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ALABAMA’S BIGGEST WEEKLY HIGH SCHOOL FOOTBALL EDITION INSIDE TODAY
Eclectic Observer The
WEDNESDAY • OCTOBER 3, 2018
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 29, No. 40
Man sentenced for murder, burning body in Redland By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Bureau Chief
A Montgomery man was recently sentenced to decades in prison for killing a man and attempting to dispose of the body in Elmore County, according to a recent announcement by the Montgomery County District Attorney’s office. Christopher Brian Cearley, 34, who lists an address on Hialeah Lane, was convicted of capital murder and
semi-automatic weapon into sentenced to 85 years in prison Dubose.” by Judge Johnny Hardwick on In an effort to conceal the Sept. 20. As part of his sentence, murder, Cearley then took Cearley was also ordered to pay a Dubose’s body to a hay field in $5,000 fine. the Redland community and set Cearley killed John Dubose, it and surrounding hay bales on of Hayneville, by shooting him fire. from behind on July 22, 2015. According to a 2015 story According to the Montgomery Cearley published on The Herald’s DA’s Office, Dubose had been website, firefighters discovered Dubose’s sitting at Cearley’s house when Cearley body when they arrived to extinguish the came up behind him and “emptied his
flames. Cearley was arrested the following day. “This was a truly despicable crime, and I am extremely pleased that justice was served in this case,” Montgomery District Attorney Daryl Bailey said. “The length of Christopher Cearley’s sentence ensures that he will never be able to harm anyone else, and our streets are a little safer now that this violent criminal has been removed from our community.”
Barnett begins as EMA director
Red Hill School reunion set for Oct. 21 By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Bureau Chief
Recently hired Elmore County Emergency Management Agency Director Keith Barnett began his first day on the job Monday. Barnett previously Barnett spent more than two decades working with the Montgomery Police Department. Barnett said he has “big shoes” to fill, and is looking forward to carrying on the work of former EMA Director Eric Jones. “Eric Jones did an outstanding job for many years as the EMA director. There’s nothing (broken). It’s going to be a matter of me coming in and, hopefully, picking up from where Eric left off, trying to take it from here and make it even better,” Barnett said. “I think we can accomplish a lot of things and make this center a bigger benefit for the citizens of Elmore County.” As the ECEMA director, Elmore County Chief Engineer and Operations See BARNETT • Page 2
Today’s
Weather
88 69 High
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THURS: HIGH 90 LOW 68
Amalia Kortright / The Observer
Eclectic resident Kailey Rowe opened Cowlicks Salon about a month ago, named for the cows owned by her family and because, she said, ‘everybody’s had a cowlick.’
OFF TO A GOOD START Cowlicks Salon sees successful first month By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Bureau Chief
T
he town of Eclectic recently welcomed a new business into its downtown area. Cowlicks Salon, located at 80 Main St., has been open for almost a month, according to owner Kailey Rowe. In that time, Rowe said business has been steadier than anticipated. “It’s been surprising. I didn’t expect it to take off as quick as it did,” Rowe said. “I figured I would have a slow start, and I didn’t. It’s just been a huge blessing.” Rowe previously worked at the GAB Salon
in Wetumpka for five years. She said she didn’t know she wanted to start her own business until local business owners Guy and Gina Sanders approached her with the opportunity. “It was offered to me by a few members of our church that own this building. They own the coffee shop as well. Me and my husband talked about it, and we prayed about it for almost a year before we really decided to do it,” Rowe said. “I’m really grateful that they thought of me and my family. Guy’s been great to rent from.” According to Rowe, Cowlicks was named for the fact her family owns several head of cattle in the area. “My sister-in-law came up with it. She thought it was fitting, and I thought it was a See COWLICKS • Page 2
The Red Hill Community Center was the Red Hill School long before it was a community center. The school began holding classes in 1913 and over the years saw hundreds of students graduate. And that’s why the Red Hill Community Club has scheduled a school reunion on Sunday, Oct. 21 at 1:30 p.m. “Please begin to make your plans to attend this wonderful event,” event coordinator Paula Castleberry said. This school reunion is open to all RHS alumni, faculty, staff as well as their family and extended family members. “If you know of any former students, their children, grandchildren, and friends of our Red Hill School, please help us to make them aware of this event and date,” Castleberry said. This upcoming reunion will feature local fare from one of RHS’s own. “The event will be catered with fine food by the Red Hill Cottage Café, owned by one of our former students, Debra Griffith Roberson,” Castleberry said. “We are looking forward to a great attendance,” she said. See REUNION • Page 3
Deatsville couple donates plane to county tech center By AMALIA KORTRIGHT Bureau Chief
A local couple donated a valuable piece of equipment to students of the Elmore County Technical Center’s newly established aviation program Friday. Elmore County Career and Technical Education Director Jimmy Hull and aviation students met with James and Faye Hester, of Deatsville, at the Wetumpka Municipal Airport to thank them for the Challenger II airplane that was gifted to the school. “I just want to emphasize how grateful we are to Mr. and Mrs. Hester for giving us the plane,” Hull said. “We just want to use it to help the kids.” James Hester said he had owned the plane for about a decade, but had gotten to the point where he rarely used it. “I’m not doing much flying anymore. When the technical school contacted See AIRPLANE • Page 2
Amalia Kortright / The Observer
CTEC student Ricardo Hoath examines the school’s recently donated Challenger II airplane with his classmates.
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