Tallassee Tribune Jan. 29 2025

Tallassee residents arrested for child abuse

TPI STAFF Staff Report

Rodarius Brown, 27, and Asia Heard, 27, both of Tallassee, were arrested for child abuse.

According to a press release from Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office conducted a joint investigation with the Tallapoo-

sa County Department of Human Resources of alleged abuse to a juvenile on Jan. 17. The

investigation resulted in the arrest of Brown and Heard, the parents of the juvenile.

Court documents state that on or about Jan. 16, “...Brown struck his son multiple times with a brown extension cord and a black belt causing (the child) to have harsh welts and bruising on his stomach, back, legs and arms.” Brown, who was

charged with aggravated child abuse, and Heard, who was charged with willful abuse of a child, were placed in the Tallapoosa County Jail, the release stated.

Brown’s bond is set at $75,000 and must wear a GPS ankle monitor, and Heard’s is set at $20,000. The investigation is ongoing, according to the release.

By AUSTIN ELLIOTT Sports Editor

Simply put: Second place wasn’t good enough. Tallassee had had its taste of second place — for two years, no less. But this year, the Tigers weren’t going to settle for anything less than the best. And that’s exactly what they did on Saturday by winning state. Tallassee absolutely dominated both of its oppo-

nents en route to the AHSAA Class 1A-4A Wrestling Championship. Not only did the Tigers bring hardware back

RES educators shine with Teacher and Support Staff of the Year

By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia Reporter

Two of Reeltown Elementary School’s educators were recently awarded Teacher and Support Staff of the Year for the work they put into the classroom each day.

TEACHER OF THE YEAR

First grade teacher Brandy Sheppard has been at RES for the past six years but has taught all over the country as her husband was in the Marine Corps. After 20 years of teaching, she decided to make Alabama their home.

Before going into education, Sheppard was a practice manager for physicians. However, while she and her family were living on base in Japan, she decided to work part-time at the elementary school and fell in love with teaching.

Sheppard has a bachelor’s degree in elementary education and a master’s degree in math. She has taught second, fourth and kindergarten in the past as well.

Being one of the first grade teachers, Sheppard has a second-grader in-training program for the later half of the year to get her first graders motivated

for their next step.

“We really talk about not that we are halfway through first grade, but we are halfway to second grade,” Sheppard said. “So we are really pushing that second grade is our goal.”

She said, with having a variety of personalities and learning styles in the classroom, the main challenge is making sure students’ needs are met. But that’s also part of the joy as well.

“The most rewarding part is when they get the skill that you are teaching and have strategies to grow in that skill — whether it’s in math or reading, etc. and you actually see that come together,” Sheppard said. “For example, we are working on venn diagrams in first grade and we just had our first test. Independently they were able to compare and contrast two stories and fill out their venn diagram.”

Sheppard said she likes to implement a lot of projects throughout her class. One of the upcoming projects is all about animals.

Soon, her students will be researching different animals and then pick a favorite to write a paper about.

While Sheppard puts

Obituaries

DWAYNE EDWIN BENSON

Dwayne Edwin Benson, age 68, passed away January 19, 2025 at his home in Winder, Georgia. He was born May 20, 1956. Dwayne is preceded in death by his parents, Waymon Edwin Benson and Dorothy Hogan Benson. He is

REBA DIANA KING JOHNSON

Reba Diana King Johnson, of Tallassee, Alabama, passed away Jan. 23, 2025, at the age of 72. Reba was born June 6, 1952, at the East Tallassee Hospital.

She is preceded in death by her dear parents James Lewis King and Mellrea Pittman King, grandparents Elvin and Willie Ruth Hughes King, and Julius Chalker Pittman and Ruby Lucy Grantham Pittman; her aunts and uncles

survived by his daughter, Beverly Ann Benson; grandson, Skye Jacob Hakimian; brother, Kerry W. Benson (Janie Cowan); sister, Linda D. Benson; and his pet cat, Madison. Visitation will begin at 1 PM, Thursday, January 23, 2025 at East Tallassee Church of Christ. The

Tommy Earl King, Mitchell Pittman (Dora Mitchell), Dot Pittman Paul (Elmer); cousins John Allen King, Donnie Paul, and Sammy Joe Pittman.

She is survived by the love of her life, her husband of 45 years Mike Johnson (they married Aug.

JOHN WILLIAM “BILLY” WELLS, JR.

John William “Billy” Wells, Jr., of Southaven, Mississippi, passed away on Thursday, January 23, 2025, at the age of 54 at Magnolia Hospital in Corinth, MS. Billy was born May 24, 1970, in Mobile, Alabama. Funeral services will be held Saturday, February 1, at Living Water Worship Center, in Tallassee, Alabama, with Pastor Chris Whittington officiating. Visitation will begin at 10:00 am and services will be at 11:00 am. Graveside services will be held at White’s Cemetery in Perdido, Alabama, at 3:30 pm. He is preceded in death by his parents John William Wells, Sr. and Betty Joyce Hadley, and uncle

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

JAN. 26

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

• A domestic incident was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• Harassment was reported on Adams Street.

• A welfare check was conducted on Central Boulevard.

• Burglary was reported on Hillcrest Street.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on South Tallassee Drive.

• Harassment was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Barnett Boulevard. JAN. 25

• Assistance was given to another agency on County Road 30.

• Trespassing was reported on Notasulga Road.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Harassment was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Hillcrest Street.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Seventh Street.

• A welfare check was conducted on Lower River Road.

• Harassment was reported on Jordan Avenue.

funeral service will follow at 2 PM, with burial in Carrville Cemetery. Online condolences may be posted at www.linvillememorial.com.

Linville Funeral Home and Crematory Eclectic, Alabama

17, 1980); her children Lori Ann Johnson Mayton of Prattville and Shane Johnson (Kim) of Tallassee; her cousins Tommy Lee King (Andrea), Richard King (Lisa), Pam Freeman (Shawn); and her great nieces and nephews Drew King (Chelsea), Devan Barnett (Austin), Destin King (Katie), and Dusty King (Jessica); her aunt Rosemary King; her cousins LaWanda Paul Marire of Dothan and her children

Bradley Wells and aunt Roseanne Wells. Billy is survived by his son John Walker Wells, his brothers Aaron (Suzanne) Wells and Robert Charles Hammons, his sisters Emily (Tyler) Hilton and Leigh Hammons (Kenneth) Johnson, his stepmother Ginger Wells, and stepfather Dallas Hadley. Billy will be remembered as a loving father of his only son Walker and as an involved community member in Tallassee, Alabama. Billy coached Tallassee Youth Football League and was always seen on

• A fight was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A suicidal subject was reported on Clover Street.

• A Black male was arrested on Riley Road.

• A welfare check was conducted on Lower Tuskegee Road.

• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Main Street.

• A domestic incident was reported on Benson Avenue.

• Assistance was given during a medical call on Gilmer Avenue and County Road 40.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given during a medical call on Gilmer Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Notasulga Road. JAN. 24

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on West Bantts Mill Road.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Third Avenue.

• A domestic dispute was reported on McNeal Street.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Third Avenue. JAN. 23.

• Unauthorized use of a vehicle was reported on Gen. Colin Powell Street.

