previous meetings before the commission. Corey Arwood / The Herald The Adullam House’s proposal was The old Thames Pharmacy/Board of Education building is currently submitted to the county on June unoccupied. The building has recently been part of a bidding war See THAMES • Page 3 between the city of Wetumpka and Adullam House.

Cell phone records presented in Hughes case

Wetumpka women die in car crash By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

Evidence was revealed in the highprofile case of a previous downtown Wetumpka business owner who has been in jail for over a month on rape and burglary charges from an incident that was said to have been welldocumented in cellphone communications. Elmore County Sheriff’s officials were asked at the Tuesday Hughes hearing of Charles (Chase) Bryant Hughes Jr. to verify the damning data that was said by local District Attorney Randall Houston to essentially amount to sexual blackmail. The hearing resulted in Hughes’ bond being raised on his first-degree rape charge from the $100,000 it was set at in September shortly after the alleged incident on Sept. 11. It was raised to $250,000 Tuesday, and along with the $30,000 issued with the burglary charge last month his total bond is now set at $280,000. Houston said the defense had asked See HUGHES • Page 3

Today’s

Weather

71 43 High

Low

SUNDAY: HIGH 80 LOW 48

Corey Arwood / The Herald

Jesse Liechty, owner of Tallassee Automotive, stands with Mayor Bobby Payne and city officials, along with his staff, at the grand opening ribbon cutting ceremony for the major upgrades to the dealership and its new facility.

SHINY AND RENEWED Tallassee Automotive holds grand reopening

not just the community but the big time surrounding areas, all of Elmore and even as far as Lee County,” said Payne on A local automotive dealership just Thursday. held its grand opening after a year’sThe two-showroom dealership is made worth of renovations and expansion in up of two facilities that sit side-by-side Tallassee and its owner called the updates traveling west along Alabama State Route a reaffirmation of their “commitment to 14. the city.” Owner, Jesse Liechty said they acquired Mayor Bobby Payne was at the ribbon the building around July 2015 and worked cutting for Tallassee Automotive, which since then on its renovations. constitutes both Tallassee Ford and Even though the business has been Tallassee Chrysler Dodge Jeep, Ram. operating from the location for some time Payne gave a strong endorsement of the now, Liechty said they wanted to have all business, it’s ownership and staff. their remodeling efforts complete before “Needless to say I think it’s going the ribbon cutting and grand opening to be a real shot in the arm, … for the, See GRAND REOPENING • Page 7

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

Two Wetumpka women were involved in a fatal crash when the SUV they were travelling in collided with a tractor-trailer leaving the driver wounded while the passenger died from her injuries shortly after the wreck Tuesday, according to ALEA officials. State Troopers responded to the scene on Alabama 115 about three miles outside of Kellyton, along with the Coosa County Sheriff’s Office, both the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency and CSO officials said. According to the ALEA report, Gloria Grier Allen, 66, was a passenger in the 2002 Toyota Sequoia driven by Sharon Marie Allen, 39, both of Wetumpka. The incident was said to have occurred around 8 p.m. A 2007 Freightliner semi was the other vehicle described in the incident. Gloria Allen was seriously injured in the collision, according to the report, and

Main Street training shares four-point approach By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor

For two days this week area leaders were involved in Main Street Alabama’s “Basic Training” course learning the ins and outs of the Main Street Four-Point approach. The four-point approach is a nationally proven model that Main Street organizations throughout the country use to help return life to their downtown areas. The four areas are organization, promotion, design and economic restructuring. Participants in the course were treated to two days of in-depth training covering each of the four points with three-hour classes for each of the points. According to Main Street

Alabama President/State Coordinator Mary Helmer, Main Street is a volunteer driven organization. “Our goal is to impart knowledge to our participants so that they can train the volunteers,” Helmer said. “We offer in depth knowledge as to how each of the points work.” Helmer said she was very pleased with the participation from Wetumpka. “I was very pleased with the people who attended and the questions they asked,” she said. “Every community has its own pace and we are pleased with their (Main Street Wetumpka’s) pace. They are where they need to be. I am really pleased that they hired a director and they are in the pro-

pka m u t e W

cess of moving forward.” The new director is Jenny Stubbs, who attended both days of the training session. She said that the information provided was very informative. “Both days were fantastic,” she said. “It was full of information, that on its face seems simplistic but has the capacity to have a big impact on your community.” Helmer said the next step for Main Street Wetumpka is to have a board retreat which will include looking at the community’s vision statement and the Main Street Alabama resource report recommendation and putting that plan into action by setting goals. According to Helmer, that retreat will occur on Nov. 18.

See ACCIDENT • Page 3

Stubbs named Main Street Wetumpka director By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor

Main Street Wetumpka recently hired local businesswoman Jenny Stubbs as its executive director. Stubbs is a long-time resident of Wetumpka, who according to a press release Stubbs submitted by See MAIN STREET • Page 7

Flea Market & Antiques

Booth Space Available Call for Information

334-567-2666

5266 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka Winn Dixie Shopping Center • Behind KFC

Clay Boshell REALTOR®

Brandt Wright Realty, Inc. Cell:

334.657.6167

www.ClayBoshell.com

When you’re ready to buy or sell call Clay Boshell! Each Ofﬁce is Independently Owned and Operated