Tallassee Tribune Feb. 19 2025

February

No injuries but trees down across Elmore County in storm

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Elmore County officials spent Sunday morning assessing damage across the county following a straight-line wind event that passed through in the early morning hours.

Elmore County EMA

director Keith Barnett said his office was up most of the night out assessing damage.

“We’ve got reports of trees and power lines pretty much from one end of the county to the other and north and south, the whole county,” Barnett said. “It looks like we did have a significant wind event come through, straightline winds like the National Weather Service was talking about. There were some pretty strong gusts.” Double Bridge Ferry Road

SMS sees big improvements on state report

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Tallassee’s Southside Middle School went from a 75 to an 85 in one year on the state’s report card.

card

SMS principal Brittany Spencer said staff and students improved the score by working on the big three — attendance,

See REPORT, Page A6

and

the state report card.

Rental ordinance on agenda for next council meeting

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The City of Tallassee wants to address living conditions, especially those in rental homes. At its Feb. 25 meeting, the Tallassee City council will hold a public hearing before considering an ordinance requiring inspections between tenants in rental properties. Tallassee

building inspector and fire chief Eric Jones spoke to the Tallassee City Council about the issue at last week’s meeting.

“We want to make sure they are livable,” Jones said. “We want them to be up to code.”

Jones said some homes are in a deplorable condition. He said he has been

See RENTAL, Page A6

in Eclectic was closed due to trees and powerlines in the road. Barnett said there was a short stretch with most of the downed trees.

“Initial report was between 10 to 30 trees in that short area,” Barnett said. “County crews with heavy equipment tried to remove them but the trees are also involved in

TIGERS WIN STATE

By LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN Managing Editor

erfection.

PNot many teams can claim it, but Tallassee’s wrestling squad certainly can.

The Tigers finished with an unblemished record, took five wrestlers to the top of the podium and earned the AHSAA Class 1A/4A Wrestling State Championship.

“It’s definitely amazing,” Tallassee coach John Mask said. “Ten years ago when we did it, it was like I was on cloud nine. But you know, as you get older, you realize just how special they are and how hard they are to

come by. It’s not something that comes easy, and it takes so much hard work.”

Tallassee got point contributions from all 12 of its wrestlers at state, culminating in a dominating victory in the team standings. The Tigers crowned five state champions — Thomas Patterson (106 pounds), Mason Nelson (113), Land Bell (150), Tra’mel McCoy (165) and Nolan Addeo (215).

“This is definitely something you dream of as a coach,” Mask said. “When you have a group like we do this year — well, heck, we’ve had good groups every year I’ve been here — but this is a special group.

SUBMITTED TPI

They have not lost a regular season match since they were eighth graders. It’s just very, very rewarding and humbling to be around them every day.”

It was the second state championship for the Tigers this year as they also won the AHSAA Class 1A/4A Duals Championship. These are just two of many accolades for the Tigers this season. They also won several duals tournaments throughout the year, including the Jaime Blakely Duals, the Weaver Gene Taylor Tournament, the Beast of the Beach, and the Julian McPhillips Invitational.

Tallassee’s wrestling team celebrates after winning the state championship on Saturday.

Weather Today’s

High Low 53 26

THURS: HIGH 42 LOW 21

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Obituaries

NANCY STOVALL WILBANKS

Nancy Stovall Wilbanks, born May 16, 1940, passed away peacefully at a long-term care facility in Atlanta, GA, on February 13, 2025. Born in Atlanta, GA, Nancy was the cherished only child of Thelma Leone Coursey and Clarence Madison Stovall.

Nancy was a graduate of Northside High School, class of 1958, where she actively participated in the Pirate Club and the Mademoiselle Club. Continuing her education, she graduated from Emory University in 1962, proudly affiliated with Kappa Alpha Theta, where she held positions as both pledge class president and sorority president. Her time at Emory was marked by her recognition as an Emory Wheel (Emory Beauty) and an SAE Sweetheart.

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

FEB. 16

• Menacing was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue.

• Trespassing was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Gilmer Avenue.

• Trespassing was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Weldon Road.

• A tree was reported in the roadway on Weldon Road.

• An animal complaint was reported on Sims Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on North McKenzie Street.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Riverside Avenue, McArthur Street, Barnett Boulevard, E.B. Payne Sr. Drive, Oak Heights Road, Central Boulevard and Dixie Circle.

• A domestic incident was reported on Joy Street.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Lower River Road.

• Assistance was

After graduation, Nancy married Bob Leonard, and together they had two sons, Mark and Matt. In December 1971, Nancy married Dr. Daniel (Danny) Wilbanks, who formally adopted Mark and Matt in 1973. Nancy and Danny dedicated themselves to raising their blended family of five boys: Dan, Bruce, Mark, John, and Matt, in Tallassee, AL. She was active in several organizations including the Tallassee Library Board and Community Hospital Pink Ladies organization. Additionally, she was an avid bridge player and Crimson Tide aficionado. Fondly known as “Nanch” by her friends and grandchildren, Nancy is survived by her five sons: Daniel Pinckney Wilbanks, Jr. (Amy), Bruce Ogletree Wilbanks (Lella), Mark Stovall Wil-

given to a citizen on North Dubois Street. FEB. 15

• Suspicious activity was reported on Macedonia Road.

• Assistance was given to another agency on Wall Street.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.

• A noise complaint was reported on Freeman Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.

• A domestic incident was reported on Washington Street. FEB. 14

• Animal control was requested on Barnett Boulevard.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Gilmer Avenue and West Butler Street.

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on South Ann Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on Gen. Chappy James Street.

• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer

Avenue.

banks, John Todd Wilbanks (Laurie), and James Mattison Wilbanks (Kari). She also leaves behind nine beautiful grandchildren: Sara Sims Rowley (Erik), Harris Key Wilbanks, Butler Denton Wilbanks (Sarah), John Daniel Wilbanks, William Calvin Wilbanks, Bruce Ogletree Wilbanks, Jr., Alice Kirkland Wilbanks, Sherrod Elizabeth Wilbanks, and Harper Mattison Wilbanks.

In addition to her parents, Nancy is preceded in death by her former husband, Danny.

In lieu of flowers, please consider a donation to her favorite charity, St. Jude Children’s hospital.