Heather McCarthy Burns (Lee) and Stephen McCarthy (Ashleigh), Martha E. Bowen, and Carol Rogers (Alun), Kathy Rozzelle Pittman and son Mitch; and grandson Justin Johnson.

Funeral services were Sunday, January 26, 2025, at 2:00 pm at Liberty City Methodist Church. Rev. Tom Skeen officiated the service, and burial followed in the church cemetery.

baseball and football fields cheering on Walker. He was truly Walker’s biggest fan and was known to travel many miles to see his son play sports. He was a strong supporter of youth league baseball and all of Tallassee Athletics. Most Saturdays in the fall, Billy would be found cheering on the Crimson Tide. The Pallbearers will be Chase Chumley, Brody Wisener, Kaden Peters, Bry Hathcock, Eli Whittington and Carter Sayers In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Tallassee Youth Baseball League, c/o Commissioner Coy Thomas, 244 Nabors Lane, Tallassee, AL 36078.

JAN. 22

• A verbal altercation was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Harassing communications was reported on East Patton Street.

• Assistance was given during a medical call on South Tallasse Drive.

• A welfare check was conducted on Central Boulevard.

• A domestic incident was reported on Fourth Street.

• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Floyd Lane and Cliff Street.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

JAN. 21

• Assistance was given to another agency on Gilmer Avenue.

• Suspicious activity was reported on Notasulga Road.

• A domestic incident was reported on Dusty Road.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Kent Road.

• An assault was reported on Central Boulevard.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on North McKenzie Drive.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Highway 229.

• A motor vehicle accident with injuries was reported on Tallassee Highway.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Friend-

ship Road.

• Animal control was requested on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Barnett Boulevard.

• Animal control was requested on Hanil Drive.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on E.B. Payne Senior Drive.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Lower Tuskegee Road and Barnett Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Gilmer Avenue. JAN. 20

• Trespassing was reported on Potts Drive.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Tallassee Highway.

• Harassment was reported on Baker Hollow.

• An animal welfare check was conducted on Central Boulevard.

• A civil disturbance was reported on Sims Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Friendship Road.

• Debris was reported in the roadway on Gilmer Avenue.

• Theft was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A motor vehicle accident with no injuries was reported on Central Boulevard.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Herd Street. JAN. 19

• Suspicious activity was reported on Alber Drive.

Congress passes Laken Riley Act

By MELODY RATHEL Multimedia Reporter

The Laken Riley Act was passed by Congress following the election of U.S. President Donald Trump. According to the Associated Press, it would be the first bill signed into law by Trump. In the months after University of Georgia student Laken Riley was murdered by an undocumented Venezuelan man, Jose Ibarra, senators

from all over the country pushed for legislation requiring U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement to arrest illegal aliens who commit theft, burglary, larceny or shoplifting offenses and mandating them to be detained until they are removed from the United States to prevent aliens from committing further crimes or reoffending.

On Jan. 7, U.S. Senator Katie Britt (R-Ala.) introduced the Laken Riley Act as her first piece in the 119th Congress. On Jan. 22, the House gave

final approval to the bill after a vote of 263-156, according to an article by Stephen Groves of Associated Press. Riley was last seen on camera footage when going on a run on the UGA campus in Athens, Georgia. She was found dead in a wooded area on UGA’s campus.

Before Riley went for a run, a man was captured on the same trail camera shortly before 8 a.m. The man was

See CONGRESS, Page A3

Humane Society of Elmore County News

New year resolutions for pet owners

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

Since we are not yet at the end of January, we want to wrap up the first month of the year with these new year resolutions for pet owners and ask that you share these with those who might need a reminder of what we owe to our pets.

1. Keep identification on your pet! A collar, current rabies tag and a personalized identification with a good phone number will get your lost pet back to you. Get your pet microchipped by your veterinarian as it is

the perfect back-up to tags. Have photos of your pet just in case.

2. Keep your pet safely contained at home. Fences not only make ‘good neighbors’ but keep your pets safe from cars, guns, getting lost and so much more. Keep cats indoors if at all possible.

3. Take your pet to the vet at least once per year to keep vaccinations current, get your heartworm prevention renewed and have your pet get a general check-up.

4. Spay and neuter your pet. There are just so many health and behavior benefits

for both female and male pets besides how much this will help reduce the overpopulation that results in far too many homeless pets.

5. Feed your dog the best quality food you can and don’t overdo the treats. Tubby pets can develop many health problems and shorten their lives. Treats do not equal love.

6. Take care of your pet’s coat, teeth and nails. Dirty or matted coats cannot effectively protect your pet from the elements, may hide health problems and are uncomfortable for your pet. Long nails can be painful

and can eventually cripple your pet. Bad breath may be because of tooth decay or gum disease and should be checked out by your veterinarian.

7. Keep your yard and litter box clean. Cats have less litter box problems when the box is cleaned regularly to remove waste and picking up feces in the yard frequently can help reduce smell, flies and parasites.

8. Pet proof your home and property. Keep poisons of all kinds out of pet reach, watch out for poisonous plants indoors and outside,

Pet of the Week - Bentley

Bentley is a 3-year-old male possibly retriever type mix who weighs about 70 pounds. He is a handsome fella who is nice as can be, a big goofball and can be a lot of dog at first but does settle down with exercise. He is good with female dogs but we have not yet checked him with male dogs. He was found as a stray and never reclaimed.

The Humane Society of El-

more 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 Cinnamon 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.

Mill/Armory bell tower reconstructed

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The bell may once again ring from the west side mill in Tallassee.

Thanks to a grant from the Alabama Historical Commission, the Talisi Historical Preservation Society has reconstructed the bell tower on the Confederate Armory. It was originally a textile mill constructed in 1844.

According to Virginia Noble Golden’s History of Tallassee, Tallassee Mills co-owner

Thomas Barnett would ride from his Pike Road home every day at 4:30 a.m. to wake Jim Freeman, who rang the “long bell” at 6 a.m every day but Sunday.

SUBMITTED TPI

The bell tower to the west side Tallassee Mill has been reconstucted thanks to a grant from the Alabama Historical Society. It is hoped a bell will once again ring from the tower like it did in 1844.

“This bell aroused the workers who went to work,” Fred Randall Hughey said. The mill was leased to the Confederate Army and 500 of the Tallassee carbines were manufactured there near

dressed similarly to Ibarra in a post he made on Snapchat earlier that morning.

Ibarra was identified as the suspect after his DNA was found under Riley’s fingernails. He was also seen on camera footage on the same trail

the end of the Civil War. Its equipment was shipped to Macon when it was thought the Union Army was on its way to Tallassee to destroy it. After the war, textiles returned and so did the bell

Riley was running on. He was also seen discarding a bloodied jacket and disposable gloves near his apartment shortly after Riley was last seen.

ringing.

“It stopped for a six-month period in 1948 when the bell tower was repaired,” Hughey said.

The bell was removed in the 1950s and replaced with “modern technology.” It currently sits on a sign in Bell Park at Five Points, which is the intersection of Highways 14 and 229.

Hughey said the bell will remain in the park.

“A similar bell has been discovered locally and could possibly be acquired by the (Talisi Historical Preservation Society),” Hughey said. “Hopefully, the sound of the ‘long bell’ will ring out once more in Tallassee from the old mill bell tower.”

