Tallassee Tribune Feb. 5 2025

It was reported to school officials by a letter from the Alabama Department

SMS student contracts whooping cough

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

A case of pertussis, better known as whooping cough, has been reported at Southside Middle School.

It was reported to school officials by a letter from the Alabama Department of Public Health while school was out during the winter storm.

“We notified parents the day after we got the notice from ADPH,” Tallassee City Schools superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin said.

Nolin said he and others conferred before sending the notification to all parents involved at the middle school.

“You can get it with any close contact and that’s defined as anybody that was around that child for one hour or more,” he said. “So

that means, if they have six classes and they’re mixing all together, you’ve got a whole grade level.”

With the possibility of an entire grade at the middle school being exposed, Nolin said officials decided to notify the entire school.

According to ADPH, whooping cough is caused by bacteria infecting the mouth, nose and throat and is spread through the air by coughing. Symptoms can appear 5 to 21 days after infection and can usually be treated by a five-day antibiotic course.

ADPH said there were only 45 cases reported in Alabama in 2023 and 389 in 2024.

Early symptoms of whooping cough may include: subtle onset of

See COUGH, Page A2

Council looking at ward boundaries

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Deadlines are quickly approaching for the August municipal elections in Alabama. Not only do residents need to decide if they are going to run for a council seat or mayor, councils and municipalities need to keep in mind ward boundaries and more. The City of Tallassee is no different. It is faced with either moving ward boundaries or getting rid of them all together, having councilmembers at large. The issue stems from unbalanced populations across the wards. Central Alabama

Regional Planning and Development Commission (CARPDC) was at last week’s council meeting giving councilmembers data from the 2020 Census as it relates to Tallassee’s seven city council wards. The census reported Tallassee has 4,763 people in its city limits and with seven wards, they should comprise about 680 residents each. That size means everyone has equal representation on the council.

But in Tallasseee’s case, it varies from 433 in Ward 4 represented by Bill Hall to 952 in

See WARD, Page A6

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Bethany Walters and Emma Bridgman were great friends. The Tallassee girls were almost inseparable. They went everywhere together. The day after Christmas two years ago, the girls went to Montgomery for the day. They got their hair done. They shopped and tried on clothes.

action. She ran to the white Honda Accord in the grass off the road.

“I saw Emma sitting on the

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BLAIR DOMINIC RODRIGUEZ

Blair Dominic Rodriguez, a proud career Navy veteran, loving father, devoted husband, and cherished friend, passed away on December 2, 2024, at the age of 92. His life was a remarkable journey marked by love, perseverance, service, sacrifice, and an unwavering commitment to his family and country. Born on July 13, 1932, in New York City, to Joseph Angelo and Annie Dolorosa Rodriguez, he was the third of five children, a true middle child. As a young teenager, Blair moved to Tallassee, Alabama, where he met Dorothy Ann Hammond, the woman who would become the love of his life. After graduating from Tallassee High School in 1950, following the example of his siblings, he enlisted in the United States Navy. Blair and Dorothy married shortly after in1953. Together they raised five children: Deb, Rick, Regina, Bruce, and Chet. His military career was distinguished by service in two of the most turbulent conflicts of the 20th century—the Korean War and the Vietnam War. Over the course of his 26-year career, Blair earned numerous accolades and distinctions, before retiring in 1976. His leadership, integrity, and steadfast dedication to his country earned him the respect of those who served with him, and his legacy of service continues to inspire his family and all who knew him.

SUSAN GLASS

RODRIGUEZ

Following his Navy retirement, and driven by their family’s shared love of the water, Blair and Dorothy moved to Bay Point in the Florida Keys. Blair continued his work for government contractors in communications for another 20 years, always striving to contribute in meaningful ways. It was at the Bay Point house, “Nanny and Poppaw’s House,” that their grandchildren built some of the most defining and lasting memories of their lives thus far. One summer, Blair was even trusting enough to lend his tools to the four oldest grandchildren, who built him the most horrendous lawn chair ever known to the furniture world. But he humored them, as he always did, and bravely sat in it. He told them it was the best chair he had ever had custom built for him.

In 1998, Blair suffered the heartbreaking loss of Dorothy, who passed away after a courageous and lengthy battle with cancer. Blair carried on the best he could, but it was not until 2002 that he met Jeannie, who would bring renewed joy and companionship into his life. They married and moved to Palm Coast, where they spent his final years together, enjoying each other's company and the peaceful life they had built.

around her.

After a life filled with love, faith, and devotion, Susan Glass entered into the presence of her Savior, Jesus Christ on February 2, 2025. She firmly believes she is not truly gone but waiting for the day when her loved ones will join her in eternity.

Susan's faith is the foundation of her life, and she lived as a true servant of God. Through her discipleship, kindness, and unwavering belief in Christ, she touched lives across the world. The outpouring of love and support from so many, both before and after her passing, is a testament to the reach of her faith and the impact she had on those

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT FEB. 2

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Kent Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Jordan Avenue.

• A noise complaint was reported on East Patton Street.

• A verbal argument was reported on Central Boulevard.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Gilmer Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on First Avenue.

• Gunfire was reported on Second Avenue. FEB. 1

• A noise complaint was reported on Powers Avenue.

• An animal complaint was reported on Macedonia Road.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Weldon Road.

• Suspicious activity

COUGH

Continued from A1

Blair was a lifelong learner and an accomplished individual outside of his military career. He graduated from St. Leo University with two business degrees and was a proud member of several organizations, including the Masons, the Key West Power Squadron, and the Flagler SportFishing Club, among others. Ever the Navy man, his passion for the water remained a key part of his identity throughout his life.

In his final years, Blair faced the challenges of Alzheimer's disease with the same resilience that defined his character. He spent his last days at Lassen Veterans Home, where he was cared for by his family, and a compassionate nursing staff, alongside a community of veterans who shared his legacy of service and dedication.

Blair was preceded in death by his wife, Dorothy Rodriguez, his daughter Regina Williams-Rodriguez, and his siblings, Alpin, Bea, Frank, and Al. He is survived by his second wife, Jeannie; his four children and their spouses: Deb, Rick, Bruce, and Chet; his stepson, Bill, and family; 14 grandchildren; 26 great-grandchildren; and many nieces, nephews, cousins, and friends.

Blair was the last surviving member of his extraordinary generation of the Rodriguez family, a family that overcame adversity and went on to achieve success, honor, and love. He was a loving husband to two incredible women (one at a time, of course), a father to five children who believed he hung the moon, a proud grandfather to 14 grandchildren, and a great-grandfather to 26 great-grandchildren. His life was an example of perseverance, compassion, and love, and he will be deeply missed by all who knew him. In the moments when we miss him most, we will remember him by the sight of the mischievous smile he passed down to his sons; by the smells of classic Old Spice aftershave and saltwater; by the tastes of whiskey on the rocks and our best attempts at making his famous Poppaw Mix; and by the sounds of wind blowing through palm trees and, probably most appropriately, the words of his favorite song, Anchors Aweigh: Anchors Aweigh, my boys, Anchors Aweigh. Farewell to foreign shores, We sail at break of day-ay-ay-ay. Through our last night ashore, Drink to the foam, Until we meet once more.

