Tallassee Tribune March 12 2025

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

FROM TITUS TO STRAWBERRY FIELDS FOREVER

Elmore County native crucial to Central Park preservation

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

CLIFF WILLIAMS

o one has to say where Central Park is located. Far fewer people know the New York City park was originally designed by Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux in the 1850s to provide a rural escape from city life.

Even fewer know Titus native Bruce Kelly was the landscape architect who, along with a small group of people, brought the park out of disrepair in the early 1980s.

Kelly’s sister Phyllis Kennedy told the story of the park’s history during a presentation at the Elmore County History Museum

Sunday. “By the mid-1800s people were really getting restless,” Kennedy said. “On Sundays, they were found in New York crowding into any open space that they could find, particularly cemeteries. Greenwood Cemetery in Brooklyn was covered up with people every Sunday and everything was absolutely trampled to the ground.”

Civic leaders found a way to purchase 700 acres of rock, swamp, small farms and settlements and portions of Kingsbridge Road that lies from 59th to 106th streets and between Fifth and Eight avenues. The idea was to create an urban park. It is now more than 800 acres.

Officials held a design

competition and selected the plan of Olmsted and Vaux. Their plan was largely inspired by Birkenhead Park in England. They proposed large rural landscapes and wooded areas with roads hidden below.

“After the construction of the park, it literally became an oasis for New Yorkers,” Kennedy said. “It offered some respite from city living. It became the backyard for hundreds of thousands of people. But by the 1960s and 70s, it had fallen into terrible disrepair.”

Kelly was born in Montgomery and raised in Titus until he was 5 years old. The Kelly family was generations

Obituaries

HERBERT JACK GOLDEN JR. (JACKIE)

Herbert Jack Golden Jr. (Jackie), a beloved resident of Lake Martin, Alabama, passed away peacefully on Wednesday, March 5, 2025 at the age of 77. Preceded in death by his parents. Jack Golden Sr. and Nadine Webster Golden, his sister Judy Coan, and his son Herbert Jack Golden III. Visitation will begin at 11 am, Saturday, March 8, 2025 at First Methodist Church of Tallassee, funeral service will follow at 12 pm with Rev. Jay Woodall officiating. Honorary pallbearers will be members of the Men’s Sunday School Class at First Methodist Church of Tallassee. Burial will follow in Rose Hill Cemetery. Jackie is survived by his wife of 59 years, Rebecca Golden, his daughter Ashley Newman, former daughter in law Kristy, grandchildren Rachel Martin (Cody) and Andrew Golden (Gee),

Police Reports

TALLASSEE POLICE DEPARTMENT

MARCH 9

and his great- grandchildren Lilly James Martin and Lyla Dale Martin. He is also survived by a host of nieces and nephews. After graduating from Tallassee High School in 1965, Jackie worked as an hourly employee at Mt. Vernon Mills while attending Auburn University. After graduating from Auburn University, he was promoted from trainee to shift manager and then to department manager and offered a General Manager position of the Clarkton Division in Clarkton, NC. After a successful tenure there, he returned to his native Alabama as Manager of the Industrial Division at Tallassee. In 1983, Jackie was convinced by the owners of Seydel Woolley & Company to switch his career from textile manufacturing to textile chemical sales and joined the firm as a District Technical Sales Manager for Georgia and Alabama. He was later promoted

• A welfare check was conducted on Gilmer Avenue.

• Trespassing was reported on South Tallassee Drive.

MARCH 8

to Executive Vice President of Seydel-Woolley & Co., where he oversaw the firm’s tenfold growth in less than a decade. He retired as the President and Chief Executive Officer of Seydel International. He also served as a member of the Executive Committee of The Seydel Companies, the Alabama Textile Manufacturers Association, The American Association for Textile Chemists and Colorists, The International Council for Textile Technologists, and a member of the Board of Directors for EvCo Research, Inc. and SIGA, Inc. As a devoted member of First Methodist Church of Tallassee and Sunday School teacher, Jackie exemplified what it meant to live a life of service and devotion. His unwavering faith was the cornerstone of his life. He loved Lake Martin, fishing, and spending countless hours in his garden, perfecting his tomatoes to share with all.

His love for the Auburn Tigers was unmatched and he remained loyal to his team, even in times of defeat. His success in the business industry serves as a testament to the power of determination, integrity, and a relentless pursuit of success. Above all, he was a family man. He cherished his wife, his children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren with all his heart, and his love and guidance will continue to shape their lives forever. His legacy will live on in the memories of those who had the privilege of knowing him. In addition to flowers, expressions of sympathy may be the form of memorial contributions to Alabama Kidney Foundation in memory of Jackie Golden. Alabama Kidney Foundation, 265 Riverchase Pkwy E Suite 106, Birmingham, AL 35244.

Linville Memorial Funeral Home and Crematory, Eclectic, Alabama

MARCH 4

reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

• A civil disturbance was reported on Evergreen Street.

• A domestic dispute was reported on Evergreen Street.

• A welfare check was conducted on Wood Street

• A domestic incident was reported on Delta Road.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Gilmer Avenue.

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

• A stolen vehicle was reported on Dorman Avenue.

MARCH 3

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

• A noise complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A private property motor vehicle accident was reported on Log Circle.

• A suicidal subject was reported on Third Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Barnett Boulevard.

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

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Airport Drive.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Main Street.

• Theft was reported on Main Street.

• A suspicious vehicle was

FUNDS

Continued from A1

animals in Elmore County. It’s a mission Jordan’s Way founder Kris Rotonda has been on for more than five years.

“It started out of a passion to help shelter dogs,” Humane Society of Elmore County director Rea Cord said.

Rotonda went to a Florida shelter in 2007 looking for an animal friend. He found Jordan, a Bull Mastiff, German Shepherd and Samoyed mix. Jordan had been at the shelter for 3 years. For the next 11 years Jordan and Rotonda were inseparable. In 2018 Jordan died of cancer.

BABY

Continued from A1 pregnancies.

• Assistance was given during a medical call on Third Avenue. MARCH 7

• Suspicious activity was reported on Macedonia Road.

• Harassment was reported on Friendship Road.

• Trespassing was reported on Lower Tuskegee Road. MARCH 6

• A verbal fight was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• A suspicious vehicle was reported on Barnett Boulevard.

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Third Avenue. MARCH 5

• A juvenile complaint was reported on Gilmer Avenue.

• Animal control was requested on Adams Street.

• An abandoned vehicle was reported on East Patton Street.

The friendship set into motion what is now Jordan’s Way.

“I made a promise to honor her life by helping as many shelters in need as possible,” Rotonda said.

Rotonda was a realtor and bodybuilder and shifted gears to help animals. He started with physical challenges such as flipping a large tractor trailer tire for 13 miles to raise money for local shelters. He then spent three days in a dog cage, living like a shelter dog to raise awareness about shelters and their animals. From there Jordan’s Way took to the road for a 50-state tour to help shelters raise money and awareness.

On Saturday, Rotonda brought his energy and

“Tallaweka Church just happened to have a revival in January,” Mason said. “They just have love and believe in what we do. The donations they took up during the revival all went to Life Choice Pregnancy Center.”

Mason was expecting to go into the luncheon and speak about the nearly 400 visits the James Street center received last year. Instead, there was a surprise for Mason and her organization.