According to an article by Danielle Silva of NBC News, prosecutors argued during the trial Ibarra killed Riley after she fought off his attempt to rape her, referring to DNA and other evidence that linked Ibarra to Riley on the day she was murdered. In May 2024, Ibarra pleaded not guilty to charges of malice murder and felony murder in connection with Riley’s death, and waived his right to a jury trial. In November 2024, he was convicted on three counts of felony murder and counts of malice murder, kidnapping with bodily injury, aggravated assault with intent to rape and “peeping tom,” according to Silva’s article.

keep electrical cords out of reach, don’t leave out strings or ribbons for a cat to swallow and make sure there is no antifreeze leaking from older vehicles.

9. Learn about your pet and its breed traits so you can better understand what motivates your pet. Do homework on a breed or pet before bringing a new one home.

10. Spend time inter-

acting with your pet. Our pets are social animals that thrive on human attention. Teach your pet manners so it is pleasant for others to be around. Our pets love us unconditionally; love them back with all your heart and take care of them the best you can.

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

CLIFF WILLIAMS

R.I.P Winter Storm, for now

The winter storm is now gone and it feels like I’m attending a

of sorts. It appears some are in mourning.

Gone are the around-the-clock updates of temperatures and precipitation. Gone are the images of reporters playing in the falling snow. Gone are the images of empty shelves where bread and milk once were.

As a kid I lived for days like we recently experienced. With even the slightest bit of snow, school was out for most of the week. In the winter storm of 1983, there was snow to be played in. The ice was pretty — until it pulled down the power lines. I remember helping my dad fix the busted pipes.

Then there was the Blizzard of ’93; there may have even been two that year. I played in the snow in one, but in the other, I froze on the sidelines of an Auburn football game in Arkansas.

Then I got into my reporting days; the last decade or so has seen several stranded on the roads of north Alabama and Georgia. I was a reporter and photographer documenting the scenes for all to see — possibly adding to the rush at area stores around the bread and milk.

This time around, I definitely contributed to the madness, purchasing an extra loaf or two — and an extra gallon too.

But now, as the storm has passed, I can hear birds chirping outside my window as if they are providing the prelude for a funeral. Maybe like a preacher, they are speaking good words about the winter storm.

Left behind are countless cardboard boxes, many of which never saw a snow slope.

Left behind is sand on many of the bridges and some salt residue on my car.

Left behind are meteorologists, reporters and

See WINTER, Page A6

When I was growing up, we didn’t have a lot of affection.

We weren’t big on saying “I love you,” and hugs were few and far between.

That’s not to say there’s anything wrong with the way I grew up; it’s just to say we weren’t big on the touchy, feely stuff. But living in the South, all that has changed.

Now, it’s normal to hug everyone in sight — and more importantly, to say “I love you.”

That’s what this column is all about: Quite simply put, let’s normalize saying I love you more often.

There’s people you just don’t say I love you to, even when you do. Coworkers are one example. I certainly love my boss, Tippy Hunter, but do I tell her I love her? No, because that would be weird.

I love my staff; that’s for certain. But is it crossing a line to say that? I only told former sports editor Henry Zimmer I loved him on the day he left TPI.

It’s also weird to say I love you

In this family, we say ‘Bye, I love you’

LIZI GWIN Managing Editor

to people while they’re working. For instance, it would be odd to say, “I love you!” as you walked out the door of your hair salon — but that’s certainly someone you might feel a connection to.

I recently had a source who is also a friend say, “Love you Liz,” at the end of a conversation and of course I said it back. It was a little weird but only because it’s not the normal. I do love him, and why should it be weird to say that?

It doesn’t change how I wrote the story, that’s for sure. And it wouldn’t change how someone did your hair, so why not say it if you feel it? There are all types of love, to be sure. Of course the love you feel for your spouse is not the same love

you feel for your parents, but it’s still love. And that’s why the connection you feel with coworkers or even everyday acquaintances is a form of love too. It should be expressed. My family-in-law is much different than the one I experienced growing up. We are full of affection and really enjoy spending time together. And we always end the conversation one way: “Bye, I love you.” Ever since my brother Dylan died, that saying became even more important. See, we say it in that order for a reason: Just in case anything ever happens to one of us, “I love you” will always be the last words we said to each other. It can’t be, “Love you, bye.” That’s unacceptable. Instead it’s “Bye, I love you.”

Always. Let’s normalize saying, “I love you,” even if it’s a little weird at first.

Lizi Arbogast Gwin is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.

ive from New York,” the excellent book by television critic Tom Shales, details the history of SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE, in the midst of its 50th anniversary celebration.

The book is filled with first-person accounts of what happened and to whom. Although the juicy backstage happenings are interesting, the really fascinating part is the opening chapter, which describes the year prior to the program’s launch.

From the perspective of today’s crowded television dial – make that your TV’s overstuffed Netflix, Prime, Hulu or Peacock queue – it’s hard to imagine the three-network universe into which SNL was born 50 years ago. Late night was the province of one giant entertainer: Johnny Carson. Carson was so popular, NBC scheduled repeats and best-of-TONIGHT SHOW compilations on Saturdays after the late news.

Lorne Michaels, the Canadian comedy writer who cut his satiric teeth as a staff member on ROWAN & MARTIN’S LAUGH-IN, was in the mood to create something new: a program that spoke to the current generation weaned on rock ‘n’ roll and television, using the language in vogue on college campuses and among young adults.

Michaels fought hard with the network, as they did not wish to sacrifice a night of Carson for anyone – certainly not a cocky, profane crew of misfit comics. Carson himself was skeptical. But Michaels persevered, and through his friend network of entertainment legends, Michaels convinced the NBC brass to give his newfangled variety show a chance.

SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE premiered on October 11, 1975, with guest host George Carlin and musical guests Billy Preston and Janis Ian. The first episode contained sketches, short films, the Muppets, and standup comedy. While that first show bears little resemblance to what is seen today, it laid the foundation and instantly made stars out of the Not

Ready for Prime Time Players. That first golden era, featuring John Belushi, Jane Curtin, Dan Aykroyd, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Gilda Radner, and Chevy Chase (later Bill Murray) set the template for what was to come. The writers and producers had the long view in mind from the beginning, with a plan to change the comedy world.

The performers who have come and gone since then read like a Who’s Who in comedy. Will Ferrell, Eddie Murphy, Maya Rudolph, Tracy Morgan, Mike Myers, Dana Carvey, Kristen Wiig, Phil Hartman, Molly Shannon, Jason Sudeikis, Adam Sandler, Kate McKinnon, Chris Rock, Amy Poehler, Chris Farley, Tina Fey, Bill Hader, Billy Crystal, Al Franken, Martin Short, Dennis Miller, and about 150 others invented a whole hipster scene built around comedians – a scene once reserved for the rock and rollers these same people idolized.