Born to N.E. and Margaret Strickland, Susan was a woman of deep conviction and compassion. She was married to the love of her life, James Glass, for 47 wonderful years, sharing a home built on love and a steadfast commitment to their family and faith.

She leaves behind a family who cherished her: her children, Jamie Gelhaus (Chris), Erin Harrell (Trevor), Laura Fagan (Matthew), and Davis Glass (Lauren); her beloved grandchildren, Tristen Gelhaus, Tyler Fagan, Rhys Fagan, Elijah Harrell, Madelyn Harrell, and Juniper Glass; and her brother, Nade Strickland (Cindy). She was

was reported on East Patton Street.

• A verbal altercation was reported on Camelia Drive.

• Reckless driving was reported on Worthington Circle and South Tallassee Drive. JAN. 31

• Assistance was given to another agency.

• A white male was arrested on Freeman Avenue.

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue. JAN. 30

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue and Ashurst Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on James Street and East Patton Street.

• A Black female was arrested on Gilmer Avenue.

• A Black male was arrested on Highway 229. JAN. 29

• Suspicious activity was reported on Hillcrest Street.

runny nose; low-grade fever; sneezing; mild, occasional cough; and/or apnea or stop breathing when asleep. After one to two weeks, symptoms may include: fits of many rapid coughs followed by a high-pitched “whoop” sound; throwing up during or after coughing fits; and/or very

Here's wishing you a happy voyage home. The family asks that in lieu of flowers that you make a donation to your favorite veteran’s organization or directly to Clyde E. Lassen State Veterans Nursing Home.

preceded in death by her parents but carried their love and legacy with her always. Visitation will be held at 9:00 with a celebration of life at 10:00 Wednesday, February 5, 2025 at First Baptist Church, 1279 Friendship Road, Tallassee, AL 35078. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorial contributions be made to Planting Roots (https://plantingroots.net). Online condolences may be posted at www.linvillememorial. com

Linville Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory Eclectic, Alabama

• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue. JAN. 28

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Murphy road.

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

• An arrest was made on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Gammils Store Road.

• Theft was reported on Riley Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• An abandoned vehicle was reported on North Ann Avenue.

• A welfare check was

tired after coughing fits.

Pertussis is spread from person to person by: coughing and sneezing; spending much time near one another and sharing breathing space; some babies get pertussis from older siblings, parents, or caregivers who might not even know they have the disease. The best prevention for pertussis is the vaccine, but no vaccine is 100% effective.

conducted on West Butler Street.

• An animal complaint was reported on Second Avenue. JAN. 27

• Forgery was reported on Dolan Road.

• A noise complaint was reported on Third Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Patterson Street.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Kent Road.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Ashurst Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Little Road.

• A domestic incident was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

In Alabama, the “DTaP” pertussis vaccine is given until 7 years of age and vaccine protection begins to fade in older children. The booster helps increase protection for adolescent students, who public health officials say are getting hit the hardest this year. The ADPH and the CDC also strongly recommend that parents look into the new whooping cough booster “Tdap,” for children 11 years and older.

Humane Society of Elmore County News

Spay and neuter your pets now

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

February is Spay/ Neuter Awareness Month and with 48% of our January intake (231) being under 6 months old, we know, first-hand, the importance of spaying and neutering pets to help save lives. Spaying and neutering dogs and cats not only helps pets and their owners, but also our communities as it helps prevent medical and behavioral problems from developing while also allowing pets to lead a longer, healthier and happier life.

BENEFITS

OF SPAYING AND NEUTERING PETS:

- Decreases the number of accidental litters, unwanted pets and reduces euthanasia in shelters.

- Reduces the risk of future medical problems and expenses including testicular cancer, uterine infections, ovarian and breast cancers and pyometra, a life-threatening condition in females.

- Reduces territorial marking tendencies, yowling/howling, escaping, and other troublesome behaviors.

- Lowers the probability pets will try to escape their home in search of a mate.

- Greatly impacts the number of dog bite inci-

dents in a community. Most dog bites (60–80 percent) are caused by intact male dogs. Pregnant or nursing female dogs are more likely to bite as well.

- Reduces your pet’s likelihood of biting or fighting which may also help protect you from potential legal action. Spayed/neutered pets are less likely to engage in behaviors that could cause problems with neighbors. Less fighting also means less bites to humans, less emergency vet visits and reduces disease transmission to humans and animals.

- Can also increase the longevity of your pet.

Results from the Banfield

Pet Hospital’s State of Pet Health 2013 Report, found a positive correlation between neutering dogs and cats and their lifespan. The study, which was carried out on around 2.5 million animals (2.2 million dogs and 460,000 cats), indicated that spayed cats live up to 39% longer, spayed dogs 23% longer, neutered male cats live 62% longer and neutered dogs live 23% longer than their un-altered counterparts.

- Helps with housetraining as both males and female will be less inclined to “mark” their home and territory.

- Saves the owner money over the long-term

Pet of the Week - Calliope

Calliope is a female Lab/Husky looking mix who weighs 61 pounds and is about 2 years old. She came to us as a stray and was never reclaimed. She is a bit shy at first but quickly warms up and loves attention. She is very sweet and gentle 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 Calliope 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.

Participation increasing at rec center

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The quality of life projects with funding from the Elmore County Commission has brought a great opportunity for the City of Tallassee.

One of the projects on the table is a new recreation center close to its current location that would include more basketball courts and other facilities to better serve the community. Tallassee Parks and Recreation has been promoting its rec center to get people involved — and it has worked. Parks and recreation director Eric Phillips delivered utilization numbers of the current rec center to the Tallassee City Council at its Tuesday meeting.

“We have more people using the rec center than anybody can remember,”

Phillips said. He told the council that in October 2023, there were 104 rec center members and 18 gym members. In 2024 they consolidated into one type of membership and it grew to 349 by October 2024. Currently there are 417 members at the rec center.

“People are actually coming into the gym and using it,” Phillips said.

Revenue has increased the same way. In fiscal year 2023 there was about $3,600 collected in membership. Last year nearly $14,000 was collected and this year is on pace to break that. Participation in youth basketball is up as well.

Phillips said 99 children were registered last year and 140 this year.

“We used to just use the Southside Middle School gym,” Phillips

said. “With these numbers we are having to use the rec center gym too.”

Mayor Sarah Hill said she goes to the gym at the rec center a few times a week and has noticed an increase in attendance.

“I know on Saturday mornings, it is absolutely packed in there,” Hill said. “With this kind of participation, I think it points towards a new rec center. If you build it, they will come.”

Phillips said a similar tracking system for attendance is being used at the city pool.

“This will be year 70 there,” Phillips said. “Last year we had 1,064 people use the pool during free swim. We think it will be higher this year.”

At the meeting, the council decided to amend its zoning ordinance. Until now there were

in less unwanted litters to care for, less fighting/ roaming and injuries that increasingly occur as a result, less medical problems as the pet ages.

no fees associated with requesting and receiving rezoning. It will now cost $300 plus the cost of publication to start the process with no refunds.

Councilmembers Bill Hall and Bill Godwin were absent from the meeting.

The next meeting of the Tallassee City Council is scheduled for 6 p.m. Feb. 10.

IN OTHER ACTION THE TALLASSEE CITY COUNCIL:

• Approved minutes of the Jan. 14 meeting.

• Recognized city employees Chris Worthington and Ben Jones for getting sewer certifications.

