SPORTS: Angier leads Wetumpka past rival Stanhope Elmore Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2023 | VOL. 124, NO. 37 | $1.00
Improvements coming to South Main Street Holtville High School basketball coach arrested WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00
BY CLIFF WILLIAMS Boundary Street to the culture experience to bring News Editor bridge,” Wetumpka Public some life and color to the Works’ Justin Barrett said. medians. investigation and handed it off By Cliff Williams Wilson was the head basketA new look is coming “They are adding some In addition, theappropriate project Staff Writer ball coach at Holtville High to the authorities. to South Main Street in medians in front of the will see new asphalt from School and was He was also placed on adminisWetumpka. Hampton Inn.” on adBridge Street to US HighA virtual teacher at Elmore placed trative leave at that time.” The Wetumpka City Barrett said the idea of way 231 and the entrances County School’s Edge program ministrative Dennis said school officials Council approved an agreethe medians to create to the Wetumpka has been arrested and charged leave was Jan. 13 followCivic the same procedure ment its Tuesday meetingdistribtwo lanes of traffic Center adjusted better withat school employee according to instead Elwhen for administrators receive a of majorallegations against uting obsceneMills material with Goodwyn, & to a stuof fourmore to makeCounty the area traffic flow.report The vast schoolisstaff and employees. dent. to ensure all new Schools superCawood safer. The medians will not ity of the project funded hand it over, we Elmoresidewalks County and Sheriff Bill pavement, be justintendent a block ofRichconcrete. with federal“Once grants, we so the know very certain little about what is Franklin ard Dennis.to be grass projects have medians aresaid builtEmmanuel to code byAndre“It is supposed to meet going on,” Dennis said. “We Wilson II,as32, of Montgomery “We had asaid. re- “It WILSON contractors South Main medians,” Barrett specifications, according to turned himselfa facelift. into authorities Street is getting will beport,” nice.” Dennis Barrett. cooperate with authorities if Tuesday afternoon. said. “Weemployees had a preliminary necessary.” “There will be sidewalk Public works See IMPROVEMENTS, Page A5 improvements from South will also use their horti-
CLIFF WILLIAMS THE HERALD
Franklin said investigators with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office have the alleged victim’s phone. Authorities collected Wilson’s phone as well. “You could see a conversation between the two,” Franklin said. “Mr. Wilson is going to contend someone had the security code to his phone and he was not responsible. There is other information we can’t disclose now but I don’t think it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.”
Chamber holds luncheon
Attempt to smuggle drugs, phones into prison thwarted
welcoming members
BY CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor By Cliff Williams Staff Writer Three Mississippi residents were arrested chargedChamber of Commerce held its The and Wetumpka with fourannual countsluncheon of drug to install new officers and board trafficking about three members for themiles first time in a while Thursday. from stateThe prisons in Elmore LEDBETTER COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gathearly Thursday morning. erings but the chamber celebrated the successes of Meanwhile law enforcement business in Wetumpka. are searching two others “Wefor haven’t been able to do this for the last couwho fledple theyears,” scenechairperson on foot Clay McConnell said. “Your but whoattendance are not expected to is an indication people want to get back be in Elmore County. together and have these opportunities to see each A caller alerted law See CHAMBER, Page A3 enforcement of a car parked LOWE in a roadway with lights off. “The caller stated the vehicle and offenders were in possession of drugs and were about to make a drop at the prison,” court documents state. Elmore County deputy See PRISON, Page A5
TERRY
Wetumpka PD arrests 2 Selma residents for distribution
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon. CLIFF WILLIAMS/ THE HERALD
The Wetumpka Wilson was released on a City Council $6,000 bond 90 minutes afprays before ter turning himself in lastaccordweek’s ing to the Elmore County council Jail website. meeting. Mayor Dennis said Wilson also said Jerry Willis coached other sportstheatbudget Holt- is currently in a ville schools including being phase and the head track coach draft and assistant football coach. council will be ablewould to vote Dennis said other staff on it before at fill in for the duties of Wilson the start of the Holtville while he is on adminfiscal year. istrative leave.
Police continue investigation, man no longer suspected By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer Police are still investigating the fatal shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart parking lot on Jan. 20. Police were dispatched to the parking lot around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. Once there, they found Centell Winston, 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot wound in the driver seat of his vehicle. According to Wetumpka police chief Greg Benton, this was not a random shooting. “This was not random, not a random act,” said Benton. “We believe the victim and the perpetrator knew each other.” This is the first homicide in Wetumpka in over three years. The last homicide in the city took place in 2018. “It’s not a good way to start out the new year,” said Benton. Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
GOOD FOOD CHEAP IS PURPOSE BEHIND AMACHER’S
SUNKEN TRACTOR BY CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
A
lifelong love of cooking, food and family is why Chris and Christy Amacker opened See SHOOTING, Page A3 Amacker’s Sunken Tractor. Just off Mehearg Road on famBY CLIFF WILLIAMS ily property, the Amackers have News Editor created their own slice of heaven. They are offering up affordable A traffic stop by the food with hopes of growing into a Wetumpka Police Departdestination with trails and more. of Staff Report ment led to a seizureschoolwide assembly at Holtville the school culturesaid. from that of a shift in a positive direction. The “It is for family,” Christy drugs and a gun and High the School. Elmore County Suschool struggling with “We want to show our kids what low mo- school experienced a 62 percent arrest of two individuals. The Alabama Association of perintendent Richard Dennis was rale, achievement and attendance decrease in discipline referrals, HARRIS we can do together. We are newly A Wetumpka patrol offiSecondary School Principals in attendance for the presentation. to a school that strives for excel- 50 percent decrease in chronic married and a blended family.” cer was on Rivers (AASSP) named Holtville High Oaks “Kyle Futral is an exception- lence. By collaborating with staff, absenteeism, 7 percent increase Chris is retired military. He Drive onFutral Sept. the 6 when a School principal Kyle al principal and is very proac- many of the school’s issues were in the graduation rate, 33 percent served in more than two dozen CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD Crown 2022 Alabamablue HighFord School Prin-Victoria tive and innovative in his think- identified and addressed. Futral’s increase in CCR rate and a 20 percountries, learning to cook a little TOP: Chris and Christie Amacker have opened up Amacker’s Sunken Tractor on cipal of the Year. ing and approaches to managing leadership style of listening, encent increase in ACT proficiency failed to signal as it “abruptMehearg Road. The couple wanted to prove to their children anything is possible of everything along the way. In The High School Principal of road hisinto school,” Dennis said, couraging, supporting, organizing in the last five years. ly” pulled off the by setting your mind to it. the Year awarda was presented to officer As principal of Holtville High and challenging the staff and stuparking lot. The ABOVE: Amacker’sSeeSunken TractorPage is allA3 about good food. See TRACTOR, A5culture PRINCIPAL, Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a School, Futral has transformed dents, caused thePage school to FUTURAL INGRAM See ARRESTS, Page A5
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
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