NBC is celebrating the golden anniversary of this landmark variety show in several ways. On social media, one sketch from every season is being posted each day: “50 Seasons in 50 Days.” On Peacock, a four-part behind-the-scenes documentary series called “Beyond Saturday Night” is currently streaming. On January 27, a film directed by TONIGHT SHOW bandleader Questlove, “Ladies and Gentlemen . . . 50 Years of SNL Music,” will celebrate the untold stories behind the culture-defining, groundbreaking, and news-making musical performances on the show over the last 50 years. The big one is coming up on February 16. NBC’s entire prime time

that night is dedicated to a celebration of all things SNL. It is not yet known if the program will be hosted by a member of the frequent host “Five-Timers Club” like Steve Martin, Tom Hanks, Paul Rudd, John Mulaney, or others – or, not hosted at all. One thing is guaranteed, however: the program will be the talk of the entertainment world the next day, just as SNL has been for almost 50 years.

For a show set on being anti-establishment, they quickly became part of it after their successful launch. NBC eventually grew to support its show. And now, the network is so obviously dependent on this weekend cash cow and its creator, it’s as if SNL has become its own untouchable Johnny Carson. Every generation gets to have its own version of SNL. There are people who say the show was its best in the first five years; others point to the second golden era of the late 1980s/ early 1990s; still others contend that today’s version is the best variation thus far. It would seem that there has been something to love (or something to hate) with each cast, each season, each episode. The fact that a movie was made this year about the founding of the program should signal just how important and impactful SNL is to the comedy world.

Lorne Michaels has been behind the scenes of so many NBC successes: 30 ROCK, LATE NIGHT WITH SETH MEYERS, and of course the most successful show on NBC today, THE TONIGHT SHOW STARRING JIMMY FALLON. All of these programs are broadcast from New York City; Michaels has almost singlehandedly revitalized the NBC headquarters through the triumph of his little Saturday night variety show. Here’s to 50 more years.

Michael Bird is a music teacher at Faulkner University, and has seen nearly every episode of “Saturday Night Live.” If you would like to watch them all, every episode is streaming on Peacock.

More courtrooms, offices needed

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Judge Patrick Pinkston has seen every courtroom in Elmore County as an attorney and judge. He also sees the need to add courtrooms and administrative space in Elmore County.

Pinkston is now the presiding circuit court judge of the 19th Judicial Circuit that includes Elmore, Autauga and Chilton counties. He was on the bench for more than a decade as an Elmore County district judge. He got his start as an attorney in 1989 in the courtroom of the Elmore County Historic Courthouse.

“I tried my first jury trial in this courtroom,” Pinkston said. “I was present 30 years ago when we moved over to our now existing judicial complex. I am keenly familiar with the dynamics of our circuit consisting of those three counties.”

Like others at the time, no one predicted the exponential growth Elmore County has experienced since 1995 to now, during which time the population has almost doubled.

“We just didn’t see it coming so fast,” Pinkston said.

Pinkston is the seventh generation of his family to live in Elmore County, and he too would pay any new fees or assessments to create a new jail and renovate the judicial complex.

“We aren’t going anywhere,” Pinkston said. “This is our home. This is where we plan to be.”

Just like the population, the case load of the various courts has grown dramatically.

The Alabama legislature has approved two new circuit court judges for the 19th Judicial Circuit and space is needed not

only for two new judges but for the current cases.

“Calendaring in order to accommodate the judges who simply must have courtroom space is currently beyond challenging,” Pinkston said. “That challenge is only going to become further complicated when Judge Dee Dee Calhoun takes office next week. Courtroom availability will be almost chaotic when the fifth full-time circuit judge takes place in January 2027.”

Although the vast majority of cases in the three-county circuit are tried in Elmore County, it was Chilton County that recently broke ground on a new judicial complex to accommodate its growing court system.

“Elmore County bar none is the busiest circuit court in the circuit,” Pinkston said.

“It’s the busiest courthouse. It has more judges. It has more cases, more traffic, more is going on here.”

In fact, the circuit is one of the top three busiest in the state.

To aid in the backlog of cases, it is not uncommon currently for the judicial center’s law library and the grand jury room in the district attorney’s office to be used.

New Elmore County District Court Judge Ben Baxley even scheduled the courtroom in the historic courthouse because space was needed due to the number of parties involved in a child custody case.

“It poses a lot of logistical problems because we have to have the sheriff’s office who provides security,” Baxley said. “My staff has to come over and set up court here. The parties have to come here as well.”

Baxley deals primarily in juvenile cases where it is not uncommon to have both parents, grandparents and even other fam-

ily joining prosecutors and the Alabama Department of Human Resources as parties.

“Five or six parties cannot fit well in a law library or conference room unless we forget court proceedings,” Baxley said. “By their very nature they are adversarial. You don’t want to have folks in that close of a proximity.”

Space isn’t the only issue plaguing the judicial complex either.

“I’m hopeful that in whatever plan comes about and whatever construction comes about, that technology issues will be addressed as well,” Baxley said.

Enhance Elmore proposes increasing court costs by $100 and booking fees to $100 for those arrested with automatic increases. Much of those fees would go towards a new jail, sheriff’s office and circuit clerk office. The current judicial center would receive a $6.4 million renovation to make the space more usable for the current case load and to accommodate for growth. The Elmore County Circuit Clerk would join the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office in a new $14.2 million building next door. A new Elmore County Jail would be built in a current parking lot to accommodate 480 inmates plus have the ability to reach 600 inmates. The current jail was built for 242 inmates but regularly houses more than 300.

“After consultation with my fellow judges, the county’s plan appears to us to be both adequate and prudent,” Pinkston said. “If implemented, the expanded judicial complex should adequately accommodate the judiciary for the foreseeable future, perhaps an additional 30 years, if not more.”

Enhance Elmore proposed fees to aid fire departments

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Fighting fires costs a lot of money — and those costs just keep increasing. From equipment to transportation, necessary fees for fire departments have steadily increased over the last couple of decades.

The protective turnout gear for firefighters cost $2,500 in 2005; today, it costs $4,500.

The breathing backpacks went from $5,000 to $9,000.

Fire trucks have also gotten more expensive. According to Elmore County Firefighter’s Association president and Millbrook fire chief Larry Cooper, the vehicles were $230,000 in 2005. The most recent truck purchased was just under triple that amount.

“The last we bought in 2021 was $650,000,” Cooper

said. “They are more expensive now and the wait time is about two years.”

Calls have increased as well. In 2005, the department received about 1,500 calls.

Last year, that number doubled to more than 3,000 calls.

Since 2005 the fees collected for fire protection in Elmore County have remained the same — $50 per property parcel with a home or business.

“But each year your insurance rates have gone down

since the implementation of this,” Brown said. “Every department has worked hard to lower the (Insurance Services Office) rating. With that, insurance rates go down.”

Under the proposed Enhance Elmore plan, part of the increased fees and assessments would go to fire departments. According to Elmore County Commission chair Bart Mercer, the increase would be about double and would also help with EMS response. Since 2009 requests for EMS have doubled as well.

Property owners would pay $25 per land only parcel, $150 per residential parcel and $300 per commercial parcel.

“We have never collected on land only,” Mercer said. “Yet we have an increase in calls for grass and wildfires on those types of properties.”

Enhance Elmore would cost average family

$200 per year

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Enhance Elmore proposes improvements and extra funding for the Elmore County Jail, courts, infrastructure, workforce development, economic development and first responders.

The plan is a response to unprecedented growth in Elmore County over the last two decades.

“The last time funds were sought for a new county jail, no one saw this kind of growth,” Elmore County Commission chair Bart Mercer said.