“They gathered the products and presented them to us,” Mason said. “It was a surprise. You walk in and all the baby clothes are lined up and folded, diapers stacked and baby wipes there. We were in awe.”

Mason said the church’s revival was in January, which is Sanctity of Human Life Month.

• Assistance was given to another agency on Cotton Ridge Road.

• A welfare check was conducted on South Tallassee Drive.

• Criminal mischief was reported on Central Boulevard.

• An animal bite was reported on Joy Street.

• Animal control was requested on Joy Street.

• Assistance was given to a motorist on Gilmer Avenue.

• Criminal mischief was reported on Notasulga Road.

MARCH 2

• Menacing was reported on Main Street.

• A noise complaint was reported on Jordan Avenue.

• Assistance was given to a citizen on Macedonia Road.

enthusiasm to help raise nearly $20,000 for the Elmore County shelter in three hours. He encouraged Elmore County volunteers to step out of their comfort zones.

All were pushed into kennels mainly used by dogs and challenged to use their phones to contact friends, family and contacts to donate to the shelter. There were games to go along with it.

A ghost pepper was used as inspiration to raise $1,000 in a short period of time. If the volunteers didn’t raise the money, they would eat. Luckily they didn’t have to.

Teams were pitted against each other. The winner got to pie the loser. The real loser was Cord. She was pied and hosed down by the volun-

“A lot of churches recognize that,” Mason said.

The center provides education to mothers to aid in a successful birth. It also helps supply items needed to care for an infant and toddler.

“The mothers earn points with their visits to the center,” Mason said.

“They can use the points to shop in the Mommy Store.”

Mason and her team of volunteers assist expectant mothers with education programs through videos and homework.

“It’s all Bible based,” Mason said.

The team encourages mothers to spread out their purchases from the Mommy Store.

“We don’t want them to get just newborn diapers,” Mason said. “Then they have none as the baby transitions to size 1.”

The center also works with mothers with children as old as 4.

teers. But she didn’t mind.

“We’re looking at some major kennel repairs and stuff,” Cord said. “This is also fun. We got great people that support us, that are here, helping us do this and they are having fun with it too.”

Saturday’s events were all streamed live. Rotonda created a fun environment bringing the donors in the show.

“It’s all in good fun,” Cord said. “It helps bring awareness to what we do.”

Rotonda did a similar fundraiser with Lake Martin Animal Rescue a few weeks ago. He came to Elmore County Saturday after doing fundraisers in Florida on Friday. He left Elmore County to go to Opelika on Saturday evening for another fundraiser.

“They don’t all learn to be potty trained at the same time,” Mason said.

“We welcome them all.”

Mason said some area churches help support the center’s cause.

“We visit with them,” Mason said.

“We will do a Sunday program where the pastor doesn’t preach. Others we will visit with a women’s group.” They almost always leave behind baby bottles to collect coins in. They contain a quick message about the center and encourage people to donate.

“A little change makes a big change in the pregnancy center,” Mason said.

“It adds up. One bottle of pennies, dimes, nickels and quarters is about $28. It will buy about a case of diapers. That is just the change collected in a bottle.”

Life Choice Pregnancy Center is at 403 James St. in Tallassee. It is open on Mondays and Tuesdays. Mason and her volunteers can be reached by phone at 334-252-0894.

Humane Society of Elmore County News

Jordan’s Way raises more than $20K

By REA CORD HSEC Executive Director

This past Saturday was a first for us and simply amazing.

Kris and Mary Lynne of Jordan’s Way arrived about 8:30 and our Live Facebook fun started around 10:30. With the help of our intrepid staff & volunteers and all who so generously donated, this event has brought in more than $20,000 for our shelter.

Special thanks to Tricia and to Tiers of Sweetness, LLC for

providing food and luscious sweets for our participants. Another shoutout to Manera at Best Pawn for getting us going with a Business Match donation to raise even more money. All of this was simply awesome and amazing to us, and we are humbled by the support and generosity of the almost 200 donors who helped make this such a success.

If you were not able to watch, you can see the entire event on Facebook. This is three hours of fun and

hijinks. Watching the challenges our teams worked so hard at to raise the bulk of the money was just tons of fun. Want to see our Director get ‘pied’ by both teams or hosed down after? Take a watch. Want to see some of our staff get ‘slimed’ or our volunteers do all they can to NOT have to eat a bug or spider or hot tamale jellybean or get their head shaved? All that fun is now captured forever and it was well worth it. For all who donated

please know that every donation — small and large — got us to that amazing total and we appreciate each and every single donation. Thank you as well to all who shared the event and donation link which got us such huge participation. For those who may have been busy, or couldn’t donate today, the link is still alive for another week on Facebook. If you don’t want to donate at this link, we can also receive donations via our shelter website, https:// www.elmorehumane.

Pet of the Week - Zayda

Zayda is a 3-month-old female Aussie/Rottie/maybe Heeler mix who was surrendered to us when their other dog did not like her. She has that herding/nipping instinct like Heelers so perhaps she’s best with children 10 years or older as toddlers and their parents may not understand her nipping at their heels to herd them. Zayda should be in the 60- to 70-pound range when fully grown and her foster mom reports that “Zayda is very

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

The Elmore County Historical Society and the Elmore County History Museum are organizing programs for the U.S. Constitution’s 250th anniversary.

Museum curator Sharon Fox said organizers are seeking volunteers to help pull off a year long slate of events across the county.

“We are finalizing the organization of each of the events,” Fox said. “We will need help for each of the monthly programs. There is sure to be a lot of interest in them.”

There is a meeting for volunteering later this month to enlist help for one or multiple events.

“I’m excited about each of the programs,” Fox said. “It’s to celebrate the Constitution but every program has a connection to Elmore County.”

The year-long series of events and programs kicks off with an introduction to the series at the City of Wetumpka’s Fourth of July fireworks on Friday, July 4. That Sunday historian Allen Herrod will present the life of Revolutionary War soldier Obediah

smart happy playful puppy.. absolutely loves the water! And quite the cuddle bug! Knows the doggy door!”

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

Moore.

On Sunday, Aug. 10, Amy Milligan will present a program on Revolutionary War soldier Abraham Mordecai.

Artist Philip Juras will have a presentation about William Bartram at 6 p.m. Sept. 25. It will accompany a month-long exhibit complementing the event at the Elmore County Museum.

Famed female Revolutionary War soldier Deborah Sampson will come to life through Susan Tomlinson of the Daughters of the American Revolution on Oct. 18.

The annual Alabama Frontier Days held at Fort Toulouse — Fort Jackson Park will be part of the program in November.

An 18th century Christmas comes to life at the museum Dec. 14.

Art of the 18th century will be celebrated in January 2026.

Family historian, U.S. Army Veteran and DAR member True Lewis will present “My True Roots to the American Revolution” on Thursday, Feb. 26, at the Elmore County Black History Museum.

“She has a very interesting story about the Revolutionary War,” Fox

org/monetary-donations. html via our PayPal or Zeffy. And, of course checks and cash are good too or you could call us at 334-567-3377 to give a donation over the phone. Please just let us know to add any of these donations to the Jordan’s Way event. Will we do this again? Heck yes, and we resoundingly accept -

ed their invitation to be on the tour again next year where we will make it even bigger and better for the sake of our animals! From the bottom of our hearts — thank you, thank you, thank you!

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

vaccination if old enough and a free health exam with your participating veterinarian. If you are interested in meeting Zayda 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.

said.