The family will receive guests on Saturday February 22nd from 1:00pm – 3:00pm at Jeffcoat Funeral Home – 255 Friendship Rd, Tallassee, AL 36078

• A welfare check was conducted on Third Avenue.

• Gun shots were reported on Third Avenue. FEB. 13

• Assistance was given to a citizen on King Street.

• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Gilmer Avenue. FEB. 12

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Gilmer Avenue. FEB. 11

• Harassment was reported on Central Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Ransom Drive.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Sims Avenue and Benson Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Friendship Road.

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.

• An assault was reported on Stewart Street.

• Trespassing was reported on Third Avenue. FEB. 10

• A welfare check was conducted on Roberts Street.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Central Boulevard.

• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A stolen vehicle was reported on Benson Avenue.

• A Black female was arrested on Barnett Boulevard.

• Fraudulent use of credit or debit card was reported on Third Avenue.

• A welfare check was conducted on Notasulga Road.

• A fight was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Rickey Lane. FEB. 9

• A welfare check was conducted on Little Road.

• Assistance was given to another agency on West Patton Street.

SUBMITTED | TPI

Grove Station lands in downtown Wetumpka

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Grove Station has a new home.

Corrie Sid opened Grove Station in 2021 in Tallassee and quickly developed a loyal following known as the Grove Station Nation.

Sid purchased Our Place in Wetumpka last year.

Friday, Sid joined leaders from Wetumpka to announce Grove Station

will relocate to Company Street in downtown Wetumpka.

“I decided Tallassee wasn’t the right location for us,” Sid said. “We just needed to move. I started looking in Wetumpka as a second location even before I bought Our Place. I was also looking in Millbrook and Opelika.”

Sid said the city and community have been great with lots of support.

“Wetumpka has been

so incredible, especially since I got Our Place,” Sid said. “I called the city to say I’m looking to relocate from Tallassee. They were so excited and eager to work with us. They have been great.”

Sid asked for help locating a building and eventually the vacant Overton building on Company Street was found.

“We helped connect Corrie with the building’s owners,” City of Wetump-

ka economic developer Lynn Weldon said. “From there we all went to work to make everything work.”

Sid’s mind quickly went to work on how Grove Station could be woven into the building. She shared her vision with city leaders and the building’s owners.

“They have been wonderful,” Sid said. “We have been working with them to create a great project. It’s

Humane Society of Elmore County News

Shelters always looking for rightful owners

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

On e of the most frustrating things in the shelter world is all the animals that come to us that no one ever reclaims.

Almost all (feral cats excepted) of the animals in shelters were owned by someone as they certainly did not just appear out of blue. Sadly only about 15% of dogs are reclaimed by owners and only about 1% of cats. We are constantly screening the lost (and found) reports that have been called in to see if we might have a match as nothing makes us happier than reuniting a lost pet with its very relieved owner. We are also looking at all the lost and found pages on Facebook daily and the main one for our area is “Elmore County Alabama Lost &

Found Pets.”

We highly recommend you post a lost (or found) pet to this page, your personal page and any neighborhood pages for your area as Facebook does truly help in reuniting lost pets.

Probably 90+% of pets coming into our shelter have no collars and of those with collars only a small fraction have rabies or identification tags.

When we get an animal in with a rabies or ID tag the very first things we do is call the veterinarian so they can help us get pet and owner reunited. And it does work – in most cases an animal with a tag can be reunited with its owner the same day. For those who say their pet loses their tags (riveted tags can help) we highly recommend two other methods of identification – microchip and writing your phone num-

ber on your pet’s collar. We scan every animal coming into our shelter for a microchip. Microchips are placed by your veterinarian under the skin between the shoulder blades of your pet via a simple injection. If a pet has a microchip our scanners will pick it up, we then contact the chip maker who can then put us in touch with that pet’s owner – it works! Please contact your vet to ask about getting your pet microchipped – it is simple and only takes a few minutes.

For those who find pets, the same applies – call us with the pet’s description as we have reunited many a lost and found pet without it ever coming into our Shelter. BUT – one very important thing is to take the found pet to the closest Vet or Shelter to be scanned for a microchip.

All three Shelters in the River Region microchip our adopted pets so a quick scan can reunite a pet in no time. And this is very important - a found pet is not the finder’s to just keep or give away as, under Alabama law, any finder must do due diligence to find the proper owner. Keeping a found pet without taking all measures to try and find the owner is called Theft of Lost Property in the Alabama Code. We recently had a dog surrendered to us they had found and ‘decided to keep’ until it proved to not be perfect so they brought to us. We had had a lost report on that dog the entire time and it went home to its very happy owner same day. One huge reason it can be best to bring a found pet to your supporting shelter is we

Pet of the Week - Kringle

Kringle is a 1-year-old male Rat Terrier mix who weighs about 26 pounds. He came to us as a stray and was never reclaimed. Kringle is pretty laid back, knows sit and is a friendly boy but is also a bit more independent in nature. He loves playing with toys and is good with other dogs.

The Humane Society of Elmore County’s adoption fees are

$100 for dogs and $50 for cats under 1 year old. Cats over 1 can be adopted by approved adopters for a fee of their choosing. This adoption fee covers the mandatory spay or neuter, basic immunizations, deworming, microchip, heartworm check for dogs, rabies vaccination if old enough and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian.

If you are interested in meeting Kringle or any of the pets at HSEC, the first step is to fill out an adoption application online. Once approved, you will be contacted by someone from the humane society. HSEC is located at 255 Central Plank Road in Wetumpka. The phone number is 334-567-3377 and the website is www.elmorehumane.org.

Councilmembers to continue to be elected by wards

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The Tallassee City Council was reaching a deadline before the August municipal elections. One decision was facing them head on: Whether to continue to elect councilmembers by ward or to elect them at large. At large would mean everyone in the city limits of Tallassee could vote on representation for each of the seven council seats. Staying

with its ward system means the city will have to adjust the districts to make them more similar in population size based on the 2020 U.S. Census. Ultimately the council decided to keep using the ward system, which means working with the Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission.

“CARPDC has already been working on maps to adjust the wards for population,” Tallassee Mayor Sarah Hill said.

“Some of the coun-

cilmembers want to make minor changes to those before voting on them.”

The changes will bring a better balance in population of each ward allowing more equitable representation by councilmembers. Alabama law allows for the ward boundaries to be changed until May 26.