Since 1995, Elmore County’s population has grown from 55,000 to more than 90,000. The growth has caused issues with road maintenance, jail space and court rooms.

“We have people living in new homes where we didn’t think anybody would live,” Mercer said.

The Elmore County Commission and county leaders have introduced Enhance Elmore to address many of the issues related to growth.

Funding is needed for Enhance Elmore and the plan is for everyone in Elmore County to share in its costs.

“It would cost the average home owner with two vehicles about $200 per year,” Mercer said.

Some say the county has misspent funds on quality of life projects across the county. But those plans were well in play almost eight years before new courtrooms were needed because of new judges allotted by the Alabama legislature.

“Elmore County families and children have historically not had adequate recreational and sports facilities and the increase in population dictated a need to provide for the needed facilities,” Mercer said. “Investing in our families and children is the best way to ensure a long term stable economy and community.”

The leveled lodging tax in Elmore County provides about $1.6 million annually. It is far short of the $6.5 million needed to service a proposed $100 million debt service to fund a new Elmore County Jail.

Rather than seek an ad valorem increase, Enhance Elmore has the county commission requesting the Alabama legislature to grant it the authority to levy five measures through local legislation and requesting two measures be considered as local constitutional amendments by the voters of Elmore County.

The county commission is currently advertising local legislation to get the local bills in this year’s legislative session.

The five local legislation measures being proposed are a levelized countywide sales tax of 9.5%. Mercer the total tax collected would not exceed 9.5% unless municipalities wanted to collect more. If the combined sales tax was less than that, 9.5% would be collected with the lion’s share going to the county. It is a similar process as the county’s current levelized lodging tax that funds quality of life projects.

The county is also seeking a $25 assessment on vehicle and boat tags with a $1 per year increase.

Assessed court fees and booking fees for the Elmore County Jail would be $100 with a $5 per year increase. There would also be a levelized 9.5% rental tax. Legislation also seeks two local constitutional amendments to be considered by the voters of Elmore County.

The first is property assessment with $25 per year for land only parcels, $150 per year on residential parcels and $300 per year on commercial parcels. The fees would increase by $1 per year.

The second is a tobacco and vape tax of 4.5% across the county.

The collected funds would then be split amongst several projects. The levelized sales tax and rental tax would both be split with 90% going to infrastructure and 10% to economic development. The tag fees would be split 95-5.

Court costs would solely fund public safety improvements, while fees on tobacco and vape would be split with 70% to public safety and health and 30% to fire services.

All of the fees for property assessment on land only would be utilized for fire services, while 85% of residential and commercial fees will go toward public safety and health.

“We feel like this is equitable with everyone paying their share,” Mercer said. “These would all be reported yearly through an accountability report.”

If the Alabama legislature approves the local bills, the commission could act on many of the assessments before fall. The two measures for tobacco and vape require a public referendum and would be dependent upon setting a special election.

County to get property from ADOC

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

A parcel of property near Tutwiler Prison and the Elmore County Humane Society will soon belong to Elmore County and the City of Wetumpka The Elmore County Commission authorized the transfer of the property from the Alabama Department of Corrections to the county at its Monday meeting.

“It adjoins the current humane society property,”

Elmore County chief engineer Luke McGinty said. “It will allow some things there in the future. It will also allow the possibility of a solid waste transfer station at some point.”

McGinty said the property also adjoins the city’s old land fill and could be used for temporary disposal of debris in future storms.

There are no current plans for how to use the property going forward.

In other business, the commission honored David Brunson who is retiring from the

county after 17 years in the Elmore County EMA office.

EMA director Keith Barnett said Brunson started working for the county when EMA was located in the historic courthouse. In Brunson’s time, he started the CERT program and facilitated HAM radio operations during storm events. He also saw the construction of a new EMA office in a building with E911 administrative offices and E911 dispatch.

In addition to his role with EMA, Brunson serves as a volunteer firefighter in Santuck.

Following his retirement, Brunson plans to move to Mobile to be closer to family. Stanhope Elmore High School FBLA students attended the meeting as well. The students presented information to the commission about the different aspects of the career tech student organization. The students told the commission Feb. 9 to 12 is national FBLA week.

IN OTHER ACTION THE ELMORE COUNTY COMMISSION:

• Approved minutes of the Jan. 13 meeting.

• Approved a resolution declaring January as Human Trafficking Awareness and Prevention Month.

• Approved the memorandum of warrants for Jan. 4 to Jan. 17 in the amount of $5,377,505.03,

• Authorized a three-year lease for copiers for the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office from state contract.

• Set a public hearing for 5 p.m. March 10 for the vacation of a portion of Maverick Circle.

The next meeting of the Elmore County Commission is scheduled for 5 p.m. Monday, Feb. 10.

photographers like me remembering our friend the

RES

Continued from A1

ward

fair

winter storm of 2025. Like pallbearers, we are carrying it out the door one last time. Based on Google analytics and social media, it seems the storm had some

a lot of work into making learning fun, she didn’t expect to receive Teacher of the Year.

“I was honored and humbled that my colleagues felt that way about me,” Sheppard said.

SUPPORT STAFF OF THE YEAR

Jadie Hood, instructional assistant and special education paraprofessional, has been at RES for the past five years. Hood was a stay-at-home mom when God opened a door for her to work at the school.

“A week before my youngest started to go into kindergarten I got a phone call from the school that said, ‘Hey we need a position filled and we would love to

have you here,’” Hood said. “I have been here ever since and I love it.”

Hood said one of the most rewarding parts of her job is seeing the students make accomplishments, especially since most of the students she works with have different challenges compared to the average student. Advocating for her students, Hood also helped spearhead the new playground for RES this

TALLASSEE

Continued from A1

it will return someday. But as I now look at my kitchen counter and refrigerator I need help. What can I do with extra milk and two loaves of bread?

year that would allow more independent play for special education students.

Hood said another great thing about this school is all the kids are very welcoming. They also seem to understand some students have different needs and jump in to help whenever.

As a paraprofessional, Hood is in and out of classrooms across the school and gets to see all the different teachers and students.

What makes this season’s triumph even more unique is Tallassee’s level of competition.

“We’ve had some amazing teams, but they’ve done something that no team before has done as far as going undefeated,” Mask said. “Going to the beach, we’ve wrestled teams from six different states. So they’ve not wrestled just people around here or just small divisions. I’m giving all the credit to the kids. They really buy in and work hard.”

Despite Mask coaching several state

Cliff Williams is the news editor of Tallapoosa Publishers Inc.’s Elmore County newspapers. He can be reached at cliff.williams@thewetumpkaherald. com.

Hood’s first year at RES she was put into Sheppard’s classroom to help a student and she got to see first-hand how amazing of a teacher she is. So she feels especially honored to be alongside Sheppard with this award.

“I was really surprised; I had no idea whatsoever,” Hood said.

“It’s really nice to be recognized this way, but I don’t do it for the recognition, I do it because I love my job.”

champions, he said the success for the team as a whole is unprecedented.

“We’ve never had a team go undefeated, so to me, they’re going to go down as the greatest team in history,”

Mask said. “If they keep working, then there is no limit, but people don’t realize that comes with hard work.”

The way in which Tallassee defeated its last two opponents was nothing short of incredible. The Tigers beat St. Johns Paul 2 and Oak Grove by a combined score of 142-27.