Historian Alex Colvin will present Desirous of Establishing Permanent Peace: Alexander McGillivray, George Washington, and the Treaty of New York in March.

On April 12, 2026, Revolutionary War Rarities podcast co-host Jim Griffith of the Alabama Society’s Sons of the American Revolution will discuss “Revolution Rarities.”

The local committee is currently working with America’s 250 Alabama committee on a program involving the Charters of Freedom, as the only life-size replicas in Alabama are located in Elmore County.

The series finishes up at the Wetumpka Civic Center as Alabama native musician and producer Bobby Horton performs in concert on June 27, 2026. Horton has worked extensively with Ken Burns and PBS.

Many of the programs will be at the Elmore County History Museum on South Main Street in Wetumpka. But Fox said some of the programs will be held at other locations. Those details are still being worked out.

40

TOur View Opinion

days of Lent

Many young people have no idea what they want to be when they grow up. When you go to a pre-K graduation, you might hear ideas like a firefighter, police officer or teacher. Sometimes one youngster might even talk about how he wants to be a Power Ranger when he grows up.

LIZI GWIN Managing Editor

has been ruled as “undeter mined,” according to USA Today, it does not seem suspi cious activity was involved at all.

have talked about Trachten berg’s huge personality follow ing her death.

his past Wednesday marked the beginning of Lent,

roughly 40 days before Easter when

Lent, of course, can have many meanings. In

Scriptures, it’s generally meant to model Jesus’ 40 days in the desert also called the 40 days of temptation. Traditionally Lent is focused on fasting for that reason. In Catholicism, parishioners fast on Ash Wednesday and Good Friday allowing for two snacks during the day that together may equal a full meal.

There also is abstinence practices. Generally, practicing Christians will abstain from meat, aside from fish, on Fridays, Ash Wednesday and Good Friday. Along with these practices, there’s also an individual devotion with setting a personal fasting practice.

This can look like giving up something or adding something. Some of the common examples are fasting from caffeine, giving up chocolate, journaling daily, reading scripture daily or fasting from social media. When it comes to adding something, it is generally still an act of fasting because you are giving up your time and devoting to something else that will enrich your faith.

However, Lent isn’t just about fasting. There’s two other core practices that can often be forgotten — prayer and almsgiving. It can be beneficial to incorporate these practices as well to facilitate a deeper connection with the Lenten season. If you don’t generally practice Lent, it could be fun to integrate some of these practices during this period before Easter. Of course, it’s not required. Everyone’s faith journey is different. But at the end of the day, Lent is a great time to reflect on your faith and your relationship with Jesus before the Easter season.

But it’s not often you find people who are very young that actually become what they say they want to be. As they grow older, their interests change and they are introduced to new career paths. For me, though, I always wanted to be a writer. I wanted to investigate things and ask questions. I was always a curious cat. It wasn’t until I was about 12 that I knew I wanted to be a journalist — before that, I wanted to be a spy.

And that’s all thanks to Harriet the Spy. It was a book that was read to me when I was really little, then the movie came out in 1996 and changed my life. I wanted to be Harriet so bad. I used to carry a little notebook around the neighborhood and see what clues I could find. I don’t remember what I was actually investigating, but I have core memories of that little

black notebook. So when I learned about the death of Michelle Trachtenberg a few weeks ago, my heart broke a little inside. She was everything I wanted to be when I was a little girl. Most people know Trachtenberg for her work on Gossip Girl, and don’t get me wrong — I was a big Georgina fan too. For all her faults, Georgina was a mainstay on the show and made things interesting whenever they were getting a little boring.

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

March 15. Does it really mean anything extraordinary?

The soothsayer gives a foreboding warning the soon-to-be-ex-Roman emperor Julius Caesar on this day back in 44 B.C.: “beware the ides of March.”

Of course, by the time Julius Caesar made it to the Capitol, he was stabbed 23 times. His final words were, “et tu, Brute?”

Full moons, black cats and broken mirrors aside, there’s something ominous about the William Shakespeare play JULIUS CAESAR, and it may be this famous line that has made us feel so uncomfortable all these years.

According to Roman history, their calendar was based around lunar phases. There were other names, such as Kalends and Nones. Ides, however, referred to the first full moon of a given month. Like this week, these usually fell somewhere during the week that includes the 13th, 14th, and 15th. Prior to the connotation discussed in this article, the Ides of March was actually a time of rejoicing. Since the time of Shakespeare 500 years ago, however, the phrase has become more and more sinister.

If a television series has an episode with these words in the title, look out.

Bad things didn’t happen for a Chicago-area rock group that took the name The Ides of March back in the early 1970s. Led by guitarslinger and songwriter Jim Peterik, the Ides of March created one of the most memorable brassrock songs of that, or any, era: “Vehicle.” In fact, to this day, many marching bands across the country perform this song.

An interesting side note – Peterik went on to form another band, Survivor, in the 1980s. They had a #1 hit we still hear all the time: “Eye of the Tiger.” Peterik’s name may be unknown to the average music fan, but his musical compositions are heard constantly all over the world. In the case of “Eye of

Trachtenberg was only 39 when she died, just four years older than myself. It was almost like one of my childhood friends had passed. I grew up right alongside her on Nickelodeon. But what I’ve learned about Trachtenberg since her death was just how pure she was a human being. Unlike many celebrity deaths, there were no drugs involved, no criminal activity. She reportedly had a liver transplant, and although her cause and manner of death

“She was electricity,” Blake Lively said in an instagram post. “You know when she entered a room because the vibration changed. Everything she did, she did 200%. She laughed the fullest at someone’s joke, she faced authority head on when she felt something was wrong, she cared deeply about her work, she was proud to be a part of this community and industry as painful as it could be some times, she was fiercely loyal to her friends and brave for those she loved, she was big and bold and distinctly herself.” thing from Trachtenberg and her life. Her X bio states she is a “believer in Unicorns.” Person ally, I think she was a unicorn herself.

the Tiger,” we hear it much more often in Tallassee and Auburn than in most places. The Smithsonian Institution has listed the top ten reasons why we should beware the Ides of March. In conclusion, I submit these 10 memorable events from the Smithsonian, with their comments included.

1. ASSASSINATION OF JULIUS CAESAR, 44 B.C. Conspirators led by Marcus Junius Brutus stab dictator-for-life Julius Caesar to death before the Roman senate. Caesar was 55.

2. A RAID ON SOUTHERN ENGLAND, 1360

A French raiding party begins a 48-hour spree of rape, pillage and murder in southern England. King Edward III interrupts his own pillaging spree in France to launch reprisals.

3. SAMOAN CYCLONE, 1889

A cyclone wrecks six warships—three U.S., three German— in the harbor at Apia, Samoa, leaving more than 200 sailors dead.

4. CZAR NICHOLAS II ABDICATES HIS THRONE, 1917

Czar Nicholas II of Russia signs his abdication papers, ending a 304-year-old royal dynasty and ushering in Bolshevik rule. He and his family are taken captive and, in July 1918, executed before a firing squad.

5. GERMANY OCCUPIES

CZECHOSLOVAKIA, 1939

Just six months after Czechoslovak leaders ceded the Sudetenland, Nazi troops seize the provinces of Bohemia and Moravia, effectively wiping Czechoslovakia off the map.

