Panthers beat Indians twice
Budget time is always an interesting time of year
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Eclectic Observer Page 4
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The
THURSDAY • SEPTEMBER 15, 2016
TheWetumpkaHerald.com
Vol. 27, No. 37
Eclectic 17-year-old charged with shooting parents Sheriff: Former Mayor Mike Holton and wife die after Sunday shooting By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
A past mayor of Eclectic and his wife have died from a double shooting and their 17-yearold son is facing murder charges and is in jail on a $150,000 bond as an investigation contin-
Holton
ues by Elmore County Sheriff’s Office. Sheriff Bill Franklin said Tuesday they were still in the “infant stages” of the investigation into the murders of Mike and April Holton. He said there would now be an examination of April by the Department of Forensic Science, however he said the pathology report would likely spell another count of murder for the Holton’s son, Jesse Holton, a senior at Elmore County High School. The ECSO is collecting evidence and have
sent fingerprint and blood samples from Jesse Holton, collected through a search warrant, to the forensic investigators, he said. The results of the report on April, like the report received by the ECSO on Monday from Mike Holton, Franklin said would “loom large” for the case. The bond would also probably be the same, $150,000, Franklin said if Jesse Holton gets See SHOOTING • Page 3
School board approves 2016-17 budget
Commission discusses budget, probate office By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
The Elmore County Commission took up the county budget Monday evening and spent some time discussing specific requests made by the probate office. The board took no immediate action on the budget due to a request to modify it, which was approved by four of the five commission members, giving employees a one percent pay increase. County Administrator Grace McDuffie presented her proposed budget to the board. She stated that the goal was level funding. County Commission Chairman David Bowen said that level funding was the goal because the county once again effectively had zero growth in revenues. “At some point we
By WILLIAM CARROLL Managing Editor
After two public meetings to discuss the budget on Friday morning and Monday afternoon, the Elmore County Board of Education voted unanimously to approve the fiscal year 2016-2017 budget at its Monday afternoon meeting. According to the budget, a copy of which was provided at the meeting, the district is anticipating $98,068,669.54 in revenues and $98,160,359.44 in expenditures. Of the revenues, $63,953,033 will come from state sources, $8,462,507 from federal sources and $25,383, 613 will come from local sources, $287,516 will come from other sources. $55,123,611 of the expense is directly tied to instructional services, with an additional $12,751,523 being tied to instructional support. Operation and maintenance fees account for $7,936,839 of the costs while $12,298, 959 is tied to auxiliary services. The remainder of the expenditures are for administrative services, capital outlay, debt services and what are titled “other” expenditures. Chief School Financial Officer Jason Mann said that this year’s budget is just over $98 million, while last year’s
Corey Arwood / The Observer
REMEMBERING SEPT. 11 A ceremony to add about 230 names to the Elmore County 9-11 Memorial was held Monday. The organizer of the event on behalf of the Elmore County Commission was Chief Warrant Officer 4, Gardner Perdue, as pictured. A number of military personnel, and families representing the names placed on the monument were said to have been present at the ceremony. He said another event was held as well by local Boy Scout troops 13, 50 and 429 in which a half-circle of flags was dedicated in memory of a local World War II veteran
See BUDGET • Page 9
See COMMISSION • Page 9
Law enforcement seeks suspect in bridge vandalism
Arrest made in Kowaliga tomahawk theft By MITCH SNEED Editor
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Russell Lands Security and investigators with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department are working on identifying a suspect in a vandalism case that has left a bridge with thousands of dollars worth of damage. On Sunday, Sept. 4, a boater spotted two white males, one adult and one that appeared to be a teen, leave a boat of See VANDALISM • Page 3
Submitted / The Observer
Investigators tracked the suspect involved in the Kowaliga tomahawk theft using credit card information. The tomahawk has been returned to Kowaliga Restaurant.
Kowaliga the Indian’s tomahawk has been recovered and the person investigators believe is responsible for taking it has been arrested. Investigator Bill Wilson with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Department said that 19-year-old John Mason Friday has been charged with theft of property after evidence linked him to the theft of the tomahawk from the Kowaliga Restaurant on Sept. 4. Security captured footage of a
young man entering the lobby of the restaurant, looking around before plucking the tomahawk from the hand of the statue and then quickly leaving the restaurant. Russell Lands Security Chief Mack Daugherty said that investigators were able to identify Friday as being with a large group of people at the restaurant that day. Using credit card information from someone in the party, they were able to get names of those possibly involved. Wilson said the investigation was See TOMAHAWK • Page 3
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