“I simply cannot express how proud I am of this team and how hard they have worked to get here today,” Mask said.

“We put our best best matches together today, and every single wrestler had a piece put into this championship.”

Planning for the unplanned

t the beginning of a New Year we often make plans. We make plans to lose weight, to improve our relationships, to grow closer to God, or to take our business to the next level. While it is good and proper to make plans, we must realize that we are the not the “only participants” in our plans. We must remember Proverbs 16: 9 which tells us that “A person’s heart plans his way, but the Lord determines his steps.” We must allow for God’s Providence (meaning, God’s actions and God’s own plans) to intervene and, even, to stop our plans. We can make plans, but we must make room for God to override our plans, even if they seem like good (and even Godly) plans. We must be flexible with our plans because life doesn’t always go as planned. While there are many things we can control, there are also many

BILLY REINHARDT Pastor

things in life that we cannot control. We cannot control other people, we cannot control the weather, we cannot always control health issues, we cannot control war that happens on the other end of the world, we cannot control the stock market, and we certainly cannot control God. Making plans is good and recommended in the Bible, but we must also make room for God to redirect our plans. We must keep the unplanned in our plans because God, sometimes, has more in store for us than we can see (i.e., better plans).

I have a list of questions that I have used for many

years around the beginning of a New Year to help me think about which areas of my life need growth and change. While I run through these questions every year, I’ve kept one year up within my view every day (and it is in my office, stuck by tape on a monitor I don’t use). I went through these questions and extensively filled out the sheet and made all sorts of detailed plans for that particular year. The date on those questions is December 18th, 2019. Does anyone remember what happened just a few months later in 2020? The COVID pandemic! Many of the plans I had for 2020 did not turn out the way I thought they would look for 2020! What’s ironic about it is that some of those plans did get accomplished, they were just accomplished in a completely different way than I thought they would because of the pandemic.

Tallassee Churches

And, of course, there were other plans that were halted altogether. But I don’t keep that sheet up as a reminder of what I got done in 2020; I keep that sheet as a reminder to me that I am not in control and that my plans can be fulfilled in other ways that are not in my plans. Think about 2020 for yourself, and the year of the pandemic. What didn’t go as planned for you that year? What unexpectedly did go as planned for you that year? How did that year change you for the good (and for the bad)? Billions of people’s plans were altered that year. We learned in 2020 (and in other times of our lives) that we must hold our plans loosely, even while striving to fulfill those plans. God is ultimately in charge, not us, but that still doesn’t mean that we throw our life to the wind and don’t plan or think about the direction our

lives are headed. Even Jesus himself said that a man was foolish who began to build a tower, but then ran out of money before he could finish it because he did not plan well enough (from Luke 14:28-30). Proverbs 21:5 confirms diligent planning: “The plans of the diligent certainly lead to advantage, but everyone who is in a hurry certainly comes to poverty” (NASB). However, we must remember to make room for God’s plans, and we must make room for the unplanned within our plans, otherwise, we plan poorly.

Billy Reinhardt is the pastor of Riverside Heights Baptist church in Tallassee, AL. He lives in Tallassee, AL with his wife, Jessica, and their four children. He blogs at www.billyreinhardt.com where he writes articles on matters of faith, family, and culture.

Austin Elliott sports Editor austin.elliott@tallasseetribune.com

Thornton commits to Chattahoochee Valley

By AUSTIN ELLIOTT Sports Editor

Tallassee’s Rowen Thornton has dreamt of playing college basketball ever since he picked up a ball as a youngster.

He recently fulfilled that dream by committing to play at Chattahoochee Valley Community College. It was ultimately his AAU experience that helped lift him to the next level as several college coaches watched him play over the summer.

“What really made me want to

go to Chat Valley (in Phenix City) was that it’s the closest from home, obviously, so I’ll be able to come back on weekends, and the fact that the coaches were the most loyal throughout the process,” Thornton said. “Coach (Morris) Scott would call me every day, text me every day. They’re still texting now; they’ve come to a bunch of games, and that’s really what made it easy.”

Not only did AAU help secure a college offer, it also helped Thornton develop as a player, he said.

“It’s a lot different from high school, because there’s a lot more

talent on the circuit,” Thornton said. “I played on the Puma circuit for only two weeks, but the first game I went out there, I’m playing against a 7-footer. It’s a lot different with recruiting. They’re trying to get you to come out there and get coaches involved with you during the whole process.”

Thornton is currently the leading scorer for Tallassee this season with a 23.0 points-per-game average.

“Rowen has been able to develop his entire game, especially as a shooter,” Mixson said. “ If he was just a good set shooter then we

www.TallasseeTribune.com

wouldn’t be having this conversation, but I have taught him to be able to do a lot of things and he has always tried to perfect it.”

Mixson has seen Thornton fall in love with the process of getting better and putting in the work to grow as a player.

TIGERS’ PINFALL PROWESS PROPELS THEM TO STATE TITLE

By AUSTIN ELLIOTT Sports Editor

No doubt was left on the mat, that’s for sure. Tallassee reigned supreme and did so in convincing fashion at the AHSAA Class 1A-4A Duals Championships on Saturday.

Not only did the Tigers defeat St. John Paul 2, 63-16, and Oak Grove, 69-11, to earn the state championship, but they also had 15 combined pins. . Thomas Patterson (108 pounds), Mason Nelson (115), Aiden Bridgman (134), Land Bell (159), Tra’mel McCoy (167), Zach Crosthwait (192), and Nolan Addeo (217) all won

with pinfall in the semifinal against St. John Paul 2. Nelson, Bridgman, Crosthwait, and Addeo also scored pins in the state championship, finishing a perfect 2-for-2 on the day. One of the most impressive displays of wrestling on the day was the first match of the state championship between Tallassee heavyweight Jude Rogers and Oak Grove’s Knox Wilson. Rogers and Wilson went toe to toe for the better part of the six-minute match. It wasn’t until the final moments of the third period when Rogers made a sudden strike to Wilson’s left leg, ultimately pinning both

shoulders on the mat.

The match was a thrilling tone setter for what was to come for the rest of the match.

On the lighter side of the things, Nelson was on fire at 115 pounds, pinning St. John Paul 2’s Sam Kostrzewan at 1:30 and Oak Grove’s Christian Hill at 2:47.

Another dominating day came for Crosthwait, who pinned his semifinal opponent in a mere 16 seconds. But it was Crosthwait who secured the ultimate winner for the Tigers. He pinned Jackson Bonnett of Oak Grove in the final bout of the day to help secure the victory for his team.

“It’s no coincidence that he’s signed a scholarship, because he’s a gym rat,” Mixson said. “He just has lived in the gym and put the work in. When you do that, you can’t help but to get better.”

Progress remains the focus for Tallassee girls

By AUSTIN ELLIOTT Sports Editor

basketball

Tallassee has been through many ups and downs this season, and Monday night was another one of the downs as the Tigers fell to Booker T. Washington, 47-20.

Although this season has been geared towards growth and development for coach Alfonzo Johnson’s squad, there have still been noteworthy performances. London O’Neal has shown major progression in her game as a forward and has become an offensive threat for the Tigers. O’Neal finished Monday night’s game with 10 rebounds and eight points.