• Approved a resolution declaring January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month and gave it to Rape Counselors of East Alabama.

- Can help save tax dollars or at least allow for better use of resources, as less roaming and problematic animals means less need for law enforcement responding to animal issues. So please be part of the solution and spay or neuter your pet before it produces yet another unwanted litter or develops issues associated with not being “fixed.”

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

Legislators present topics of upcoming session

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Public safety and education are huge priorities for almost everyone, especially for local representatives of the Alabama legislature.

As local state senators and representatives from Elmore County are getting ready for the upcoming session, they are preparing to discuss the issues that affect growth and the safety of every area of the state. State senators Will Barfoot and Clyde Chambliss and state representatives Troy Stubbs and Jerry Starnes spoke with constituents at the annual local delegation breakfast hosted by the Millbrook Chamber of Commerce.

“Just like every session, you’ve got some big ticket items,” Barfoot said. “One thing I know for sure is going to be in that public safety big heading. That’s a pretty broad topic.”

As the son and nephew of retired law enforcement, Barfoot hopes the legislature can aid law enforcement staffing.

Sen.Will Barfoot speaks at the Millbrook Area Chamber of

local delegation breakfast.

Chambliss announced proudly to the audience at the Millbrook Civic Center that neither the general fund nor the education budget had been prorated in the last 14 years. It means the funding appropriated during the session is there at the end of the fiscal year for the various state agencies. They did not have to cut previously approved budgets.

Chambliss credits a lot of the work on budgets and other matters, especially those affecting Elmore County through local legislation, to working with the other members of the local delegation.

and its foundation program.

The current funding model assumes most students are equal; however, Stubbs says they are not.

“We have students who have financial challenges. We have students who have English as a second language, special education. We also have gifted students who may not be receiving the resources that they need to improve and grow,” Stubbs said. “We’re studying a student needs based formula to educate or to provide funding to educate the students in the state of Alabama.”

“I think that there’ll be a focus on trying to help municipalities and county governments around the state to recruit and retain officers,” Barfoot said. “In Elmore County, we stand behind our law enforcement officers, but I think we need to do something to make sure that they understand that we value them. We appreciate their service. They deal with a lot more than the average citizen does.” Barfoot also expects further expansion and better definitions of types of crimes to be included under the Aniah Blanchard law that allows a quick hearing to hold in jail those arrested of certain crimes or having a certain criminal background.

Stanes said he is working on legislation to make parole officers state law enforcement officers and also on a bill to make the first $5,000 an Alabama National Guardsman earns from the military free of state income tax.

Gambling and gaming is another topic of discussion senators and representatives can prepare for, Barfoot said.

Starnes worked for 25 years with the Alabama Bureau of Pardons and Parole. He too sees the need for funding for public safety. “I’ve always said public safety is your biggest economic development factor,” Starnes said. “If you don’t have a good, safe community you don’t have growth.”

“Last year, we were right on the cusp of passing something for the people to vote for,” Barfoot said. “We had something that was at least palpable to send to the folks to vote for, and we were, we were a little short on that. So I suspect this year you’ll see something again. This is a topic that will not go away.”

“That doesn’t mean we always agree,” Chambliss said. “We’re not supposed to always agree, but we always can talk through issues and have a little bit along the way as well.”

One of the ways to work together is frequent communication and a monthly lunch to make sure everyone is up to speed on issues.

Stubbs serves on the Education Ways and Means committee in the House of Representatives. Last year he was greatly involved in the school Choose Act. This year he expects there to be great discussion over how public schools are funded. Currently they are funded on a per student basis only through the education trust fund

Stubbs said this model would increase funds allocated to STEM, arts and more.

“I do think that it will put us, our school systems, in a better position to have the funding that they need to meet the individual students’ needs where that student is at, versus just counting the numbers and giving an allocation based on the numbers,” Stubbs said.

The delegation said it was aware the Elmore County Commission was working on a local bill for Enhance Elmore. As of Thursday, they all said they hadn’t seen a bill yet.

The Alabama legislature went into session Feb. 4 and will close out the regular session by May 4.

Calhoon sworn in as new circuit court judge

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Friends shared the lectern as Dee Dee Calhoon was sworn in at the 19th Judicial Circuit Place 4 Circuit Court Judge.

Judge Calhoon and Federal Magistrate Judge Jerusha T. Adams were workplace acquaintances in the U.S. Attorney’s Office in Montgomery.

“At first, we were just colleagues,” Adams said. “I did not know much about her in the first

two years we worked together. I observed that she was beautiful, friendly and kind. I also observed that she and Troy were the life of the party at every Christmas party, every year.”

One day Adams brought her daughter Sophia to work. Calhoon brought her youngest daughter Bella.

“The next second they were running around through the office together, laughing and playing,” Adams said.

Soon, Adams and Sophia were invited to the home of Calhoon and Bella. The mothers sat and talked for hours as the girls played. The mothers shared stories of the girls building a foundation of friendship.

“One of the dreams that we shared was to become judges,” Adams said. “It was like two puzzle pieces magically fitting together that can never be separated.”

Ten years later, the mothers and

CommunityCalendar

SATURDAY, FEB. 8

VALENTINE MARKET: The City of Wetumpka Farmers Market will host a special Valentine’s Day market from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Feb. 8.

TUESDAY, FEB. 11

CHAMBER LUNCHEON: The Wetumpka Area Chamber of Commerce Good as Gold Annual Luncheon is at 11:30 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 11 at the Wetumpka Civic Center.

SATURDAY, FEB. 15

MARDI GRAS PARADE: The Millbrook Revelers Mardi Gras Parade and Festival is scheduled for Feb. 15 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

THURSDAY, FEB. 20

ing 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

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

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

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

ECLECTIC TOWN COUNCIL

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.

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.

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 host -

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.

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 sec -

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 SANTUCK: Celebrate Recovery meets each Thursday at 6:15 p.m. at Santuck Baptist Church at 7250 Central Plank Rd. This is a Christcentered, 12-step program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hangups. Call 334-567-2364 for more information or contact jyates@santuckbaptist.org.

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.

WARD

Continued from A1

Ward 1 represented by Jeremy Taunton. Ward 2 represented by Linda Mosher has 723 residents, Ward 3 represented by Damien Carr has 496. Ward 5 has 612 and is represented by Terell Brown. Ward 6 has 827 residents and is represented by Bill Godwin. Ward 7 has 720 residents and is represented by Fred Randall Hughey. “They have until Feb. 26 to vote on remaining in districts or voters selecting councilmembers at large,” Clark said. “If they stay with

CONVICTED

Continued from A1

ground,” Gray said.

Gray’s daughters and Walters were in dance together.

“Once at a dance competition, one of my girls was hurt,” Gray said. “Bethany carried her up and down the stairs on her back to help make it easier for her.”

Gray said she never forgot what Bethany did for her girls at the competition.

“She was a role model,” Gray said.

The day of the crash, she was looking closer at the driver, Gray recognized Walters.

“It was a momma’s worst nightmare,” Gray said. “I jumped in the passenger side. I screamed for Emma to call Bethany’s mother and tell her Bethany has been in a bad wreck.”

Gray moved to the back seat to better be able to hold Walters’ head still.