The council also decided to keep the pay for the mayor and councilmembers the same. In 2012 the Tallassee City Council set the pay for

are in the business of safeguarding pets and in reuniting them with their owners. We do this day in and day out and are quite adept at validating ownership before a pet is released (sadly there can sometimes be issues with ownership due to divorce, break-ups, legal matters, etc). One other reason many might not think of is that sadly,

some people can be, how shall we say – less than gracious about someone “finding” their pet, so let us deal with those situations at the shelter where we keep the identity of finders, owners and adopters confidential.

Rea Cord is the executive director of the Humane Society of Elmore County.

councilmembers at $600 per month and $25,000 per year for mayor.

Hill said she felt pay for a utilities supervisor should go towards a full-time employee, who fully understands utilities.

“It has been used in the past to increase the mayor’s salary,” Hill said.

Hill said CARPDC will make the minor adjustments to the ward maps before presenting them to the council for approval.

Our View Opinion

What else if not Enhance Elmore?

As families grow, so do expenses. Couples get married and move into apartments or

and car payments.

children.

With increasing needs for a larger home and more mouths to feed, they need more income to make it work. They figure out ways to save and to bring more money in.

Elmore County is no different. The county is growing — it has nearly doubled in population in 20 years.

People are living on roads built decades ago when no one ever thought one would live there, and buildings were constructed to accommodate a lower growth rate.

Residents have said they don’t want home rule where county officials can zone for growth.

Currently multiple subdivisions are in various stages of development. That goes with the numerous subdivisions constructed in the last two decades.

Just like parents who make ends meet for their children, county officials are met with a similar problem to handle growing pains for citizens in Elmore County.

From limited space in the county jail or court rooms to accommodate for growth to little funding to help fire departments keep ISO ratings low, the county must find ways to accommodate for the area’s growth.

The Elmore County Commission has recently announced a funding plan under Enhance Elmore where almost all contribute — including those going to jail and court.

The funding addresses many of the current and future needs of Elmore County.

No one likes to pay more taxes or fees; but, what other options do county officials have?

Do they allow the federal government to take over the Elmore County Jail and tell residents this is how to spend tax monies?

Instead, Enhance Elmore makes sure local decisions are made in Elmore County and not by some federal bureaucrats.

Court is not like what they show on TV

Irecently got through watch-

ing Your Honor on Netflix.

It was a fairly decent show; it definitely kept my attention, and Bryan Cranston is just a phenomenal actor.

But I’m here to tell y’all court is not like what they show on TV.

After sitting through the double murder trial against Derrick Hightower late last year, I’ve become a critic of these cops and courts shows. I find myself yelling at the TV, “That’s not how this works!”

To put it bluntly, court is boring.

Over the course of a several week murder trial, there were definitely a few edge-of-yourseat moments. But they were fair outweighed by the mundane-ness of what a trial is actually like.

“Did you receive this envelope in a signed and sealed condition?”

“Did you transport said envelope in its signed and sealed condition?”

“Did you retrieve the envelope from the evidence locker in a signed and sealed condition?”

And “Did you bring that envelope to court in its same signed and sealed condition?”

Over and over, piece of evidence after piece of evidence.

LIZI GWIN Managing Editor

The same set of questions. Over and over. Signed and sealed condition. Signed and sealed condition. Then onto the next person. “Did you receive this piece of evidence in a signed and sealed condition?”

Again and again. There’s very few “Gotcha!” moments like they show on TV. It’s mostly about signed and sealed conditions. But what’s really unrealistic about TV is how judges and lawyers insert themselves into cases. What was most frustrating about Your Honor was Cranston, who plays the judge, was basically a player in the case. There was one point where a 911 call was played for the jury — with no evidentiary hearing prior — and Cranston quite literally narrates the call.

Without giving too many spoilers away, Cranston describes what’s allegedly happening during the call without any evidence to support it. Ultimately, he’s trying to fix the

case — and it works.

I was screaming at my TV so loud in this moment. “This would never happen in real life! Judges don’t do that!” I also watch a lot of true crime documentaries — less so since I became a news editor, if I’m being honest. And even those shows don’t really depict what the ins and outs of a trial are really like.

Of course, in a three-hour documentary or even a 10-episode long show, TV producers and directors want the most action on screen. If they spent as much time on the evidentiary stuff as happens in real life, it’d be a waste of someone’s time to watch. But I would highly encourage folks in the public to experience a real trial at some point in their lives. It’s an eye-opening experience to be sure. There are tons of very important cases coming up on the docket, especially in Tallapoosa County, and it’s important for the public to understand what the justice system is really like.

Lizi Arbogast Gwin is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc. She can be reached at 434-962-9420 or via email at lizi.gwin@alexcityoutlook.com.

Radio days, sort of

Afew weeks ago, it was National Disc Jockey Day. I’ve never thought of myself as being a real one – but for nearly 30 years, on Saturday mornings, I get to pretend to be one.

My parents set up two turntables, a microphone, and a tape deck for me when I was just a preschooler, which fed my lifelong passion.

I wanted to be a disc jockey when I grew up.

.jpeg attached to the email. Announcements will appear within 10 days in The Tribune, The Herald or The Observer.

Music geek that I am, from earliest memory I was quoting facts and figures from Billboard and Rolling Stone. I could tell you the backup musicians, the track listing on sides A and B, the record company that released the album (or single), who wrote the songs, and what A&R man signed them.

Finally, a chance mid-1990s encounter with the brother of a PD (that’s Program Director, fellow babies) changed my life. This Program Director, Doc Kirby, gave me the opportunity to hone my craft after hours on WTBF-AM & FM in Troy, when the transmitter radiated all the power of a hair dryer. Over the next decade, I worked all kinds of shifts and remotes, spun records, wrote and produced commercials, and worked on promotions in the after school and weekend work hours.

There are many stories to share, but a few stand out.

In 2002, we were promoting Paul McCartney’s new LP, “Driving Rain,” and did a couple of days of all-Paul playlists. I had the chance to see Sir Paul on his tour that year, and was excited to work out a deal with the local record store and Paul’s record label.