“We have progressed a lot over the season but we have still got to improve at limiting the mistakes that are easy for us to control,” Johnson said.

“Most of the time, we are in the right spots or ready to run the right scheme, but we find a way to get in the way of ourselves and we have to figure out how to be better basketball players in a general sense.”

The Tigers displayed their progression on Monday night against a very talented BTW team. With Cheyann Easterling out, Tallassee was short one of their best defenders, ultimately harming the Tigers

against a strong Golden Eagles offense.

But the Tigers did display their physicality. The combination of forwards Reese Gough and O’Neal on the floor together is steadily proving to be an effective gameplan for Johnson. Both O’Neal and Gough are 5-foot-11 and athletic, making them very effective at the rim.

O’Neal is becoming a legitimate scoring threat for the Tigers and Gough is developing well as a defender or protector of the rim.

Tallassee has also seen great guard play all season long from Jhakia Anderson, who is one of the few seniors on the team. With much youth on the roster, Anderson has stepped into a leadership role on the floor for the Tigers while also serving as a threat on the offensive end of the floor.

“I think the biggest thing we’ve got to figure out is how to get all of our basketball players to play together,” Johnson said. “If we can get all of them to just play together and play good one time together, fine, but right now, it’s just a matter of one person has a big game, one person has a bad game. We just have to continue to stay focused.”

Mixson maintaining hope during Tigers development

By AUSTIN ELLIOTT Sports Editor

The Tallassee boys basketball team went on the road to battle the Golden Eagles of Booker T. Washington on Monday night in a game that was never close for the Tigers. BTW ultimately won, 81-40.

“It’s hard to know what to say,” Tallassee coach Keiven Mixson said. “We’re just out, and Booker T. Washington is a really good team. Our area is tough, and it’s the same old story for us. We’re undersized, but we got to keep

playing hard, and it’s hard at this point to keep the guys motivated.”

The Tigers were sitting at a 2-13 record going into the matchup against BTW on Monday night.

One of the bright spots for the Tigers (2-14) is the stellar leadership and play from senior, Rowen Thornton. Thornton has been a steady player all season for Tallassee. Mainly producing in the scoring category, Thornton has been averaging right at 20 points per game. He finished his game against the Golden Eagles with 15 points and is three shy of 1,000

career points. Mixson is still very adamant about his team’s ability. Looking ahead, the Tigers will still have their shot at making some noise in the area tournament following their final three regular season games this week.

“You learn a lot of lessons when you’re down to these kinds of games to build character,” Mixson said. “We will let them grow, and keep preaching, ‘This is life right now.’ This is just a game, so we’re going through a valley now and we just have to fight through it.”

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Public Notices

10) GC to visit site and verify Location and site work.

11) All permits and fees will be included in the GC bid proposal.

12) GC shall purchase and maintain $5,000,000.00 of liability insurance. GC shall carry workers comp. on all employees. GC shall maintain a builder’s risk insurance policy for the amount of the bid proposal.

13) Install Floor drains in shop bays. Floor drains must be Traf-

14) Finish out 1000SF of condiurinal, and water closet. Furnish drawing for owners’ approval before construction.

15) Provide 400-amp electrical service for buildings with LED lighting and convenience 110 plugs. All electrical and lighting must be by code and in metal Conduit.

light on 6 poles. One on each pole

light on each side of the building. Provide One 48-inch box exhaust fan. Minimum of 18000 CFM. Provide one 52” wall mounted gravity damper double panel shutter with pull chain. 16) Provide approved Septic System 17) Provide 1280 LF of fencing for 4 acres, 6’ tall commercial chain-link with razor wire above, and 2-12’x 12’ gates. One 20’ automatic rolling gate with keypad entry. 18) Provide 1500 sf of 6” concrete outside paving. Owner to decide location. 19) Provide a 40’ x 108’ x 12’ pole barn with metal trusses and wood 2x6 purlins. 12’ on center trusses. 1’6” overhang on all sides. Treated 6”x6” post. Post shall be 4’ in ground and provide 240 lbs. of concrete in each hole. 26-gauge PBR sheets shall be full length of approx. 23’ and require a continuous run of at least 3/8” tape caulk between panels. No laps in the roof are allowed. required pre-formed ridge. Each preformed ridge roof lap must have a continuous run of at least 3/8” tape caulk between panels. Provide 4” of 1 ½” crushed stone underneath roof line of pole barn.

20) Provide in your bid

$50,000.00 Contingency Mon-

ey for the owner’s furnishings, equipment, etc. to be determined after the project begins. -

al calculations prepared and signed by a Professional Engineer, registered to practice in the State where building is to be erected, verifying that building design meets indicated loading requirements and codes of authorities having jurisdiction. Calculations shall clearly show all the loads used for the design of each member. All column reactions at the foundation shall be foundation design.

-

tions: Provide pre-engineered metal buildings as produced by a manufacturer with not less than 5 years’ successful experience in the fabrication of pre-engineered metal buildings of the type and quality required. The manufacturer will be a member of the MBMA.

Public Notices

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PUBLIC NOTICE

BID FOR TALLASSEE CITY SHOP

All bidders bidding in amounts exceeding that established by the State Licensing Board for General Contractors must be licensed under the provisions of Title 34, Chapter 8, Code of Alabama, 1975 and must show evidence of license before bidding or bid will not be received or considered. All bidders shall show such evidence by clearly displaying their current license number on the outside of the sealed envelope in which the proposal is delivered. The project shall be bid as tax exempt construction. Bid opening February 5, 2025 at 10AM in the Council Chambers at City Hall Scope of Work: GC to provide the following: 1) 60’ X 110’ X 16’ Pre-engineered metal building with a 2/12 roof slope. 60’ clear span. Gutters and Downspouts. No interior columns allowed.

2) Concrete Foundations & Structural design shall be done by a licensed structural engineer and submitted to the owner before construction begins.

6” concrete slab with welded wire mesh.

3) 6” roof Insulation and 4” wall insulation

4) GC to provide Concrete foundation, Building and all building components described in these specs.

5) GC to provide all labor and materials associated with the Erection of Building.

6) Anchor bolts must be a minimum of 18” and placed in the concrete foundation at the placing of the concrete. No wedge anchors or epoxy of any kind will be acceptable after concrete has been poured. 7) Designed for IBC 2021 8) 3 lb. collateral load. 9) Provide Two 16’x14’ commercial

Pre-engineered building shall not less than 5 years’ successful experience in the erection of pre-engineered buildings like those required for this project, and that has been licensed by the manufacturer of the building system.

Manufacturer: The following manufacturers’ have been approved.

ACI Building Systems

American Buildings Company

Butler Buildings Company

Inland Building Systems STRUCTURAL FRAMING:

Rigid Frames shall be fabricated from hot-rolled structural steel. Provide built-up.