“She never opened her eyes,” Gray said. “She moaned a lot. Bethany asked for her dad. All I could tell her was, ‘He is coming.’”

Traveling southbound on Highway 229 in front of Gray was Yolanda Hurst, 45, of Montgomery. She stayed with her son Marquez Hurst who lived in Tallasssee and

the wards, they have until May 26 to change the boundaries of the wards.”

Changing the district boundaries would equalize the number of residents in each ward but in some cases would change what ward a resident is in.

Councilmembers chose to wait for Hall

was in the passenger seat. They were on their way to visit a 14-year-old family member who had been shot in the head in Montgomery. He was at Baptist South.

“I remember a loud boom and my car spinning,” Yolanda Hurst said. “The loud boom must have been a crash. I was trying to hold the car from going into the ditch.”

Hurst’s car stops in the middle of the roadway. She was groggy and in pain.

“I kept calling, ‘Marquez, Marquez,’” Hurst said. “He finally got up. He was staggering.”

The mother and son got out of the car as it burst into flames.

The two cars were more than 200 feet apart. Walters died as a result of the crash. Bridgman and the Hursts were injured. Bridgman had lacerations. Yolanda Hurst had lacerations and broken bones including a collar bone. Marquez Hurst had an orbital fracture and lacerations to his face. A medical examiner testified Walters had bleeding from the ears signaling skull fractures. She also had multiple broken ribs with blood and fluid in her chest cavity. Bethany’s right ankle was dislocated and her left leg was severely wounded. The cause of Walters’ death was

and Godwin to be present and participate in a discussion before deciding what path to go down.

To change the number of wards by going up or down in the number of councilmembers would require registered voters to cast a ballot.

“It would be a change

determined as multiple blunt force trauma.

The story of the crash played out in an Elmore County Judicial Complex courtroom this week.

Yolanda Hurst was being tried in criminal court for multiple counts including criminally negligent homicide.

Law enforcement testified Hurst never had a driver’s license but had been driving since she was 14. In fact she had several traffic tickets — enough that the state revoked her ability to ever get a driver’s license.

But Hurst was still at the wheel on Dec. 26, 2022 during a collision with Walters.

“If I could have (gotten a driver’s license), I would,” Hurst testified. “I couldn’t get it. I couldn’t read.”

Law enforcement measured the accident scene and used computer software to recreate it. It was estimated Hurst was driving between 74 and 85 MPH at the time of the collision. It was an estimate Hurst disagreed with.

“I was going about 40,” Hurst told law enforcement the night of the crash. “My car, it always picks up speed.”

Walters was likely traveling between 50 and 60 MPH, law enforcement said.

STUDENTS

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in the form of government,” Clark said. May 26 is also the deadline for the council to designate voting places or add an additional voting place.

The last day to meet the deadline to be a resident of a ward to qualify to run as a councilmember or move into the city limits to run for

Neither appeared to have hit their brakes as Hurst crossed the centerline and struck Walters’ car in the northbound lane. The cars were so severely damaged law enforcement said data couldn’t be retrieved from the vehicles’ black boxes.

First responders soon arrived and relieved Gray in the back seat.

“I had to get back to my kids in the car,” Gray said while holding back tears. “They were crying.”

Gray hugged Bethany’s parents Dana and Doug as she left the courtroom.

“She never got off the ambulance alive,” Doug testified. “We saw the ambulance rocking. We knew they were doing CPR. I can remember them pulling her off the ambulance doing CPR. I yelled at her to fight. We never saw her alive.”

The information surrounding the death was collected by law enforcement and the 19th Judicial Circuit District Attorney’s Office.

“It was presented to a grand jury as part of a death investigation,” district attorney C.J. Robinson said. “They recommended the misdemeanor charge of criminally negligent homicide.”

Yolanda Hurst was charged with criminally negligent homicide, reckless driving, improper lane usage, driving

and the instruments were broken — being held together by zip ties.

“I felt extremely overwhelmed, not going to lie,” Thompson said. “I was sitting there in a meeting with a gentleman, that was my best friend in college who came to help

MATTER

mayor is May 28. Qualification for city elections begins June 10 and continues until 5 p.m. June 24. Those seeking to qualify to be on the ballot for council or mayor must visit the municipal clerk. Municipal elections will be Aug. 26 and if a run-off is needed it will be held Sept. 23.

while license was revoked, driving without insurance, speeding and two counts of third-degree assault — one for Bridgman and one for Marquez Hurst.

Yolanda Hurst was found guilty by Elmore County District Court Judge Glen Goggans and sentenced to the maximum misdemeanor crime sentence of one year in jail. Hurst appealed the conviction. The appeal led to this week’s jury proceedings. It took about an hour for the jury to find Hurst guilty on all counts except the third-degree assault against her son. She is due back in court March 3 for sentencing by Judge Joy Booth. Hurst faces a maximum sentence of one year in jail for the criminally negligent homicide. From the stand Hurst spoke to the Walters family.

“I’m not a bad person,” Hurst said. “I wouldn’t hurt a fly. I want to tell y’all I’m sorry. I ask for your forgiveness.”

But Doug still remembers his 17-year-old daughter who was “full of life” and graduated early from Tallassee High School just a couple weeks before the crash. Bethany was set to start nursing school in August 2023.

“She always had your back,” Doug said. “She was a competitive dancer and, boy, could she light up a stage.”

with my first band camp. And I told him, ‘I don’t know if I can do this. It’s just in such bad shape.’ Thankfully, because I had a lot of really supportive parents and administrators. The community was really supportive, and I could tell that they really wanted it to be great. That was when I was thought, ‘Okay, well, if we’re going to turn this around, we need to have some kind of initiative.’”

That’s when Thompson formed the “Revitalize the Reeltown Band Program.”

There was a lot of behind the scenes work between the community, the school and the central office.

Since 2021, the band has had new instruments, uniforms and trucks and a new band room inside the recently opened Reeltown gym.

While Thomspon spearheaded the initiative and put in a lot of work to get the band to where it is, he said it was only possible because of how everyone listened to each other and worked together. He has had football coaches drive band buses to competitions for them. His principal has cleaned the band room floors with him.

before.” Thompson has been in music education for the past 14 years. He has taught in Georgia and Kansas and has experience in all levels from elementary to high school to college. His bachelor’s degree is in music education from University of Georgia and his master’s is in music education with a concentration in conducting from Kansas State.

As district teacher of the year, Thompson is in the pool for state teacher of the year. He said if he is afforded the opportunity, he would like to use that platform to talk to legislators about the issues in education.

Part of the application process for district teacher of the year asked Thompson, “What is one of the biggest pressing issues in education?” So, he asked educators in the district and outside of the district. Everyone had a different answer to the question. He concluded the common denominator in all these answers is we aren’t listening to each other. People aren’t listening to administrators or teachers about what needs to be fixed in education.

His superintendent has personally come to the band room and asked his specific needs. Parents, volunteers and students have all put in so much work to get this program to where it is. And of course, it all goes back to the students and their work.

“The reason that I got the award is because of my students,” Thompson said.