I found myself on the telephone with a rep at Capitol Records – that

famous stack-of-records-shaped building at Hollywood and Vine, home of so many storied recording sessions. This person was my contact for free merchandise to give away in trivia contests, but decided to give me the contact number of Macca’s manager in New York City. Not knowing any better, I called him. As it turned out, he was in New York, all right – on his cell phone. I asked my idol’s manager for free T-shirts and records. He exploded when he found out that a girl in Hollywood had given me his private number, and before angrily hanging up on me, unleashed a profanity-laden rant and told me that the girl at Capitol was about to be fired. Who said dreams don’t come true? I got the giveaway merchandise anyway, and the promotion was a success for WTBF.

Also at WTBF a few years later, the Troy University Trojans appeared in the San Diego County Community Credit Union Poinsettia Bowl – or whatever the name of it was. All I knew was that Troy had been invited to a bowl game in California. I was selected to run the board during the broadcast, as it was Christmas week and many of the college students who normally worked were out of town.

From the beginning, the broadcast was plagued with one mishap after another. Qualcomm Stadium was deluged with rain. ESPN’s audio equipment malfunctioned, which disrupted their television transmission. Soon, without our knowledge, ESPN picked up our signal to use as their audio. Within an hour of kickoff, I was operating Master Control for the Troy University Radio Network – and ESPN.

One of my co-workers, the morning show sidekick (and perhaps the most popular disc jockey at the station), came by to pitch in at Master Control when he heard what we called “dead air,” where there is no sound. We were scrambling to stay on air. I was filling all the spaces with songs like “It Never Rains in Southern California” and “Do You Know the Way to San Jose?” No one seemed to find the irony in either tune.

ESPN phoned and explained that we were the only audio they had, and we were now being carried nationally. I was so puffed up when thinking of my new coast-to-coast audience, I did not pay attention when the hotline would ring, my co-worker would answer it, then abruptly hang up.

Finally, I asked him who was calling.

“Someone named Bristol,” he said. “They keep saying they can’t hear the game.” Bristol, I thought. Bristol, Connecticut – home base of ESPN – we were causing the national audio feed to go silent! No wonder they were calling. I got them back on line in a hurry. We made it through the evening, but by the time the game actually ended, it was way too late for listeners on this side of the country to still maintain an interest. But even with the passage of time, I’m still proud of my small role in the broadcast of Troy’s first-ever Division I bowl game.

Michael Bird is still making mistakes on the radio every Saturday morning on WACQ-AM 580 & FM 98.5.

STORM Continued from A1

power lines. They have to be real careful.”

This area is on the west edge of a line the NWS indicated as a tornado about 3 a.m. Sunday traveling along Highway 50 towards Walnut Hill and Camp Hill in Tallapoosa County.

As of 6:30 a.m. Double Bridge Ferry Road was the only road Barnett knew of that was still closed in the county.

Barnett said more than 60 calls for service came into Elmore County 911 overnight and into the morning related to the storm.

“We have at least 43 locations that had reports of trees down in the roadways,” Barnett said. “Over 20 reports of powerlines down. In some cases, the power lines are involved in the trees down. The utility companies have been notified.”

Barnett cautions everyone to stay away from downed power lines and to report them.

“We have been reporting them to the utility companies as we are getting them,” Barnett said. “They are doing the best they can to get units out there.”

According to Alabama Central Electric Cooperative, more than 1,500 customers in Elmore County were without power as of 7 a.m. Sunday.

According to Alabama Power, more than 6,500 customers in Elmore County were without power as of 7 a.m. Sunday.

More than 165,000 Alabama Power customers across the state were affected just after the storm passed through and after.

Barnett said no injuries were reported because of the storm but six homes across the county have trees on them and another had an awning blown from it.

“There might be some more out there we don’t know about,” Barnett said. “We are out trying to assess those damages now.”

CommunityCalendar

THURSDAY, FEB. 20

IMPACT CRATER INSIGHTS:

The Wetumpka Impact Crater Commission is hosting Dr. David King for a program, Impact Insights: Exploring the Crater at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 20 at the Wetumpka Civic Center.

FEB. 20 - MARCH 2

DOUBLEWIDE TEXAS: The Millbrook Community Players are presenting Doublewide Texas Feb. 20 to March 2.

FEB. 20 - MARCH 9

ESCAPE TO MARGARITAVILLE: The Wetumpka Depot Players is presenting Escape to Margaritaville Feb. 20 to March 9. Tickets are available at www.wetumpkadepot. com.

10 a.m. every Friday at Wetumpka Public Library.

ECLECTIC TOWN COUNCIL

to 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of each month. For more information, visit www.thekelly.org.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY GRACE POINT: Celebrate Recovery meets at Grace Point Community Church at 78223 Tallassee Highway in Wetumpka each Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. All are welcome to the meetings which provide a safe and loving environment for individuals seeking to conquer their hurts, habits and hangups. For more information, visit www.Gracepoint.info or contact Gwin Greathouse at gwingreathouse@gmail.com.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY

SATURDAY, MARCH 1

MARDI GRAS PARADE: The Order of Cimarron annual Wetumpka Mardi Gras Parade is at 1 p.m. Saturday, March 1. There will be vendors in Gold Star Park beginning at 9 a.m.

MEETINGS: Eclectic Town Council meetings are held on the third Monday of each month at Town Hall. Council meetings begin at 7 p.m. with work sessions taking place prior to the meeting at 6 p.m. Meetings are held in the Dr. M. L. Fielder Municipal Building, 145 Main Street.

SANTUCK: Celebrate Recovery meets each Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at Santuck Baptist Church at 7250 Central Plank Rd. This is a Christ-centered, 12-step program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hangups. Call 334567-2364 for more information or contact jyates@santuckbaptist.org.

DADDY DAUGHTER DANCE: The Friendship Volunteer Fire Department is hosting a Mardi Gras themed Daddy-Daughter Dance from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday, March 1. Tickets are available at daddydaughtermardigras. eventbrite.com. Tickets are $35 per couple and $5 for additional daughters.

Tickets purchased by Feb. 1 will gain entry to the dance at 5:30 p.m. PANCAKE BREAKFAST: The Wetumpka Rotary Club is hosting the 2025 Bart Hart Memorial Rotarian Scholarship Fund Pancake Breakfast fundraiser from 7 to 10 a.m. Saturday, March 1 at Must Stop Cafe. Tickets are $8 and available from Rotary members and at the door.