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

Beware the Ides of March

6. A DEADLY BLIZZARD ON THE GREAT PLAINS, 1941

A Saturday-night blizzard strikes the northern Great Plains, leaving at least 60 people dead in North Dakota and Minnesota and six more in Manitoba and Saskatchewan.

7. WORLD RECORD RAINFALL, 1952 Rain falls on the Indian Ocean island of La Réunion—and keeps falling, hard enough to register the world’s most voluminous 24-hour rainfall: 73.62 inches.

8. CBS BEGINS THE RURAL PURGE, 1971 Word leaks that CBS-TV is canceling “The Ed Sullivan Show” after 23 years on the network, which also dumped Red Skelton and Jackie Gleason in the preceding month. Within a few weeks of that announcement, the Rural Purge would happen that ended the runs of “Green Acres,” “The Beverly Hillbillies,” “Hee-Haw” and “Lawrence Welk” (both of which would return in syndication), and “Mayberry, R.F.D.” As Pat Buttram, known as Hooterville’s Mr. Haney commented, they “cancelled everything with a tree in it – including ‘Lassie’.”

9. DISAPPEARING OZONE LAYER, 1988 NASA reports that the ozone layer over the Northern Hemisphere has been depleted three times faster than predicted.

10. A NEW GLOBAL HEALTH SCARE, 2003 After accumulating reports of a mysterious respiratory disease afflicting patients and healthcare workers in China, Vietnam, Hong Kong, Singapore and Canada, the World Health Organization issues a heightened global health alert. The disease will soon become famous under the acronym SARS (for Sudden Acute Respiratory Syndrome).

Michael Bird is a music professor for Faulkner University.

17 Springs agreements formalized

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

For eight years the five partners in 17 Springs have been operating under memorandums of understanding. Those agreements are further set in stone since Phase 1 and Phase 2 of the project is complete through two cooperative districts.

“We need to more formalize the agreements for the five partners,” Elmore County Commission chair

Bart Mercer said. “This has been the plan for a number of

years.” The commission voted to establish two cooperative districts — one for the sports complexes and one for the commercial district. Mercer said all but two lots of the commercial district are spoken for and agreements were being finalized. The five partners are the Elmore County Commission, the Elmore County Economic Development Authority, the City of Millbrook, the Elmore County Board of Education and the Grandview YMCA.

At Monday’s meeting, the commission also recognized eight different high school wrestlers and two teams for winning state championships at the meeting.

Those honored were Wetumpka sophomore Juliana Eldridge, Stanhope Elmore sophomore Dominic Sager, Elmore County sophomore Tyler Payton, and Tallassee’s Land Bell, Mason Nelson, Tra’mel McCoy, Nolan Addeo and Thomas Patterson.

As a team, Tallassee was recognized for winning the

CommunityCalendar

duals state title and the traditional state title. “All 12 that wrestled scored points,” coach John Mask said. “We’ve been blessed.”

The team went 43-0 and defeated teams from six states over the course of the season.

The commission also recognized the nine most recent graduates of the county’s CERT program, which equips volunteers with training and basic tools to respond in the case of an emergency. The first class of the year had

eight females and one male. They join the more than 300 graduates of the program from Elmore County and the more than 600,000 that have been trained across the country since the 1980s.

IN OTHER ACTION THE ELMORE COUNTY COMMISSION:

• Approved minutes of the Feb, 24 meeting.

• Approved the memorandum of warrants in the amount of $2,310,089.53.

• Approved the vacation of the remaining portion of Maverick Circle.

FRIDAY,

each month. For more information, visit www.thekelly.org.

SATURDAY, APRIL 12 SPRING MARKET: The City of Wetumpka will host its annual Earth Day Celebration and Spring Market. This is a rain or shine event from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. April 12. Featured will be a plant swap from the Master Gardeners as well as arts & crafts vendors, farmers with produce and a place to drop off recyclables.

SATURDAY, APRIL 19

FIREARMS CLASS: Wetumpka Police Department will be hosting a Citizen’s Firearm Class beginning at 7 a.m. April 19. The cost is $25 per person and citizens will be trained on firearms safety, fundamentals of shooting and firearms maintenance. All registered participants must bring one unloaded firearm (pistol or revolvers only), approximately 50 to 100 rounds of ammo, eye and hearing protection and a concealed carry permit if needed.

SATURDAY, MAY 10

MAY MARKET: Eclectic the Beautiful will host its fourth annual May Market from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. May 10. It is a fundraiser for the organization and will feature more than 75 vendors ranging from food, crafts, artwork, jewelry, paintings, wreaths, bows and more. There will also be food vendors.

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

PRESCHOOL STORYTIME: Preschool Storytime takes place at 10 a.m. every Friday at Wetumpka Public Library.

ECLECTIC TOWN COUNCIL

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

MOUNT HEBRON CHURCH OF CHRIST: Come join us at 4530 Mt. Hebron Road in Eclectic. Our Sunday school begins at 9 a.m. followed by worship service at 10:30. There is also a Wednesday night Bible study at 7 p.m. For more information call Pastor Edwin Walker at 334-541-2025

LUNCH AND LEARN: Lunch and learn Tuesdays with Kelly are scheduled at the Kelly Fitzpatrick Memorial Gallery at 124 Company Street in Wetumpka from noon to 1 p.m. on the third Tuesday of

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 Christ-centered, 12-step program for anyone struggling with hurts, habits, and hangups. Call 334567-2364 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.

MASTER GARDENER

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

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

STATE CHAMPS

Tallassee celebrates historic wrestling season

from the University of Georgia. He went to New York to get his master’s degree from Columbia

under Dr. James Morrison Fitch.

“Bruce developed an added interest in the work

of the park to memorialize him. Trees, flowers, iron gates, totem poles and mosaic benches were sent from around the world to be part of the memorial.

Kelly curated an exhibit for the Metropolitan Museum of Art entitled The Art of the Land of

ments that are inherent in any Olmsted landscape.

“That was way more definition than anybody had ever given to that subject before,” Kennedy said. “Every vista had been conceived to have all the elements of a beautiful picture.”

Kelly’s work was recognized by Landscape Architecture magazine.

As the park was falling into disrepair, funding came from an unlikely source.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono were well known for their walks through Central Park. After Lennon was shot in 1980, Ono announced she would fund $1 million for a part

Ono had a part in selecting the designer, and ultimately chose Kelly, who went to work to bring Strawberry Fields alive. It was 3 acres at one of the most used entrances to Central Park.

“It was previously one of the most dismal parts of the patches of the park,” Kennedy said. “The soil was eroded and compacted. Many trees were dead and the living trees were mainly trash trees with no redeeming attributes. A path of asphalt had been rolled out across the meadow.”

Kelly didn’t use all of the submissions from around the world for the park. Some of what he used had to be made smaller including the main mosaic. It came from a piece more than

40 feet in size.

Now, Strawberry Fields is a spot many New Yorkers and visitors see. It joins Bethesda Terrance and its carriage rides dating back to Central Park’s earliest days. Strawberry Fields gives everyone a greenspace to use and also has a special bench dedicated to Kelly.

Strawberry Fields was among the first sections of the park to be restored and set the standard for the rest of the Central Park restoration.

“It sparked enthusiasm for the huge project of transforming the whole park,” Kennedy said. “Bruce was responsible for the success, for the successful restoration of Strawberry Fields, which was responsible for the restoration of Central Park.” Central Park will now have a connection to Titus and Strawberry Fields forever.