“If they weren’t having a lot of success, if they weren’t really into it, if they weren’t growing, then I would not have gotten the award. Because people don’t really come into my classroom to see what we’re doing. They hear the concerts, and they see the halftime shows. But it’s because of the hard work of the kids and them really buying in and then wanting to be the band to be great, because it’s been great

“I would really try to communicate with our legislators that I’ve been given this opportunity to listen to other people, and I’m going to take what they have to say, and I’m going to relay that to people who are in charge so that maybe we can make a difference that will positively impact the students,” Thompson said. “Because even just in my school, I’ve gotten 10 different answers, so I’ve got a lot of stuff to talk about.”

However, just being named district teacher of the year and RHS teacher of the year has been the greatest honor within itself. And this year, he has really fallen in love with teaching again. He is thankful for all those who played a part in making the Reeltown band program revitalized.

I beg your pardon

reetings from the corner of Bridge and Bridge!

It is an unseasonably warm day as I write this column. I prefer that to unseasonably cold, but I, for one, wish our weather patterns would level out to some extent. All this up and down wreaks havoc on my sinuses!

Whenever I hear the word pardon, my mind immediately goes to the lyric of a favorite tune. The words I beg your pardon. I never promised you a rose garden begin to float in my mind. Those words were written by American singer-songwriter Joe South in 1967.

Recently, a different representation of pardon has dominated conversation. The topic of presidential pardon has once again reared its head. That head is not always an ugly one, but

REV. JONATHAN YARBORO Columnist

it certainly has been lately. There is good reason for that. The power of pardon was awarded to the office of president by Article 2 of the United States Constitution. There are many different types of clemency that fall under the president’s power. They include: pardon, amnesty, commutation, and reprieve.

A pardon releases a person from punishment and restores all civil liberties. Amnesty is the same as the pardon but is extended to an entire class of individuals. Commutation reduces the sentence imposed

by a federal court. A reprieve delays imposition of a sentence or punishment.

While the pardon power is robust, there are three important limitations on it. First, a crime must have been committed for a pardon to be issued. Second, the presidential power is limited to federal crimes. Lastly, the president may not issue pardons in cases of impeachment. Other than these criteria, there are no constitutional restrictions on a president’s pardon power.

The concept of executive office pardon originated in England. It was introduced as a means of granting mercy. Now there’s a word that has garnered a lot of attention lately, but I digress. The concept is easy enough to understand. The person in charge should have the ability to grant mercy in certain situations.

Tallassee Churches

When introduced by the founders of our nation, there was much discussion regarding oversight. The possibility of having Congress vote on presidential pardons was introduced but, in the end, did not make its way to the Constitution. It was finally decided that no other form of government should be able to alter the executive power. The most recent rounds of presidential pardons should give rise to some much-needed conversation. Whether the actions came from a blue oval office or a red one is of little significance. The heart of the matter is identical regardless of the actual person or party behind them. Our system of justice is in trouble folks.

The supreme leaders of both parties granted pardons that, in my observation, have little to do

with the constitutional intent of the power to grant them. In one way or another, both acknowledged some manner of retribution as their justification. In other words, pardons were granted out of fear that our system of justice would fail the recipients.

All citizens of these United States should pay attention to the conversation these pardons have given rise to. We must all move beyond party affiliation and allegiances and towards the thing that makes us all the same. We are all citizens of the same nation, and our system of justice is being further damaged by actions coming from the top. That is never the path to follow.

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

Mixson resigns as Tallassee boys basketball coach

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

After a loss to Stanhope Elmore last Tuesday, Tallassee boys basketball coach Keiven Mixson announced his plan to resign at the end of the season.

Mixson has been at the helm of the Tigers basketball season for the past eight years, posting a 111-85 record

through that span along with three area championships (2017, 2019 and 2020). In the 2019 season, Mixson led the Tigers to its best record in school history going 27-5 while also winning 27 consecutive home games from 2018-2020.

It was not an easy decision for Mixson, but ultimately it was time to take a step back from being a head coach.

Reeltown’s season ends with a fight, but future looks bright

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

Although the season did not turn out exactly the way the Reeltown boys basketball team wanted, there was still much to be proud of.

The Rebels saw their season end Thursday against Lanett when they fell 41-29, dropping them to 3-12 on the year. However, coach Johnathan Gardner was proud of the way he team was able to fight against the Class 2A Area 6 top dog.

“The game plan we put in, worked really well in the first half,” Gardner said. “Came back in the second half, they put some pressure on us. But we (fought) the press pretty good, but we couldn’t get any shots.”

Reeltown loses five seniors heading into next year including the leading scorer for the past three seasons Finn Henderson being one of them. He ended the year scoring 17.1 points per game while another senior Demetrius Brown finished behind him with 10.4 points per game. It’s the familiarity with the system Reeltown runs that is going to be missed by Gardner.

“(The seniors) know our philosophy,” Gardner said. “They know how we run offense and defense. I didn’t have to teach it to them. They were like coaches on the floor as well, helping the other guys. They know the system,

they’ve been in the system long enough.”

Despite losing some notable contributions graduating there is still a plethora of young guys who have valuable varsity minutes. In addition to the experience they’ll bring next season they have the height to back it up as well.

“We’ll still kind of have a little height,” Gardner said. “I got DeAndre Avery, he’s just a 10th grader and he’s about 6-foot-3.

I have Reed (Woods) coming back, he’s going to be a solid guard.

Jontravius Brown, he’ll be back. He had a foot injury from football. He was gonna be my backup point guard this year. Alijah Love, I moved him up from junior high, he’s gonna be ready. I threw him in some of the games this year to just see how he reacted and he did real well.”

Gardner looks to the summer to be a prime opportunity to get better with this young squad.

He has seen their eagerness to get better and knows that this offseason will be crucial for them.

“They love to be in the gym,” Gardner said. “They ask all the time, ‘Coach, can we shoot?’ They’re hungry to get in the gym. So that’s what we need. We got to keep that attitude with them trying to get better this summer. Hopefully, a lot of them won’t have jobs so they can come work out.”

“I’m just tired,” Mixson said. “People don’t realize how stressful, how draining and how tough it is to coach. I’ve been doing this for eight years here, and I just need a break. There are honestly many factors to my decision.”

The admiration from former players after making the announcement fulfills what

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

Rowen Thornton’s basketball career will go down as one of the best in Tallassee’s school history.

On Saturday in the Class 4A Area 5 tournament against LAMP, Thornton notched his 1,000 career point, forever etching himself in the record books.

He came onto the scene his sophomore year with the Tiger where he finished as the third leading scorer on the team. From that point on, Thornton became a mismatch for anyone who came across

him. His junior year he led the team with 21.9 points per game while shooting 51% from the field. Thorton followed it up his senior year averaging another 21 points per game. Now, he is the latest member of the 1,000point club.

Tallasse coach Keiven Mixson knew what he was going to get out of Thorton — a kid who is going to strive to be better.

“It’s a certain type of kid, it’s gonna be a guy that listens, is determined, is persistent and is willing to put in work on days he doesn’t feel like putting in the work,”

Mixson said. “The mental and physical side of it is going to be tough and Rowen is one of those guys.”

After his stellar junior campaign, Thornton commanded the attention of everyone on the court going into his senior year. Mixson discussed teams double, even triple, teaming him to make sure he did not produce. However, Thornton would still find a way to drop 20 or more points.

“He comes back, and everybody’s double-teaming him, and everybody’s trying to shut him down,”

Tallassee battles adversity throughout the season

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

It was a difficult season for the Tallassee boys basketball season, to say the least.