ONGOING SUPPORT GROUP: The last Thursday of every month, Restoration 49 Coffee Shop plays host to a support group for parents who have lost a child. The meetings begin at 6 p.m. each month. For more information, please contact Heather Baker at hbakerjj@ aol.com.

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME: Preschool Storytime takes place at

NAACP MEETINGS: The Elmore County Branch No. 5026 of the NAACP meets at 6:30 p.m. every third Tuesday (executive committee) and every fourth Tuesday (full membership) at the Martin Luther King Center at 200 North Lancaster St. in Wetumpka.

OPEN MIC: The Equality

Performing Arts Center hosts an open mic jam session from 7 to 9 p.m. every second Friday of the month at 560 Highway 9 in Equality. There is no charge but donations are welcome as they keep the center running. Bring a snack or finger food to share during the intermission.

RED HILL COMMUNITY CLUB

MEETINGS: Red Hill Community Club Meetings are held every second Monday of the month. Join the Red Hill Historical Preservation Association in the auditorium of the Old Red Hill School, located off state Route 229 at 6:30 p.m. to discuss upcoming events.

MOUNT HEBRON CHURCH OF

CHRIST: Come join us at 4530

Mt. Hebron Road in Eclectic. Our Sunday school begins at 9 a.m. followed by worship service at 10:30. There is also a Wednesday night Bible study at 7 p.m. For more information call Pastor Edwin Walker at 334-541-2025

LUNCH AND LEARN: Lunch and learn Tuesdays with Kelly are scheduled at the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery at 124 Company Street in Wetumpka from noon

GAMBLERS ANONYMOUS: Gamblers Anonymous meets Saturdays at 6 p.m. at Cedarwood Community Church at 10286 U.S. Highway 231 in Wallsboro/ Wetumpka. Call 334-567-0476 for more information. AA MEETING: Alcoholics Anonymous meetings are held Mondays at 7 p.m. located at 105 Tuskeena St. in Wetumpka. RED HILL SCHOOL: The Red Hill School on Highway 229 in the Red Hill Community in Tallassee is open Fridays from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. for local live music performances. No admission is charged but donations are welcomed to maintain the building and pay for refreshments.

MASTER GARDENER

HELPLINE: If you have gardening questions you can call the Master Gardener Helpline at 1-877-2524769. The helpline starts March 1 and ends in August.

CHILDREN’S HARBOR: Children’s Harbor Treasures and Thrift Store Located on state route 63 just south of Lake Martin Amphitheater, the Children’s Harbor Thrift Store is open Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. proceeds are used to help fund the activities at the Lake Martin campus of children’s harbor and the Family Center at Children’s Hospital. Call 334-857-2008 for more information.

been a great experience all around.”

Sid is bringing everything Grove Station had in Tallassee except the butcher shop. “I’ve always been a proponent of small local

business and because Wetumpka has a butcher shop, George’s, I really don’t want to compete with them,” Sid said. “The city asked me to tweak my

model to include some of the things that Provisions did like wine and cheese. We already have wine and beer. We will continue that and add things to create a market concept where you get a lot of to-go, already made things.”

Sid tried the to-go concept in Tallassee, but it didn’t work. She does believe Wetumpka is ready for the idea of prepackaged smoked salmon salad, Asian Station chicken salad or ready-to-go sandwiches.

“There are many workers around that don’t have a long lunch,” Sid said. “They are looking for a quick but healthier concept in the pick up and go.”

There will also be local fruits and vegetables available.

Sid estimates the build out to take between six and eight months but said the bakery is first priority.

“We will have a dedicated section for our bakery which is different than

REPORT Continued from A1

communication and practice.

we had in Tallassee,” Sid said. “We will have a bakery, deli, wine and beer, little market and private dining room for those dining experiences.” The Grove Station bakery supplies pastries to places such as Restoration Coffee. Currently Sid’s baker is using the ovens at Our Place.

“We will get the bakery up and running first and then be able to open the deli,” Sid said.

Weldon is confident Grove Station will succeed.

“Corrie’s dedication to improving and growing her businesses reflects her deep commitment to Wetumpka,” Weldon said.

“Grove Station will be another exciting addition to the city’s flourishing business scene.” Grove Station’s announcement means 90% of the buildings in downtown Wetumpka are occupied.

“It is definitely an

But the school is not settling for a mid-B the next time the report card comes out.

“With attendance right now, we have only four students who are chronically absent as compared to 17 at this time last year,” Spencer said. “We’re still moving in a great direction when it comes to that last year we made huge gains in that area that really helped with improving on that 10 point gain.”

The improvement in attendance has continued on the same basic program of incentives such as pizza parties and communication about chronic absenteeism with parents and students.

“One of the most impactful things we’ve done with that have been student conferences,” Spencer said. “We are bringing them in and having that conversation.”

The conversation explains chronic absenteeism and its effects on education. Chronic absenteeism is when a student misses more than 18 days of school in a year — excused or not.

The basic conversation explains student attendance directly correlates with student success and learning.

“We feel like that’s making a difference,” Spencer said. “We’re continuing that as well.”

The effort appeared in test scores used for the state report card.

According to the Alabama State Department of Education, SMS improved its chronic absenteeism score from a 23.83 in 2023 to 10.92 in 2024. At the same time academic achievement improved from 60.92 to 66.58 and academic growth improved from 88.15 to 100.

In 2023, the school was listed as an at risk school because of the subpopulation of students with disabilities. The report card in 2023 noted 19.52% of students were in the subpopulation and it grew in 2024 to 23.17%.

improvement from 2019 when there were about 60% of the buildings occupied,” Main Street Wetumpka executive director Haley Greene said. Main Street Wetumpka said business and property owners within downtown spent more than $837,000 in 2024 to improve buildings. The City of Wetumpka invested more than $1.5 million in the downtown area through ALDOT grants to renovate the streetscape of South Main Street. It also replaced the deck in Gold Star Park overlooking the Coosa River. Greene credits the vision of business owners such as Paula Sargent, who opened The Shoppes at Market Place more than a decade ago.

“She and others like Johnny (Oates) at River Perk and The GAB took the risk early on,” Greene said. “They had a vision of a better downtown Wetumpka.”

The subpopulation mainly represents students with individual education plans and 504 plans.

“It means we had a sub-population that scored in the bottom 5% of all Title One schools,” Spencer said.