Avoiding danger ahead

hat do you do when you see danger ahead? Do you keep going, or do you try to avoid it? Wisdom says that we should avoid the danger we see in front of us. Proverbs 27:12 says, “A sensible person sees danger and takes cover; the inexperienced keep going and are punished.” Here are some thoughts on how to see danger, how to take cover and how to stop and turn around when harm is imminent.

1. Keep looking ahead. If you don’t know what is in front of you, then you won’t see the danger in front of you. Being distracted and looking behind you or being too preoccupied with what is in your periphery could keep you from walking right into a dangerous trap. We must keep our heads up and keep looking forward, intently, otherwise, danger may befall us.

2. Look for danger by walking cautiously. We must grasp

BILLY REINHARDT Pastor

the reality that not every path is a smooth path, and that it likely is the case that every path has rough spots on it. Most paths have some obstacles or some perils in their way. As a result of the reality of the myth of the “obstacle-less path,” we must stay alert. Be careful. Watch where your feet are stepping. Walk circumspectly as if your life depends on it, because it does!

3. Do not become too complacent on your current path if you have not seen any dangers in a while. A lack of seeing danger does not mean that danger is not there, and neither does it mean that danger is not right around the corner. Also, a smooth path for a while (hours,

days, or years!) does not guarantee perpetual safety. Believing that there “No Danger Here” is the first step towards the unseen ravine or trap. Traversing in an apathetic manner upon one’s path leads to certain ruin. Danger is waiting to ambush you at any moment. Again, stay alert; stay awake.

4. The moment you see or sense danger, hide immediately (Take Cover!). The worse thing to do once you see danger ahead is to keep walking. If you smell smoke, and if the smoke is getting thicker as you walk, then you could be walking into a forest fire. If you hear a roar or a low grumble from the woods, don’t pretend that “Everything Is OK!” Danger is imminent! In our everyday lives this could be in the form of temptation, or in the form of “red flags” in the context of relationships or a business venture or in any other number of contexts. If we see sin ahead, we must completely hide (“Flee,” says the Apostle

Tallassee Churches

Paul per 1 Corinthians 10:14; 1 Timothy 6:11; 2 Timothy 2:22), lest we become devoured! Also, if others see warning signs that we do not see, then we must beware lest we believe our blind spots over others who can see the path more clearly that we can.

5. Learn from others who have ignored the signs of danger. “…the inexperienced keep going and are punished” (Proverbs 27:12b). The trail of dead bodies in a certain direction should be a sign to us that danger is ahead. We should not be so proud and arrogant to think, “That won’t happen to me!” when there are dead bodies all around us (Proverbs 7:25-27). We must learn from the fall and from the follies of others. While we should not live in paralyzing fear, we should walk carefully, learning from the demise and pain of others who ignored the warning signs of danger. Wise is he who learns from his own mistakes, but even wiser is the

one who learns from the mistakes of others.

6. The greatest danger is believing that you can save yourself and be right with God on your own merit and good deeds. You will never be good enough to earn God’s favor. Salvation is given to you only by your conscious and intentional trust in what Jesus Christ has done on the cross. “What must I do to be saved?...Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…” (Acts 16:30-31). Eternal danger is ahead if we do not trust in Christ. Flee to Christ, Cling to Christ, and be saved from your sin today.

Billy Reinhardt is the pastor of Riverside Heights Baptist church in Tallassee. He lives in Tallassee 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.

Edgewood’s Lexie Smith shines brightly as a sophomore

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

Safe to say it was a historic season for Edgewood Academy sophomore Lexie Smith this year on the basketball court.

With tough shoes to fill in the place of reigning Elmore County Player of the Year and former Wildcat teammate Lindsey Brown, Smith

flourished for her team. She helped lead the Wildcats to an Elite 8 appearance against Springwood and averaged 22.6 points along the way, earning the Elmore County Girls Basketball Player of the Year distinction.

Smith was dominant, to say the least. She scored at a high clip, crossing the 40-point threshold on

Harriet Winchester leads Wetumpka to new heights

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

Following a 3-14 season in 2024, expectations for the Wetumpka girls’ basketball team were relatively low, to say the least. However, any doubters the team had were quickly silenced after the season Wetumpka had.

Head coach Harriet Winchester and the Indians quintupled their win total while also going from worst to first in the area, taking down crosstown rival Stanhope Elmore in the area championship to reach the playoffs. For her efforts this year, Winchester is the Elmore County Girls Basketball Coach of the Year.

She knew early on this team would be different as Wetumpka had a perfect blend of young and old talent. The senior and freshman class equaled itself with some contribution coming from the middle school level as well. But what set them apart heading into this year was the shift in the team’s mindset.

“Firstly, I noticed that our senior leadership made a drastic change,” Winchester said. “I think that they wanted to win as bad as the coaches wanted them to win as well. I felt like all of the players on the team bought into the program. They bought in discipline-wise, development-wise, and just team bonding-wise; they just bought in.”

Winchester knew there were still some hurdles to overcome, especially in the experience department. Although she has three seniors in Zariah Clark, Jordan Harris

and Keeyana Rudolph the rest of the team was composed of underclassmen like freshmen Aaliyah Humphrey, Lillian Wellborn and Logann Banks. Despite the sprinkle of youth, Winchester stressed to her younger girls they have the ability to take on whoever is placed in front of them.

“Just making sure that they understood that the expectation of them playing well wasn’t about their age,” Winchester said. “It was just about knowing we see what y’all are capable of, and we know that you’re going to be going against kids that’s a little bit older, we can’t focus on age. At one point, we told them, what grade you’re in doesn’t really matter anymore. We just need you guys to know that y’all are on the team for a reason because we know y’all are capable of playing with them. Once we established that, and they actually saw it, that played a huge factor.”

All the hard work that had been put in heading into the season revealed itself once the girls got on the court. Once area play rolled around, Wetumpka was a hard team to stop, going a perfect 4-0, and it carried that momentum into the championship. Even though Wetumpka fell in the first round of the playoffs to Pike Road, Winchester knew the groundwork had been paved with the expectations of besting its win total in the following season.

“My expectation for the girls is that we want to do more,” Winchester said. “We want to exceed

three separate occasions and even averaging more than 30 points in one week this season. Only a sophomore, Smith further etched her name in the history books by achieving the 1,000-career point mark just midway through the year.

“She’s really good at pretty much everything that

2025 ALL-ELMORE COUNTY GIRLS BASKETBALL TEAM

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

PLAYER OF THE YEAR: LEXIE

SMITH, EDGEWOOD ACADEMY SOPHOMORE

Whenever the Wildcats needed a bucket, more than likely, it was Lexie Smith getting it for them. In only her sophomore year, she led the team with 22.6 points per game to pair with 2.4 rebounds and 2.1 assists. She crossed the 40-point mark in three games this year while also crossing the 1,000 point mark during the season. Smith was also a menace on the defensive side of the ball racking up 135 steals which averages to five a game.

FIRST TEAM

AALIYAH HUMPHREY, WETUMPKA FRESHMAN

Wetumpka was a very young team this year and Aaliyah Humphrey was no exception to this. En route to consecutive years on the All-Elmore County first team, she averaged 16 points, nearly six rebounds, six assists and six steals a game — yet again proving all-around how dominant of a player she is for the Indians. The team as a whole quintupled its win total from her eighth-grade year while winning the area outright.