After suffering a 59-46 loss to LAMP on Saturday in the Class 4A Area 5 tournament, Tallassee dropped to 2-20 to end the 2024-2025 season. It was an uphill battle for the Tigers, dealing with injuries for the majority of the season. Which left key roles filled by some of the younger kids on the team. Senior Rowen Thornton led the charge as the team’s leading scorer with 21 points per game, but even he faced an injury that sidelined him.

“One of our better players at the third game of the season, he broke his hand, probably our best athlete and best defender,” Tallassee coach Keiven Mixson said. “So he was out for the season. Then our top player in the state, he didn’t play the first seven or eight games of the year. We just kind of

Playoff bound

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

The odds were stacked against the Reeltown girls basketball team heading into the season.

However, the Rebels overcame adversity in the later half of the season with three straight wins to send them to the Class 2A Area 6 Championship.

Although Reeltown fell to Lanett in the championship bout, 59-19, it only shows the potential of the squad for years to come. The team is young — and with many key contributors being underclassmen, they now get a taste of how it feels to be in the playoffs.

Because coach LD Bell knew what his girls were capable of, despite their youth, the goal was always to make the area championship. He has seen his girls buy-in to what it takes to be a successful program.

“Kids make coaches look good,” Bell said. “I’m just glad that they are playing hard and they’re buying in and listening. All this is just trying to make your program attractive enough to where girls want to play, that’s my goal. I’m trying to make this a program where girls want to sign up each and every year and play basketball, and we can build a program that lasts. That’s my biggest thing, is not just having a good team, but making a good program.”

What surprisingly helped the girls turn it on at the end of the season was the inclement weather. Bell said the girls having the opportunity to rest and get their legs underneath them has proved beneficial of even

NIGHTMARE

Continued from A4

Reeltown girls basketball late stretch to area championship

getting to the area championship.

“They got time off with your snow days, and I think they got their legs up under them,” Bell said. “They came out there and played hard. They weren’t as scared. They played

work we don’t want to do.

a little more loose, and they just bought into what our goal was and our goal was to get to the area championship. That’s what we talked about all week long, is not worrying about what happened before, but just focusing on what we can con-

Stop and think about that for a moment. Who used to do those jobs? Why do we need immigrants, many times illegal immigrants, to do these jobs now?

Because the American workforce doesn’t want to. Budde’s comments reveal immigrants have become our slaves. They clean up after us. They dig the ditches and do all the dirty, menial

Continued from A5

daughters are still inseparable. Adams was sworn as a federal magistrate judge in 2019. It was Calhoon’s turn to see the dream come true Thursday.

Sophia and Bella were in attendance as Calhoon was sworn in. Adams introduced

CAREER

Continued from B1

Mixson said. “Everybody in the gym is

Continued from B1

Now, those who know me well know I do not like to get my hands dirty. It’s just a thing with me. But I still work hard. I went to college, got a degree, worked my way up from the bottom in the accounting field. Then, after the great Russell exit, I started over and worked my way up again. And that always entailed tasks I didn’t want to do (and sometimes my hands got dirty).

More and more, Americans are unwilling to do the dirty work. They don’t want to start at the bottom and

Calhoon to area judges, fellow attorneys and local officials in the Autauga County Courthouse.

“She had the intellect and tenacity to attend law school while raising three young children,” Adams said.

trol now.”

The next game up for Reeltown is against Ranburne this Friday, where Bell wants to see his team continue to showcase what got it to this point and build the program up.

“Playing hard and compet-

work their way up. They want everything handed to them while they do as little as possible for more money than most small to medium businesses can afford to pay.

So they bounce from one job to another. In between jobs, they pretend to job hunt to qualify for a government check claiming they just haven’t found the right fit yet.

The new American Dream is to let the government take care of us. But be warned, a fat, slothful, lazy society is a society headed for destruction from

ing, putting a good product on the floor,” Bell said. “Playing hard and competing, that’s what I would like to see from them. Trying to go into the next year by doing the right things and what we are supposed to be doing.”

within. One of the major downfalls of the Roman Empire was the effect an overreliance on slave labor and related attitudes had on the economy. We’re no different. If America doesn’t get back to work and stop expecting taxpayers to support them, the dream will become a nightmare — for all of us.

Angela Mullins is the director of business & digital publishing at Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. and the author of the mystery series “Working for Uncle Henry.”

Calhoon has represented many clients in her career, some in the very Autauga County Courthouse Courtroom where she took the oath of office. She said she has never had an issue speaking up for a client, but she paused Thursday.

coming to watch him play, and teammates need him to score to help us win. If you don’t put up big numbers, that’s pressure. He continually deliv -

he sought as a coach. He prided himself on being able to connect with his players and build relationships with them — safe to say, he accomplished that feat.

“Bear with me,” Calhoon said. “I’ve often said that it’s a lot easier to stand up and represent other people and advocate for them. But when you have to talk about yourself and be personal, it’s a lot more difficult.”

Calhoon understands the difficulty in the new judgeship for the 19th Circuit covering Autauga, Chilton and Elmore counties. Her primary role will be all the divorce and child custody cases across the circuit. It is about 300 currently.

ered despite the double teams and despite everything else, and scored 1,000.”

Although his senior campaign did not end the way he would have

“These cases are emotionally charged and involve people going through some of the most difficult times of their lives,” Calhoon said.

liked, the next stop for Thornton is pursuing his playing career at Chattahoochee Valley Community College. As he takes his talents to the next level,

The new judge said she thought long and hard before campaigning for the bench. She knew the challenges, but Calhoon decided it was her calling.

“Families are the most important aspect of our community,” Calhoon said. “While it’s difficult and these issues are not easy to deal with, we need people who are willing to step up to handle those matters.”

Mixson believes the coaching staff will help elevate his game to another level.

“I think he’s going to some great coaches at Chattahoochee Val -

ley,” Mixson said. “I think if he’ll listen to them and do what they say, I think he could be a good college basketball player. I’m just super proud of him.”

“I think the thing I get most satisfaction out of is just these players, the relationships I’ve built, and what they mean to me, and I think what I mean for them,” Mixson said. “I’ve had confirmation of that over the past few days, but it just makes me feel good knowing that I built some strong relationships that I’ll be able to carry with me, and a lot of memories moving forward.”

BATTLES

Continued from B1

got behind and just couldn’t really catch up.”

Senior Sawyer Compton was another bright spot of the team being the second leading scorer for the team with 11.1

Over those eight years, Mixson made memories that’ll last a lifetime but there were a few that stood out from the rest, one being in his first year as head coach. Before 2017, Tallassee had not

points per game. Although both Compton and Thornton will be missed on the team next season, plenty of younger guys got to make their impact. Freshman Jaiden Gordon is one of them. Through 16 games this year, he averaged 9.3 points per game which finished as third-best on the team.

Sophomore Simeon Parker

captured an area title since 2000, but Mixson overcame that hurdle in just his first year. However one moment stuck out among all others and it came the following year in 2018 in the subregionals.

“The one that’s at the top of the list is when we played Charles Henderson,” Mixson said. “They were a top 10 team in the state, and I think we were top 10, and we played them at our place, and it came down to the last shot. Truck Griffin went and followed up the shot, got the rebound and put it in. The gym was packed, and, of course, everybody stormed the court, and it was just probably one of the best feelings.”

was also a constant contributor with a fourth-highest 8.4 points per game.