While it sounds bad, Spencer said the school is continually addressing the needs of students with IEPs to make improvements and get well above the 5% threshold and get off the list next year.

Spencer said school administrators have done a better job in showing teachers the difference between what is required in the state curriculum and what is being tested for the report card.

“A lot of our teachers are having big eye opening moments when they take a look at the difference between their standards and what is being addressed on the ACAP,” Spencer said. “Of course, we are teaching all standards, but we do have a bigger emphasis on certain areas now. We’ve been able to drill down those standards and find out which ones are going to be addressed more heavily on the ACAP test.”

Teachers and staff have been focusing on fundamentals to ensure students have good foundations in learning to build on.

“We also are continuing to implement our STEM initiatives when it comes to boosting our math and science,” Spencer said. “We’re also obviously placing a focus on our English as a second language learners.”

Staff is also using multiple opportunities to allow students to practice tests before the real ACAP comes after spring break. The practice tests allow administrators almost instant access to results to see where programs need to be tweaked to aid student growth.

Spencer said the one-on-one meetings with students and parents would continue as well.

“It was one of the most powerful things I’ve ever been a part of as an educator,” Spencer said. “I had students talking to me immediately about the goals that they wanted to set for themselves and how they wanted to do better for themselves.”

The color purple

reetings from the corner of Bridge and Bridge! Winter weather is reclaiming its place as I write this week’s column.

The sun is shining but it is not warm. No need to worry. We will get to warm soon enough.

“My way or the highway” thinking continues to dominate the landscape of our national discourse. The loudest voices in that discourse continue to come from the margins. As a nation, we seem stuck in the struggle of Disney fairies.

“Make it pink! Make it Blue!”

Anyone viewing a color-coded political ideology map in these United States from the last couple of decades can see it firsthand. We are a nation of red or blue states.

One color dominates the margins and the other domi-

REV. JONATHAN YARBORO Columnist

nates the middle. The red / blue divide is blatantly obvious. Domination is the name of the political game. Blue folks want to flip red states and vice versa. Sounds like an exercise in futility, doesn’t it? It certainly does. It certainly is. Any time any of us spends our time trying to alter the color of another, for any reason, we engage in “My way or the highway” thinking. Human history clearly demonstrates the folly of such an approach. Isn’t there a better way? I am so glad you asked.

I warn everyone reading this column that you might not like what the old preacher man is about to say. There is a better way. It is God’s way, and contrary to popular belief, there is no trace of “My way or the highway” thinking present in it.

God’s way, in one sense, is an uplifting of the color purple. Purple, recognized as the color of royalty for centuries, is God’s way. It is a blending of two primary colors, red and blue, resulting in something either primary color is incapable of on its own.

As spring begins to make its arrival, God’s landscape becomes dominated by the color purple. It becomes present in a variety of hues. The human labels of weed or flower take a backseat to the color

Tallassee Churches

purple. Everyone sees it right before their very eyes. What if we don’t like purple? What if we see it as invasive or unwelcome? What if we prefer true reds and blues? Are we being unfaithful if we prefer a primary color?

Here is the best part. No, we are not. God’s gift of free will bestowed on the whole of humanity allows for preference of a primary color. That preference does not present a challenge on its own.

Challenges arise whenever any child of God transforms that preference into the rule of law. Jesus challenges “My way of the highway thinking” in his series of “You have heard it said…but I say” teachings. I do believe purple may have been the only color Jesus ever actually wore. I,

for one, am good with that. In order for purple to be formed, red and blue have to be transformed. Neither ceases to be red or blue. They simply come together in the name of creating something they cannot be alone. Sounds simple enough, doesn’t it? The earthly kingdom God created is interdependent by design. Reds and blues are primary elements of that creation, but new things of beauty only emerge by blending the two. The earthly kingdom needs both to be true to self, but it needs a shared willingness to be transformed into something beyond self even more.

Rev. Jonathan Yarboro is the Pastor of First Presbyterian Church of Wetumpka.

Chumley shines while Tallassee’s hitting declines

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

It is still early in the season, but there is already one issue the Tallassee baseball team still has to figure out — hitting.

The Tigers faced off against Elmore County on both Friday and Saturday with the Panthers taking each of the games, 11-1 and 4-1, respectively. However, after the first inning in Saturday’s contest, it looked as though it would be all Tigers from that point on.

Tallassee opened the first inning with Chase Chumley helping take Elmore County’s first three batters out. Then followed with a Brue Milner home run in the bottom of the first to put Tallassee up one.

That’s where things started to fizzle out for the Tigers. Chumley again continued to dominate from the mound, piling up strikeouts, but Tallassee struggled to bring

anyone in. “We couldn’t hit a dadgum thing,” Tallassee coach John Goodman said. “I mean, that’s it in a nutshell. We had a chance to increase the lead in the early in the innings, and we just left them. That’s the difference in the ball game. Chumley went out there and he did a super job. And, we couldn’t do nothing with the bats.”

Elmore County found its stride in the fifth inning, with two on base and a switch from Chumley to Jack Butler, Panthers’ Evan Spence hit a sacrifice fly to bring in Bryson Rigsby and Gage Davis to snatch the lead. Spence and Davis each added a run in the top of the seventh inning to propel them to a 4-1 victory.

Although the Tigers drop to 0-3 to start the season, Chumley has separated himself as a baller for the squad.

“He’s just a dog out there,” Goodman said. “He gave us

Reeltown’s season opener shows promise for season

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

The end result was not what the Reeltown baseball team wanted, but there was still plenty to be excited about for the rest of the season.

In the season opener against Trinity Presbyterian on Monday, Reeltown fell, 8-6. However, the squad still made plenty of highlight-worthy plays. The first came from sophomore JaMarkius Smith, who made use of almost every at-bat.

On his three attempts, Smith logged two hits, one double and one triple, and one RBI.

“He did a really good job,” Reeltown coach Matt Johnson said. “I think his two hits were either on the first or second pitch. He scattered the field, he hit one down the right-center field gap and the other was in the left-center field gap and ran the base as well. So he had a really good day.”

It was not just Smith who took advantage of their at-bats. In total, the Rebels logged six hits in the season opener with Hutson Lewis, Brody Smith, Reed Wood and Preston Lynn also coming away with hits to the stat sheet.