JHAKHIA ANDERSON, TALLASSEE SENIOR

It did not matter if it was on defense or on offense,

Jhakhia Anderson was going to make an impact for the Tigers in her senior year. Not only leading the team with nearly 10 points per game, Anderson finished second on the team with 6.5 rebounds a game. She also racked up 45 steals on the season while adding two blocks to her resume. Anderson was not afraid to show her range as a scorer, not only being among the top scorers from inside the paint she also got things done behind the arc being third on the team in 3-point shooting percentage.

KURAJI CROSBY, STANHOPE ELMORE EIGHTH-GRADER

Talk about a burst onto the scene for the Mustangs eighth-grade phenom Kuraji Crosby. She was either first or second in almost every statistical category in this year of varsity action. Crosby was second on the team averaging 12 points per game, but her 6-foot1 frame helped her finish first in rebounds with 14 per game and first in blocks with four per game. Despite not having started high school yet, Crosby will be a focal point for the Mustangs for years to come.

HAILEY PHELPS, HOLTVILLE FRESHMAN

Just another young player who made a huge impact for their team was the Bulldogs’ Hailey Phelps. Although not lighting up the offensive stat sheet like the

other players with just 5.2 points per game, it was her facilitating and defensive role that shined brightly this year. Phelps was a leader in assists for the squad with 3.1 per game while leading the team with 8 rebounds a game and a resounding 5 steals a game. Not only picking up an All-Elmore County nod, Phelps added other accolades to her resume to round out her freshman year – making the Class 5A Area 6 Tournament team and All-Tournament during the Thanksgiving break.

LALAH CULPEPPER, ELMORE COUNTY SENIOR

All around Lalah Culpepper made an impact for the Panther this year en route to an area championship appearance and a trip to the playoffs. At the point guard position, it was her role to facilitate the offense’s production and it’s safe to say she achieved that goal. Whether it be through dishing passing or slashing into the paint, Culpepper helped make the Panther offense tick. She also used her size to her advantage as she was among the top on the team in rebounds.

SECOND TEAM

Avery White, Edgewood Academy London O’Neal, Tallassee Logann Banks, Wetumpka

See GIRLS, Page B2

Tallassee soccer shows depth against Elmore County

By SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

It’s not over until the clock runs out and that’s exactly what the Tallassee boys soccer team showcased on Friday against Elmore County.

The Panthers were in the lead for the majority of the night, even jumping out to a 2-0 lead over the Tigers midway through the first half. Slowly but surely, the Tigers mounted their comeback with Neely Payne nailing the game-winning goal with just a minute left.

“Anytime you’re playing your rival, things are going to be intense, and both sides want to win,” Tallassee coach Matt Tarpley said. “Credit to Elmore County, they got a really good team, and they played really hard and really well tonight. But our boys, we haven’t lost Elmore County in four or five years. They didn’t want to lose tonight. They got a little inspiration from their fallen teammate. The boys just had a never-quit attitude, as you can tell, getting that clinching game-winner with a minute to go. It’s a real testament to them and how hard these boys are gonna fight.”

Another aspect that stood out in the Tigers’ comeback was the four goals came from four different players, none of whom were leading goal scorer Irvin Delfin. Payne, Rush Wright, Yuren Rodriguez and Lewis Mosely all got involved in the scoring department which shows how loaded of a

squad the Tigers have.

“I think it just speaks to the depth that we have,” Tarpley said. “We’ve got a lot of really talented guys. Irvin, obviously, is a step above everybody, but the supporting cast around him is really talented, and they’re able to step up anytime.”

On the girls side, Tallassee couldn’t come away with the win, losing to Elmore County 4-0.

The Panthers held control for most of the game, scoring goals early in both the first and second half of the game. However, Tarpley keyed in on his team’s ability to make in-game adjustments as a shining spot for the team.

“EC has got a really, really talented girls team, a lot of young talent on that team,” Tarpley said. “I’m low-key envious of their talent, but I was happy with our performance. We gave up two quick goals in the first 10 minutes of that first half, but then for the next 30 minutes, we held them scoreless, and we kind of found our footing and settled in. And I thought we had a pretty good half. The second half was kind of a repeat of the first; they got two goals, and then we found our footing and settled in.”

He praised his goalkeeper and typical striker Aubrey Paggett for her selfless act to take over in goal after an injury to the starting goalkeeper.

“I’m really proud of Aubrey Pagget; she’s our starting striker, but we were without a goalie tonight,” Tarpley said.

The

“She stepped in, volunteered, said she’d be happy to step in and do that job, and couldn’t be proud of her and appreciate all that she does for us.”

The main goal Tarpley has for his girls is to play as a unit rather than individuals. He knows they play their best ball when they do it together to move the ball down the field.

“We’re so much better when we combine, rather than being a one-man show,” Tarpley

“We’ve got some talented players, and at times they like to do things on their own, and I need those players to trust their teammates and play within the system. It’s so much easier to play with 11 than it is to play by yourself.”

Tallassee earns big win over LAMP

STAFF REPORT

TPI Staff

It was all Tallassee last Thursday as the Tigers won their lone softball game of the week in a 16-1 victory over LAMP.

The Tigers gave up one run in the top of the first but were absolutely unstoppable offensively, scoring four runs in the bottom of the frame and never looking back.

Tallassee managed a staggering 11 runs in the second, claiming the victory in just four innings.

Reagan Easterwood stuffed the scoresheet, going a perfect 4-for-4 with three RBIs and four runs scored. Cheyann Easterling and Marlee Osborne added three hits apiece. Lila Kate Fulgham, Kam Tate and Easterwood all logged triples.

Tate earned the win in the circle, throwing all four innings. She allowed just four hits and one run while striking out five.

REELTOWN STRUGGLES TO KEEP OPPONENTS OFF THE BOARD

Hitting wasn’t an issue

Clark

GIRLS

Aniya Burton, Stanhope Elmore

Kaila Higgins, Holtville

Addison Hicks, Elmore County

HONORABLE MENTIONS

Wetumpka: Jordan Harris, Zariah

SMITH Continued from B1

she does,” Edgewood coach Brad Starks said. “Just putting the ball in her hands, and us just being as young as we were, her ability to put the ball in the basket gave her more confidence. She was already confident, but it gave her more confidence, which kind of led to her ability to kind of take over. She’s very gifted on both sides of the court.”

this week for Reeltown’s softball team, but keeping other teams off the scoreboard was.

In two games this week, the Rebels com-

Tallassee: Cheyann Esterling, Jaaliyah Williams

Stanhope Elmore: Maliah Newton, Summiyah Gilmore

Holtville: Ragen Roberts, Kali

Ingram

Elmore County: Addie Stephens, RG Bolton, Cherish Foye

Edgewood: Aubrey Newton, Emerson Boddie

Of course, her stats on the offensive side would earn her high marks, but she was just as dominant on the defensive side of the ball. Smith and teammate Avery White provided a unique combination which proved difficult for opposing teams to score. White was the presence in the paint, and while she was accumulating blocks, it was Smith coming away with steals. This year, Smith racked up a monstrous 135 steals on the year, or an average of five per game.