Even with the adversity playing a major role in the performance this season, Mixson never saw his guys let it get the better of them. Even though the season did not turn out the way they had hoped for, Mixson knows his team

Although his days at the helm are over, Mixson did not rule out the possibility of returning to coach. However, after a successful tenure at Tallassee he will go down as one of the best to do it for the Tigers.

can take a lot from this season.

“These are peaks and valleys,” Mixson said. “Mountaintops are for views and inspiration, and valleys are where the real fruit is grown. We’ve been in that valley (and that is where) you learn.”

Despite the record, Mixson praised his team for their perseverance even when the odds were stacked against them.

“They knew we had a lot going against us, but they showed up, they played hard,” Mixson said. “That’s one thing I can say is they competed and played hard. Despite all the adversity, I’m just super proud of them. I couldn’t ask for a better group of guys to coach.”

TALLASSEE CITY SCHOOLS NEWS

Track for TCS over budget

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The Tallassee City Schools Board of Education is hoping to build a track behind Tallassee Elementary School.

But the project is on hold after bidding revealed the system may not have the funds for it.

“We got one bid,” superintendent Dr. Brock Nolin told the board at its meeting. “It’s about $1 million over budget.”

The bid included options for bathrooms and more but that wasn’t included in the over-budget bid. Nolin explained because there was only one bid, state law will allow the board to negotiate with other contractors to build the track.

“It will be without bathrooms for sure now,” Nolin said. “If it doesn’t come closer to budget, we may have to look at allocating those funds to something else.”

Nolin informed board members the Alabama State Department of Education had recently inspected the system’s school

buses and found no violations.

“That is a good thing,” Nolin said.

IN OTHER ACTION THE TALLASSE BOARD OF EDUCATION:

• Approved minutes of its previous meeting.

• Approved new fieldhouse weightroom equipment at a cost of $25,684.

• Approved an out-of-state trip for the Tallahassee High School cheerleaders.

• Approved a Tallassee High School band trip to Mobile for the King’s Mardi Gras parade.

• Approved a $417 per month increase to the athletic director’s supplement.

• Approved a volunteer coach request for girl’s wrestling.

Mann aspires to make a difference at TCS

By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter

Deana Mann is the Reeltown area’s newest representative on the Tallapoosa County Board of Education.

Mann has worked in education for the past 26 years, primarily as a bookkeeper at Tallassee City Schools. During that time, she has worked alongside students, teachers, support staff, administrators and parents.

Mann has also lived in her district for the past 38 years. She said she takes pride in having two grandchildren at Reeltown schools: one at Reeltown Elementary and the other at Reeltown High School. But it was her background in education that inspired her to run for school board member.

“I feel like I have the necessary skills and insights to be an effective advocate, but also I am passionate about our schools, our students and our community,” Mann said. Mann hopes to curate an environment at Tallapoosa County Schools that allows students to thrive academically, socially and emotionally. Her vision for the school system is to establish a culture of excellence and compassion.

Outside of work, Mann enjoys spending time with her family and friends, going on day trips and shopping at thrift stores, flea markets and antique stores.

“I’m honored to serve Tallapoosa County Schools,” she said. “And I invite people in our district to share their ideas with me, because together, I believe we can make a difference.”

Deputy Painter receives multiple community awards

By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter

Deputy Kaylie Painter has been recognized around the community for her work with the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department.

This past month, Painter was awarded Reeltown High School Support Staff of the Year for her role as a school resource officer and was awarded Officer of the Year by the Lake Martin Dadeville Area Chamber.

Painter started in the sheriff’s department as a road deputy and moved to school resource officer at Reeltown after the position became available. Today, she is in her third school year at Reeltown. But caring for others came naturally to Painter, which is part of the reason she joined law enforcement.

She has a bachelor’s in criminal justice with a concentration in juvenile delinquency and a minor in sociology. Then she later went to the police academy to finish up her training. Painter said her number one job is to keep both the high school and the elementary school safe. However, she also teaches D.A.R.E. for sixth graders and works to build relationships with those in the schools.

“We wear a lot of different hats of informal counselor, mentor and that’s kind of bridging the gap between society, the public and law enforcement,” Painter said. ‘You have to remind yourself, ‘You aren’t just that cop today.’ You have

to teach today. You have to be a counselor today or you have to just sit down and be their friend. But top priority is safety.”

The more challenging part of the job is that not a lot of people understand what kids go through. There’s a lot that can

happen in a kid’s life outside of school and it’s important for SROs to be a resource. And it’s also the kids that bring joy to

the job.

“You walk through the hall of the elementary and they just look at you or give you a high five or a fist bump,” Painter said. “I coach the JV softball team. I feel like they don’t look at me just as a police officer. They know I’m a safe place.”

Despite the work Painter does at both of the schools, she never expected being support staff of the year. Painter was in a softball meeting when her principal Audrey Stockdale texted her about coming to the front office. That’s when they announced she won Support Staff of the Year.

“I always say she is the peanut butter to my jelly,” Stockdale said of Painter during the January board meeting. “She always keeps us safe, but anything we need, she’s right there.” Painter said she is very appreciative of the award and all of it has been so rewarding at Reeltown schools.

“It really does feel like home,” Painter said. “And I hope the kids feel that way, but I think we all do.” Painter was also Officer of the Year for the chamber, and she said she was also very grateful to the chamber as well.

“It’s really nice to get that feedback from the community saying, ‘We appreciate what you do,’” Painter said. “And I’m not the only one who does this.”

She added everyone at the sheriff’s department is a team and works hard to keep the community safe. This is their job and they love doing it.

SAGITTARIUS (Nov. 22-Dec. 21) Keep your eyes open. Something related to your job, your pet or your health might surprise you today. An older family member might be helpful or have practical suggestions for you. It never hurts to listen to the advice of someone more experienced in case it bene

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Sealed bids will be received, opened, and publicly read by the Owner for the Tallassee Water Treatment Plant Upgrades. The Owner will receive Bids until 11:00 AM on the 7th day of March 2025. The bides of City of Tallassee, located at 3 Freeman Avenue, Tallassee, Alabama 36078. A mandatory Pre-bid Meeting will be held at 9:00 AM on the 19th day of February 2025. Pre-bid Meeting will be held at located at 3 Freeman Avenue, Tallassee, Alabama 36078. The Project is generally described as follows: Construction of improvements to the existing and 3 and the Tallassee Water Treatment Plant including removal and replacement of existing isolation valves, removal and replacement of existing backwash piping, removal and replacement of existing piping and valve supports, and associ-

The Owner requires the Project to be completed in 120 calendar days from date of Notice to Proceed. Bidding Documents may be obInc. 197 E. University Drive, Suite #1 Auburn, Alabama 36832, 334.466.9431 or louie. arvelo@cdge.com. Paper copies are available upon receipt of a non-refundable fee in the amount of $100.00 for one set. PDF electronic copies are available via email at no cost to the bidder. Bidders will be required to provide Bid security in the form of a Bid Bond or cashier’s check in the amount of a sum the Bid Price but not more than $10,000.00. All bids must be submitted in a sealed envelope bearing on the outside the name of the bidder, bidder’s license number, address and name of the project. Your Bid will be required to be submitted under a condition of irrevocability for a period of 60 days after submission. The attention of bidders is called to the provisions of State Law as set forth in Title 34, Chapter 8, Article 1, Code of Alabama of 1975, as amended; and the provisions of said law shall govern bidders insofar as it is applicable. The above-mentioned provisions of the Code make it