Especially with how quick of a turnaround it was from the basketball season to the baseball season, most of the guys got limited time against live pitching. Johnson knows to start the season with a performance like they had shows a lot of promise.

“I was pleased at how we scattered on both sides of the field,” Johnson said. “We hit the ball well to the opposite

field. That’s a good point because in the first game, you haven’t seen live pitching. We’ve seen live pitching two different times, in a scrimmage. But coming out of basketball and trying to crunch everything, we’ve had two scrimmages with live pitches. So for them to come out and put together six hits is really good against a really good team.”

Reeltown also took advantage of the season opener to see what its pitchers can do for the team. Hagan Lewis, Hutson Lewis and Brody Smith all got an attempt at the mound with each showing their abilities.

“That was the plan, start with Hagan, bringing Hutson to kind of get us into Brody,” Johnson said. “I feel like they all competed. Hagan, we had an inning where we had some plays that just didn’t fall for him in the field. If it would have, he could have run another inning. It’s crazy. One little mistake in the field cost your guy a whole inning. But I felt like, overall, our defense played good.”

It is still early in the season with Reeltown showing its promise on the offensive end, but Johnson wants to make sure his guys build off of that heading into the rest of its games.

“I mean, it’s hard to complain about scoring six runs in the first game against a top-five team in 4A,” Johnson said. “But I just want to be more aggressive on the bases, be able to execute some situational things, get the bunts down, execute hitand-runs, just little things like that may not show up in the books.”

everything that we needed out there. I mean he just worked hard and just really did his job. We asked him to go out there and dominate and just be a dog for us. And he did that.”

The issue now remains with Tallassee’s at-bats. Goodman knows his team should be batting better than it is at the moment. However, he cannot pinpoint where exactly the problem is coming from.

“I don’t know that right now,” Goodman said. “They’re feeling themselves and just nothing that we’re doing is working. We got a senior ball team; this shouldn’t be happening. We’re gonna get away from the ballpark (Sunday), restructure and come back in on Monday and see if we can get better.”

What does play to the Tigers’ benefit is it is still early in the season with much ball left to be played. Goodman knows if they continue to have pitch perfor-

mances like what Chumley provided as well as address the hitting concerns then they’ll be back to form and add some wins.

“We got to keep getting pitching performances like somebody

gave us today,” Goodman said. Then from there, we’ve got to start balling, barrel the ball up and hitting hard. I think if we start doing that everything will be fine.”

TALLASSEE CROWNS 5 STATE CHAMPIONS

By LIZI ARBOGAST GWIN Managing Editor

En route to a state championship, every point matters.

At the AHSAA Class 1A/4A Wrestling Championships in Huntsville, the Tallassee Tigers sent 12 grapplers to the tournament and all 12 scored at least one point. The formula resulted in a team state championship and five individual state winners.

“They’re all like robots,” Tallassee coach John Mask said with a laugh. “They’re super hard workers. They’re dedicated. I always tell people championships are not just won this week. They’ve been preparing for this for a long time.”

Winning state for the Tigers were Thomas Patterson (106 pounds), Mason Nelson (113), Land Bell (150), Tra’mel McCoy (165) and Nolan Addeo (215).

“Thomas is a 10th grader who has just been really working for this moment,” Mask said. “He’s a great young man.”

At 106 pounds, Patterson worked every minute of his matches to reign supreme. He earned two major decisions and one decision en route to the championship.

Nelson won his second championship in a row at 113 pounds and he did so in dominating fashion. His first pin came in a mere 14 seconds. He followed it up with a pin

in the quarterfinals and a pair of tech falls in the semis and championship, respectively.

“He’s been with me wrestling since the seventh grade,” Mask said. “He actually started on varsity in eighth grade weighing like 80 pounds, and he’s just become a talent. He’s just a phenomenal wrestler and his only loss this year was an out-of-state kid.”

At 150 pounds, Bell continued his absolute domination. Bell capped off his senior season with his 135th straight victory to earn the state championship.

“The last time he lost, he was a 10th grader,” Mask said. “He was actually hurt and injured in that match, so it got called. He lost because he couldn’t finish, but I don’t know that he would have lost that one either if he could have. Land’s been with me forever.”

McCoy took his first trip to the top of the podium at 165 pounds. He had back-to-back pins to start the tournament then had to gut out a pair of decision victories to reign supreme.

“Tra’mel McCoy is an amazing young man,” Mask said. “He’s super talented and really listens. He takes coaching well, and he just stuck to the game plan. He did exactly what we wanted him to do, and he won his first state championship.”

Addeo also won his first state title. After gutting out two close victories in his

SUBMITTED

opening matches, Addeo took a major decision in the championship bout.

“I feel like Nolan had a lot of growth and development,” Mask said. “We went to Florida this year and wrestled teams from six different states, so I think doing that type of thing prepared him so when he arrived at state, he had already wrestled all different types of people and styles, and he was ready to go.”

Mask said it wasn’t just the state champions who contributed to the overall state title though. Zach Crosthwait, for instance, claimed second at 190 pounds. His only loss of the season was in the state championship. But his second-place finish was just as important to getting the Tigers their state title as a team.

“There’s not a finer wrestler or person than Zach Crosthwait,” Mask said.

“These kids are just as important as the five that won it; they did just as much for the team.”

Roman McWilliams took fourth place at 138 pounds; Brady Adams and Jude Rogers claimed fifth at 157 and 285, respectively; and Aiden Bridgman came in sixth place at 132.

“But even someone like Joseph Hooks, he didn’t place but without him, we don’t accomplish our goals,” Mask said. “Everyone we took scored at least one point for the team, which is a remarkable feat.”

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Public Notices

Public Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE

C&M Towing Charles Webster is having an auction on March 28,2025 @ 8:00 at 104 Caldwell St. Tallassee, Al. 36078 YEAR 2017 Chevrolet Colorado VIN# 1GCGSDEN6H1218194

Tallassee Tribune: Feb. 19 and 26, 2025 AV/17 CHEVROLET PUBLIC NOTICE AMENDED NOTICE OF SALE OF ABANDONED VEHICLES

Pursuant to Section 32-131,Code of Alabama (1975), notice is hereby given to owners,lienholders and other interested parties that the following abandoned vehicle will be sold at a sealed bid auction to the highest bidder at 10a.m. on March 26, 2025 at 313 Jordan Avenue, Tallassee, Elmore County, Alabama: 1967 Pontiac Lemans Series 23700 VIN# 237177K604884 Seller shall have to right to reject any bid that is unreasonably low and may postpone the public auction until another expressly reserves the right to bid and purchase at the public auction.