FILE | TPI

bined for 23 hits — but their opponents combined for 28. Reeltown lost to Lee-Scott Academy, 11-2, and Beulah, 13-7. Kira Chappell led

Reeltown’s hitting against Lee-Scott, finishing with three singles. Lainey Pattilo had two hits while Crisdan Dunn and Caroline Sutherlin each smacked doubles. Against Beulah, Reeltown really got the bats going, racking up 15 total hits. Lilli Johnston, Dunn and Sutherlin all had three hits apiece while Chappell and Blair Johnston added two each. All but two Rebels notched at least one hit.

Although the Rebels are showing great signs at the plate, they are also struggling with strikeouts. They struck out 15 times against Lee-Scott and 11 against Beulah.

ELMORE COUNTY FALLS IN BACK-TO-BACK GAMES

Despite opening the week with a win over Marbury, the Elmore County softball team fell to Stanhope Elmore and Wetumpka to close out the week.

what we did this past season, but we can’t do that unless we actually put the work in and we continue to buy into the program. I honestly think next season is going to be even better because we got a taste of how it feels, everything’s going to play out well.”

“Avery White was kind of in charge of the defense,” Starks said. “She would get most of our rebounds and that kind of stuff, phenomenal defender. But she would be the communicator and there were times where Lexie’s job was to try to steal passes. She’s just so quick, she has such good anticipation skills. She’s small, so when that ball hits the ground, she can take it from you, and she’ll go in there. She’ll even try to go in there and rebound.”

Against the Bulldogs, the Panther racked up a resounding 18 hits which resulted in 17 runs scored for the group. Then against the Mustangs and Indians, combined for 20 hits through both games but were unable to bring runners in even with dominant hitting numbers. Addison Hick dominated in her at-bats, logging 12 hits in her 14 at-bats, she also added four runs and three RBIs.

Defensively, the Panthers had their ups and downs, especially in the pitching department. Lalah Culpepper, Addi Stephenson, Bailey Kennedy and Bailey Gardner where they surrendered 21 hits and 19 runs through three games.

Elmore County looks to get back in the win column against Marbury on Monday and Alabama Christian Academy on Tuesday.

Winchester knows something special is brewing in Wetumpka and with the Indians’ top three scorers returning for next season, all eyes will be on them.

“Make sure that we keep an eye on the kids from Wetumpka High School,” Winchester said. “Our program is going to grow, and it’s going to get better, and we’ll be a force to reckon with.”

What makes Smith’s trajectory to new heights on the court even greater is there is still so much room for her to improve, a sentiment both Starks and Smith echoed. “My goals are to improve everything and just get better at everything that I do like there’s nothing that is perfect, and there’s always room for me to get better,” Smith said. “I know that I just have to give all the glory to God, and I’m so thankful that he gave me the ability to play

one of the sports that I love, and that I just need to work harder and know that next year I just need to be better than I was this year.”

Having gotten a taste of what it feels like to be a state champion with her time on the volleyball team as well as last year’s girls basketball team, the goal is to get back. As Smith continues to grow on the court with more experience under her belt, those aspirations seem very likely.

Tallassee splits with Benjamin Russell

STAFF REPORT

TPI Staff

It was a tale of two games for Tallassee’s baseball team on Saturday.

After managing just two hits and zero runs in a 4-0 loss to Benjamin Russell to begin a doubleheader, the Tigers turned the tides, smacking three hits in the first inning alone. They kept up the offensive prowess and earned a 4-2 win.

Cash Gough and Chase Chumley led Tallassee to victory with three hits and two runs apiece.

After going scoreless for the first three innings, the Tigers got things started in the fourth frame with a double from Chumley. Back-to-back walks got the bases loaded, and Hudson Timmerman drove in Chumley with a sacrifice fly one out later.

Tallassee (3-7) added another two runs in the bottom of the fifth. Gough led off the inning with a walk and after two outs, it looked like he might be stranded in scoring position. But Chumley came up big with a single to recharge the momentum. He was followed by a single from Thomas Lemmond, which scored Gough, and ultimately got home on a wild pitch himself.

Benjamin Russell scored a run in the bottom of the fifth to cut the deficit to 3-1, but the Tigers added an insurance run with a double from Gough and an RBI single from Chumley to ensure the victory.

Chumley and Lemmond combined for the victory on the mound. They allowed seven hits between them but only two earned runs. Chumley fanned six batters while Lemmond added two strikeouts.

REELTOWN EXTENDS

WIN STREAK TO 4 GAMES

Reeltown’s baseball team is seemingly unstoppable right now.

The Rebels picked up a dominating 16-0 victory over Randolph County to start the week and finished it with a 5-4 win against Beauregard.

Against Randolph County, every batter except one for Reeltown logged at least one hit. Jamarkius Smith, Slade Carleton, Xander Johnston, Reed Wood and Preston Lynn all had two apiece. Johnston lit up the scoreboard with four RBIs and two runs scored.

Lynn and Johnston combined for the four-inning victory. They each gave up two hits and Lynn struck out three

batters. It was a much bigger nail-biter against the Hornets of Beauregard as Reeltown had to come from behind nearly the entire game. The Rebels ultimately won a walk-off in the eighth inning.

Beauregard scored four runs in the top of the third, and it was up to Reeltown to chip away at it, which it did.

The Rebels ultimately

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 12

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

4 Calera at Elmore County, 6:30 p.m.

THURSDAY, MARCH 13

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

4 Shelby County at Elmore County, 6:30 p.m.

4 Alabama Christian Academy at Tallassee, 5:30 p.m. (DH)

4 Stanhope Elmore at Prattville, 4:30 p.m.

4 Glenwood at Holtville, 6 p.m.

4 Edgewood at Macon-East Tournament, TBD

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

4 Tallassee at Montgomery Catholic, 4 p.m.

4 Calera at Wetumpka, 5 p.m.

4 Holtville at Maplesville, 4:30 p.m.

4 Crenshaw at Edgewood, 4 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

4 Wetumpka at Benjamin Russell,

tied it up in the bottom of the sixth, and Johnston and Wood got to play heroes in the eighth inning. Johnston smacked a one-out double and was immediately followed by Wood’s double that drove in the winning run. Against Beauregard, Brody Smith was credited with the win as he threw the final inning. Jamarkius Smith racked up six strikeouts in

5:30 p.m.

4 Beauregard at Holtville, 5:30 p.m.

4 Stanhope Elmore at Alabama Christian Academy, 5:30 p.m.

FRIDAY, MARCH 14

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

4 Edgewood at Macon-East Varsity Tournament, TBD

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

4 Edgewood at Macon-East Tournament, TBD

HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

4 Wetumpka at Stanhope Elmore, 5:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, MARCH 15

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

4 Headland, Stanhope Elmore at G.W. Long, 12:30 p.m.

4 Wetumpka, Providence Christian at Enterprise, 1:30 p.m.

4 Holtville, Beauregard, 9 a.m.

four innings of work.

ELMORE COUNTY PICKS UP PAIR OF WINS

The Elmore County baseball team found itself back in the win column with wins over Shelby County and St. Anne Pacelli to improve to 9-4 on the season. Through both wins, the Panther logged 13 hits with Gage Davis accounting for

4 Edgewood at Macon-East Tournament, TBD

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

4 Edgewood at Macon-East Varsity Tournament, TBD

MONDAY, MARCH 17

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

4 Elmore County at Montgomery Catholic, 3:30 p.m.

4 Sylacauga at Tallassee, 4:30 p.m.

4 Wetumpka at Chilton County, 6 p.m.

4 Edgewood at Fort Dale. 4 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

4 Wetumpka at Saint James, 4:30 p.m.

4 Edgewood at Fort Dale, 4 p.m.

TUESDAY, MARCH 18

HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL

4 Valley at Elmore County, 6 p.m.

4 Stanhope Elmore at Maplesville, 6 p.m.

three. Jacob Eason also got involved with two hits while Hayden Jones came away with two of his own.