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p illegal for the Owner to consider a bid from anyone who is not properly licensed under such code provisions. In addition, bidders must carry the municipal and utility construction clasedition of the Roster of the State Contractors, Montgomery, Alabama. The Owner, therefore will not consider any bid unless the bidder produces evidence that he is so licensed. Neither will the Owner enter into a Contract with a foreign corporation State Law to do business in the State of Alabama. The attention of nonresident bidders is called to the provisions of Alabama Law, Title 39, Chapter 3, Code of Alabama 1975, as amended, relating to preference to be given to resident contractors in Alabama over nonresident contractors in the award of contracts in the same manner and to the same extent as provided by the laws of the state of domicile of the nonresident contactor, and to the requirements

Elmore County’s seniors leave lasting legacy

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

It may not have ended the way the Elmore County boys basketball team wanted it to end, but there are still plenty of reasons for the team to hold its head high.

After a 2023-24 season where the Panthers finished the season with only five wins to their name they turned it around, tripling their win total this season. In 2024-25, the Panthers finished the year with a 15-11 record where they fell in overtime to Beauregard 41-40 in the Class 5A Area 7 tournament.

The game was a mixture of highs and lows. Elmore County led for a majority of the night but could not combat the second half surge from Beauregard.

Jaden Eason led the charge with

a team-high 14 points with Seth McGhee finishing right behind him with 10 points, three rebounds and one steal. Gage Davis finished with a team-high 11 rebounds, three assists and three steals. Then Drew Knighton came away with five points, five rebounds and three assists on the night.

“I just didn’t have them ready; it’s on me,” Elmore County coach Nathan Taylor said. “They’ve worked hard all year, and I just failed them when it mattered the most.”

For most of the season, it was the seniors who took a bulk of the work, but their impact goes much further than just how they were able to fill the stat sheet — it was the culture they built along the way.

“This group of seniors brought the excitement back to Elmore County basketball,” Taylor said. “We ended

Fuller named to South All-Star team

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

For the entirety of the Class of 2026, only 30 volleyball players are chosen to participate in the 29th annual AHSAA NorthSouth All-Star Roster — Elmore County’s Isabella Fuller is one of them.

Fuller just completed her junior year with the Panthers where she finished second on the team in kills with 149 just behind Ally Orr. She also ranked first on the team in aces with 65 and first in digs with 438. Now, Fuller is being recognized as one of the best junior volleyball players in the entire state.

She will join 14 other girls to represent the South team coached by Auburn’s Brian Wheatley, UMSWright’s Wing Brett and Carver’s Virginia Franklin.

Fuller will not only be coached by some of the best in Alabama, but will get to play alongside other talented players.

“She’ll get the opportunity to play with some of the best kids in the state,” ECHS coach Kim Moncrief said. “I know there’s two girls from Bayside Academy that will be there and then there’s some others that will be there from some really good programs. I just know being at that caliber, she’ll have the opportunity to work with some really good kids.”

Of course to be recognized as one of the top players in the state in one thing, but Fuller is the first Elmore County volleyball player to participate in the All-Star week.

“In the past, we have nominated a few people and so we had some really good candidates,” Moncrief said. “So of course, when we nominated Isabella,

we were hopeful that she would get picked, because just like the other candidates she was worthy. But I’m super excited that she’s our first one to get to go and participate.”

Moncrief echoed how prestigious of an opportunity this is for Fuller to participate in. She knows that not only will this make her a better player but also shines a light on the impact it’ll have on Elmore County.

“We are so excited about this, we’ve been trying to get some girls in in the past, and it’s so hard because there’s only 15 girls from the south that’s picked, and there’s 15 girls from the north that’s picked, so only 30 girls from the whole state of this junior class,” Moncrief said. “And so for her to be one of those, to have this opportunity, it really helps our program get the recognition.”

The All-Star week won’t begin until July in Montgomery, but Moncrief is adamant this is the perfect opportunity for Fuller to grow as a player.

“Isabella is just a great athlete, and the fact that she’s always seeking to learn things on her own, she’s going to get out there, I know, and look at the other girls and take in everything that she can from them,” Moncrief said.

“As well as the coaches that are going to be there, they’ve got two great coaches that are going to be coaching it this year as well, and I know that she’s got a great attitude, and works hard at everything that she does, and works hard on in the off-season as well. I just think she’s just going to take every opportunity she can to improve her game.”

week.

with 15 wins from five last year. They definitely deserved a better ending than what they got, but definitely thankful for them.”

It was the family atmosphere that made dividends for the Panthers this year, even with all the hardship they faced together it was what the actions off the court that made a huge difference.

“We preach family,” Taylor said. “We’re a close-knit group, and we work hard, and so hopefully the underclassmen just keep building on what we’re doing.”

Elmore County will be in good hands going forward with the season laying the groundwork for what it takes to be a successful basketball team. Key players like Gage Davis and Seth McGhee will be back next year and will be huge contributors to continuing to improve.

Hicks’ game-winner sends Panthers to area championship

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

It came down to the last second — literally. The Elmore County girls basketball team escaped with a 31-30 victory over Beauregard due in large part to an Addison Hicks game-winner at the buzzer. However, it was not even supposed to be Hicks who got the ball, according to coach Kyle Caldwell.

“On the last play, we had it drawn up for Lalah (Culpepper),” Caldwell said. “Had a triple screen for her, I thought we were about to inbound it to her because she was open. But if that the first option wasn't there, then (with) the triple screen, they were cutting through the basket because we knew they were in man (defense), and they were overplaying everything, and so (Addison) just backdoored (the defender) and got an angle, and

was able to put it up.”

It was a relatively low-scoring affair for both sides, but that is all according to plan for the Panthers. It was the presence under the rim that kept them in the lead for a majority of the night and ultimately kept the game from swinging in the Hornets favor.

“Just being able to box out, get the rebound necessary when we need to,” Caldwell said. “Get those stops when we needed to, as well, just the constant communication that we emphasize here in practice.”

Another aspect of Elmore County’s game that shines was at the free-throw line. Beaurgard had the making of a comeback to snatch the victory away, but it was Culpepper's performance in the fourth quarter that proved beneficial. She ended the night with nine points, but knocked down four of six free throw attempts in crunch time. Caldwell attributed the success from

the line by how they practice for situations like Elmore County faced on Monday.

“We spend the last 12-13 minutes on free throws, we try to get them tired because (in the) fourth quarters, they're a little bit more important,” Caldwell said. “But try to get them tired, so they get that game conditioning.”

Next up for the Panthers is the Class 5A Area 7 championship against the No. 1 seed Valley on Wednesday. Caldwell wants to make sure there is an extra emphasis on limiting turnovers on the offensive side while still showcasing their defensive capabilities.

“Just taking care of the basketball and executing, if things break down, don't panic,” Caldwell said. “Just keep playing the game of basketball. Good things happen to the people who play the game the right way. So if we continue to keep playing the right way, good things will happen.”