Tallassee Tribune: Feb. 19 and 26, 2025 AV/67 PONTIAC

Public Notices

PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF BOBBIE JEAN GRAHAM, DECEASED CASE NO: 2025-036 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE

Letters Testamentary in the Estate of BOBBIE JEAN GRAHAM, deceased, having been granted to OWENS BYRON GRAHAM and KRISTY HENDERSON on the 6th day of February, 2025 by D. JASON BRITT, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred. OWENS BYRON GRAHAM and KRISTY HENDERSON CO-PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVES OF THE ESTATE OF BOBBIE JEAN GRAHAM, DECEASED

Attorney of Record for Co-Personal Representatives: LINDA BENSON ATTORNEY AT LAW PO BOX 780818

TALLASSEE, ALABAMA 36078 334-283-5800

Tallassee Tribune: Feb. 12, 19 and 26, 2025 EST/GRAHAM, B.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of Tallassee Planning Commission will have a Public Hearing/Meeting on Monday, March 3, 2025 @ 6:00PM at City Hall.

This Hearing is to change the Zoning property @ 610 W. Patton Street from (DDH) Development District Housing to (HC) Highway Commercial.

Tallassee Tribune: Feb. 19 and 26, 2025 HEARING 03.03.25

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PUBLIC NOTICE IN THE PROBATE COURT OF ELMORE COUNTY, ALABAMA IN THE MATTER OF THE ESTATE OF RANDY RAY PITCHFORD, DECEASED CASE NO: 2025-026 NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF ESTATE

Letters Testamentary in the Estate of RANDY RAY PITCHFORD, deceased, having been granted to ALICE FAYE GATES on February 5, 2025 by D. JASON BRITT, Judge of Probate of Elmore County, Alabama, notice is hereby given that all persons and parties having claims against said estate are required, within the time allowed by law, to present the same to the Court or the same will be barred.

ALICE FAYE GATES PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ESTATE OF RANDY RAY PITCHFORD, DECEASED Attorney of Record for

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y Personal Representative: JAMES R. BOWLES ATTORNEY AT LAW 2 SOUTH DUBOIS AVENUE PO BOX 780397 TALLASSEE, ALABAMA 36078 334-283-6548

Tallassee Tribune: Feb. 12, 19 and 26, 2025 EST/PITCHFORD, R.

Do you have available jobs? Call 256.277.4219 to let others know about job opportunities at your business.

PUBLIC NOTICE

The City of Tallassee will have a Public Hearing on Tuesday, February 25, 2025 @ 5:00 PM at City Hall.

This Hearing is for an Ordinance Adopting a Registration and Inspection Program for Residential Properties being rented within the City Of Tallassee, Alabama.

Tallassee Tribune: Feb. 19, 2025 ORD. 2025-695

Back-to-back

Payton wins second straight state title

Tyler Payton has reigned supreme — again.

For the second straight year, the Elmore County wrestler stood atop the podium at the AHSAA Class 5A Wrestling Championships, winning the 157-pound title.

To start his tournament run, Payton faced off against Holtville’s Brock Godwin, flattening him just 23 seconds into the second period.

In the semifinals, he absolutely dominated Springville’s Callen Hettich, finishing off a 17-1 tech fall in 2:41. Payton then went on to defend his title, taking down Comer’s Bryson Millwood in an 8-5 decision.

“Tyler holds himself to a very high standard to do that again,” ECHS coach Mason Thorton said in a previous interview. “It was business as usual for him.”

Another placewinner for Elmore County was Casey Crumpton at 106 pounds; he placed third overall.

Crumpton also took down a Holtville opponent to start the state championship tournament before falling in the semifinals to Elliott Harris, of Leeds, in a tiebreaker. Crumpton then battled his way back through the consolation

semifinals, defeating Springville’s Fisher Lundberg in a 15-8 decision. That placed Crumpton back in the third-place match, which he ultimately won by an 11-6 decision. Taking

Elmore County off to strong start with back-to-back wins

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

Elmore County opened the 2025 season out on the right foot with back-to-back wins over Tallassee, showcasing their prowess on offense.

The Panthers opened with an 11-1 victory on Friday and followed it up with a 4-1 win on Saturday, but found itself fighting from behind. The Tigers jumped out in front with a home run in the first inning thanks to Brue Milner while pitcher Chase Chumley provided the Panthers with its fair share of fits.

However, Elmore County found its rhythm in the fifth inning thanks to a sacrifice fly from Evan Spence that brought in Bryson Rigsby and Gage Davis to get in the driver’s seat. Spence and Davis later each scored a run in the top of the seventh to help secure the win.

“That was a well-pitched game on both sides,” Elmore County coach Michael Dismukes said. “Their starter (Chumley) really filled the strike zone up, gave us some fits. Now, we swung some balls he dealt early, but we just didn’t lose our composure and kept going, and it busted open for us.” What has played in Elmore County’s favor is the impact the senior class is having at the beginning of the season. Even when things are not going in the Panthers’ favor, similar to what Elmore County saw on Saturday, the seniors found a way to adjust.

“The biggest thing is we’re focused,” Dismukes said. “We’re senior led, we got experience, which in adversity, it helps that they’ve been through

the trenches before. Right now, we haven’t been able to get too big or too low, and they just tried to stay consistent. So early, that’s hard to do sometimes.” Consistency is the main thing Dismukes wants to see from his guys, especially at the plate.

He knows if they are consistent with their approach, it could result in more hits and more runs for Elmore County.

“Just try to have the same at-bat over and over and over, and be consistent,” Dismukes said. “It gives you a chance to be successful at the plate.”

Although the Panthers have had an early stretch of success, improvements still need to be made. Dismukes wants to see his guy swing a little bit more to avoid being in a position where they were on Saturday.

“Swing at more strikes,” Dismukes said. “Don’t chase out the zone and get something that they can really handle. And once they do that, we’re a pretty good lineup.” Next up for Elmore County was a doubleheader against Bibbs County and Fayette County before hosting Benjamin Russell on Thursday.