Jones, Austin Davis and Evan Spence all saw time on the mound for Elmore County where they combined for 16 strikeouts — Jones accounted for eight himself. Through both games, the trio surrendered only six hits and six runs.

Marbury at Holtville, 6 p.m. HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

Valley at Elmore County, 6:30 p.m. 4 Central Phenix City at Stanhope Elmore, 3:30 p.m. (DH) 4 Holtville at Pike Liberal Arts, 6:30 p.m.

Edgewood at Hooper, 3:30 p.m. HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER

Tallassee at Marbury, 5:30 p.m.

Holtville at Elmore County, 5:30 p.m.

Eufaula at Stanhope Elmore, 5 p.m. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 19 HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL 4 Stanhope Elmore at Prattville, 6 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOL BASEBALL

Benjamin Russell at Wetumpka, 4:30 p.m.

HIGH SCHOOL SOCCER 4 Montgomery Catholic at Tallassee, 5:30 p.m.

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Public Notices

Public Notices

Selling your home? Advertise here and sell it faster. Call Classifieds at 256.277.4219.

PUBLIC NOTICE Lewis General Contractors, Inc. hereby gives notice of completion of contract with the City of Tallassee for construction of Project No. TAPNU-TA19(917) in Elmore County. This notice will appear for four consecutive weeks beginning March 12 2025 and ending April 2, 2025. West Front Street, Thomasville, AL 36784 during this period. Lewis General Contractors, Inc. Tallassee Tribune: Mar. 12, 19, 26 and Apr. 2, 2025 COMPLETION Looking for a home? Look in our classifieds section and learn of great deals for you and your family.

PUBLIC NOTICE

TALLASSEE MUNICIPAL GAS SYSTEM “NOTICE”

WHAT TO DO IF YOU SMELL GAS

That distinctive odor is the harmless chemical we add to natural gas so you can detect even the smallest amount that might escape. It smells bad... but that’s good! Natural gas has no odor on its own. Everyone should be able to recognize our built-in system safety signal. If you ever detect faint whiffs of this odor, INVESTIGATE. If possible, “follow your nose” to the source. It may be only a pilot light that’s out, or a burner valve partially turned on. Something easily and safely corrected. If the source of the gas cannot be located or the odor persists, call Tallassee City Hall, 283-4298, during normal hours (7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.) Monday through Friday. At night or on weekends or for any emergency reporting of gas line breaks, call Tallassee Police Department 283-6586. Please give adequate directions as to the location of the leak.

Sarah Hill, Mayor City of Tallassee

Stuffed, young patients ‘treated’ at ECHS

Kindergartners learn teddy bear healthcare at ECHS

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Mario, Aubie, Sonic, Bunny, Bear and children were “patients” at the second annual Elmore County High School Teddy Bear Clinic hosted by HOSA.

Eclectic Elementary School kindergartners lined up as parents of their favorite stuffed animals for the high school students to check out. The high schoolers took vitals and X-rays while asking the kindergarteners questions they might hear in a medical office.

“We want to help them feel more comfortable going to the doctor, dentist or hospital,” HOSA sponsor Wanda Baker said. “It helps my students who are thinking about going into a medical career. They get to

practice their skills, taking blood pressure and other vitals, talking to a patient through fun activities.”

The “patients” got ID armbands and were admitted to the ECHS emergency room. Symptoms were noted, vitals taken. Everyone got X-rayed.

Then it was to be in the waiting room before donning PPE for surgery, where the high schoolers assisted the kindergartners removing objects from boards and teddy bears.

Managing the mass of kindergarteners mimics the stress a medical professional might be under in a hospital or doctor’s office. The program also emphasized healthcare practices the youngest can do at home, such as brushing teeth.

Eclectic Elementary School celebrates Read Across America

By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor

Thing 1 and 2, Cindy Lou Who and The Cat and in the Hat came to life at Eclectic Elementary School last as the school celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday and Read Across America. Throughout the week, stu -

dents at the school dressed as their favorite book characters, had guest readers such as members of the ECHS football team and Future Teachers of Alabama and finished it with camp day.

“The students and teachers read as they rotated through several different teachers,” librarian Jessica Quinn said. “They also did activities with the teachers.” Almost all of the books were from Dr. Seuss. Activities ranged from hopscotch to dancing to a relay race to making a Thing 1 or 2 wig. Everyone also got in on decorating doors and halls for Read Across America.

“It’s been a very busy week,” Quinn said. “The teachers and kids have loved it.”

Elmore County hitting its stride at right time

SAMUEL HIGGS Sports Reporter

Even being down some major contributors the Elmore County girls soccer team remains undefeated after taking down Tallasse, 4-0.

The Panthers were without leading scorer Cadie Crews heading into Friday’s clash with the Tigers. However, a pair of goals from Daniela Martin alongside goals from Emmalyn Morse and KeKe Walker you would not have noticed they were not at full strength.

“I’m extremely proud of all of my girls,” ECHS coach Leslie Hines said. “We’ve had injuries, several starters that are actually out of this game. Everyone stepped up and did their job. Everyone contributed to this win. I’m extremely proud of my starters, who stayed in the entire time and did a miraculous job of getting the points on the board and then keeping them to a shutout.”

Elmore County is used to shutouts at this point, in the last four games the Panthers have outscored their opponents, 18-0. Even with the

offense playing as well as it has, the back row has shined just as bright even with new girls filling in the holes left by prominent senior pieces from last year’s team.

“We were able to keep our defensive line behind them and in the right places,” Hines said. “We have several new girls on the defensive line. We’ve lost some amazing seniors from last year’s team,

so we’re still working out the logistics of who’s playing where, and that has been the goal going into area play.”

Heading into area play, Hines wants her team to continue to show improvements while also limiting their mistakes, but is still proud of what she’s seen from her team early on.

“I’m hoping to be at full capacity and full strength,”

Hines said. “Just to play our game and wanting to win as a part of that and then just keeping our skills in check and cutting down those mistakes I feel like we can take advantage of the other team’s mistakes.”

On the boys side, Elmore County was unable to take down the Tallassee and fell 4-3. Despite the loss, a lot of promise was shown through -

out the game.

One of the main being goalkeeper Preston Baker, who might have had the best game of his high school career. He filled up the state sheet with the sheer amount of saves he had on the day, limiting a dominating Tallassee team to minimal success.

“I feel like if (Preston) plays like that the rest of the season, we’re gonna have a good chance,” ECHS coach Jeff Bracknell said. “Tallassee is a good team, they’ve got a lot more experience than we’ve got, as far as games this year, and by far the best game he’s played all year.”

Heading into area play, Bracknell wants to make sure his team continues to play like they did against Tallassee. He was pleased with his team’s effort, but wants to make sure they take advantage of their shot selection.

“(I want) continuation of the effort they gave tonight, plus a little bit more ball movement, moving the ball a bit more,” Bracknell said. “Of course, maybe keeping possession a little bit more rather than wasting shots.”