“I-beam” shaped rigid frames consisting of either tapered orpered columns. Provide frames factory welded and shop painted. Furnish frames complete with attachment plates, bearing plates and splice members. Factory drill frames for bolted

1. Provide length of span and spacing of frames.

2. Provide a Wind Portal frame and columns.tal and adjustable wind bracing at roof only using diagonal cables or threaded steel rods; comply with requirements of ASTM A36 or A572, Grade D. Secondary Framing: Registered Professional Engineer for the Pre-Engineered Building shall be responsible for the design of the roof structure to support the framing to meet all state, federal and local code restrictions and structural requirements set forth by the structural engineer. It shall be the responsibility of the Pre-Engineered Building manufacturer to coordinate with the Bidding Contractor the amount of erection required for the framing before bidding. Provide not less than 16-ga. and 8” wide shop painted rolled formed sections for the following secondary framing members unless shown otherwise on structural contract drawings.

1. Purlins.

2. Eave struts. 3. End wall rafters. 4. Flange bracing. 5. Sag bracing. Provide ASTM F1554 bolts, at secondary structural connections. Provide zinc-plated or cadmium-plated bolts when structural framing components

primary and secondary framing members.

Fasteners: Provide self tapping screws, bolts, nuts, self-locking rivets, self-locking bolts, end-welded studs, and other suitable fasteners as standard with the manufacturer, designed to withstand design loads. Provide metal-backed neoprene washers under heads of fasteners bearing on weather side of panels. Provide long- life screws in roof panels. Use aluminum or stainless-steel fasteners for exterior applications and galvanized or cadmium plated fasteners for interior applications. Locate and space fastenings in true vertical and horizontal alignment. Use proper type fastening tools to obtain controlled uniform compression for positive seal without rupture of neoprene washer.

Gutters And Rake Trim: Proformed stiffeners or ribbed allowed. Form gutters and Rake in sections not less than 8 feet in length, complete with end pieces, outlet tubes and other special pieces as may be required. Join sections with riveted and soldered or sealed joints. Provide expansion-type slip joint at center of runs. Furnished gutter supports spaced at 36” o.c., constructed of the same metal as gutters.

Downspouts:

Form downspouts in sections approximately 16 feet long, complete with elbows and offsets. Join sections with not less than 1-1/2” telescoping joints. Provide fasteners, designed to securely hold downspouts not less than 1” away from walls; locate fasteners at top and bottom and at approximately 5 feet on center in between.

ROOFING AND Walls: side lap joints so that prevailing winds blow over, not into,ed sheets one full rib corruga-

PANTHERS CELEBRATE SENIOR NIGHT WITH CONVINCING WIN

By AUSTIN ELLIOTT Sports Editor

Three might seem like a small number.

But when it comes to Elmore County’s boys basketball team, it was exactly the right number for the senior crew. Jaden Eason, Austin Davis and Drew Knighton make up the senior class for the Panthers, and their talents were all on display Friday in a Senior Night victory over Gaylesville, 66-30.

“This senior group is special to us because we got to coach them since they were in seventh grade,” Elmore County coach Nathan Taylor said. “To see them grow up and not only become better basketball players and leaders for our team and our

program, but just seeing how they’ve grown as individuals is everything for us as coaches.”

Taylor and assistant coach

Will Venable have been with this group of seniors since they were in middle school. They’ve seen all the hard work their seniors have put in and look forward to that carrying into the next level.

“Two of these guys are going on to play college athletics, which is huge, and it’s great to have them as a part of our program,” Venable said. “It’s just been really fun to see them grow this year. Last year, we didn’t have a ton of success as a basketball program, and everybody kind of counted this group out, so we are in awe of their resilience and determination.”

On Senior Night, Eason led the scoring department with 14 points while Davis contributed 11 rebounds. Knighton displayed a physical performance, continuing to shoot the ball well and finishing with 10 points.

“We are blessed this year, because we have a great group of dudes and several that can shoot it from the outside, and so that is our strength,” Taylor said. “Our weakness this year has been finishing at the rim and turning the ball over. Going into the crunch time these last few games, those are our two main focuses, and we’re going to see a lot of zone over the next couple of weeks, which we haven’t gotten a lot of this year.”

Panthers respond with resilience, finish third at state

By AUSTIN ELLIOTT Sports Editor

The road to victory is paved with a buzzsaw — at least that was the case for Elmore County’s wrestling team at the AHSAA Class 5A Duals Championships on Saturday in Birmingham.

The Panthers were dealt an extremely tough hand going into the semifinals as they had to take on reigning state champion Scottsboro and ultimately fell, 65-11.

“We had a pretty tough matchup against Scottsboro in the semifinals, so we definitely got punched in the mouth against Scottsboro and they had a couple big wins,” ECHS coach Mason Thornton said.

But the Panthers weren’t going down without a fight themselves.

They came right back in the consolation championship and put up a dominating win of their own, taking down Beauregard, 63-16.

“To come back from that kind of defeat and face a common opponent in Beauregard and score 63 against them was a huge moment of character for our team to respond in that fashion,” Thornton said. “I’m very proud of them in that regard.”

The Panthers finished the duals season with a 22-11 record, the best finish in program history.

The Panthers came out with a vengeance following the loss to Scottsboro as they accumulated seven pins against Beauregard. Caleb Bryant (122 pounds), Dylan Andres (128), Micah Myers (140), Grayson Meeks (146), Hayden Fochtmann (152), Gavin Eason (159), and Connor Pike (177) all flattened their opponents versus Beauregard.

Myers had the most impressive match of the day for the Panthers, defeating the No. 2 ranked Brody Edwards. Myers pinned Edwards at the 3:01 mark.

Connor Pike also had an incredibly impressive showing on the day, finishing with two pins. Pike pinned Scottboro’s Vinny Jaqubino at the 1:04 mark and followed it up with a pin on Beaurgard’s Brody Morand in the first period.

Caleb Bryant made quick work of his matchup between Beaurgard’s Brandon Harman, pinning him before one minute was off the clock.

Now, the Panthers will prepare for individual sectionals, which begin Feb. 6.

Elmore County seniors see dominant victory over Gaylesville

By AUSTIN ELLIOTT Sports Editor

The Elmore County Panthers girls basketball team celebrated its Senior Night with a huge victory over Gaylesville, 47-20.

The Panthers honored the seniors before tip-off last Friday night and coach Kyle Caldwell gave each of his 12th-graders valuable minutes in the game.

“I’m just super proud of our seniors and the leadership they’ve shown not just this year, but throughout their career,” Caldwell said. “Their growth and their progress, the way that they lead the young girls, and I hope my daughter would eventually be able to learn from some of the leadership skills that they possess.”

Despite not being the leading scorers for ECHS, seniors Robbie Grace Bolton and Kayden Edwards got involved on the offense, finishing with six points apiece. Avery Hull provided production at the rim with six rebounds.

Being on a long break due to the

inclement weather last week had both its advantages and disadvantages for the Panthers.

“It’s been almost a full week since we played a game, and so you can practice as much as you want to, but there’s nothing like those game reps,” Caldwell said.

However, the Panthers looked well-rested and motivated out of the gate, going on a 12-0 run before Gaylesville got its first basket. Addie Stephonson and Addison Hicks played big roles to get the momentum going. Stephenson shot the ball very well as she was 3-for-6 from behind the arc. Hicks finished with 12 points and two rebounds shy of a double-double.

“We’re proud of (our seniors) and excited for their futures,” Caldwell said. “They’re going to do great things and their life, and so celebrating them tonight, getting them lots of minutes, but some younger girls stepped up as well, and made a couple shots here and there, and got the bench fired up, so just celebrating each other is the main thing.”