SPORTS: Holtville volleyball relying on experience to improve in 2022, B2 Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
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Clardy and Allen selected to serve Alabama 4-H as State Ambassador
Holtville High School basketball coach arrested
By Cliff Williams Wilson was the head basketBYStaff CLIFF WILLIAMS Writer ball coach at Holtville High Staff Writer School and was A virtual teacher at Elmore placed on adElmore School’s County 4-H will be represented on County Edge program ministrative a state level for the upcoming year. has been arrested and charged leave Jan. 13 4-H members Lauren Clardy and according to Elwith school employee distribRachel were recentlytoselected utingAllen obscene material a stu- to more County dent. Schools superserve Alabama 4-H as a 2022-2023 state Elmore County SheriffasBill intendent Richambassador. Those selected an ambassador Franklin said Emmanuel ard Dennis. serve as a representative of Andre the organization, WILSON Wilson 32, of Montgomery “We had a releading andII,assisting statewide with 4-H turned into authorities port,” Dennis clubs andhimself youth council meetings throughout afternoon. said. “We had a preliminary theTuesday club year. “I’ve met so many people who inspire me everyday through 4-H,” Clardy said. “As a 4-H ambassador I hope to inspire others the same way they inspire me.” While serving as a state 4-H ambassador, Clardy and Allen will have the opportunity to develop their skills in leadership, citizenship, public relations and team building.
OFF TO SCHOOL
Franklin said investigators Wilson was released on a investigation and handed it off to the appropriate authorities. with the Elmore County Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes afHe was also placed on adminis- iff’s Office have the alleged vic- ter turning himself in accordtim’s phone. Authorities collect- ing to the Elmore County Jail trative leave at that time.” website. Dennis said school officials ed Wilson’s phone as well. “You could see a conversaDennis said Wilson also follow the same procedure when administrators receive a tion between the two,” Frank- coached other sports at Holtreport of allegations against lin said. “Mr. Wilson is going ville schools including being school staff and employees. CLIFFtoWILLIAMS contend| THE someone HERALD had the the head track coach and assis“Once we hand it over, we security code to his phone and tant football coach. Students in Elmore County filled the halls and classrooms Monday, Aug. 8, as school know very little about what is he was not responsible. There Dennis said other staff would started back. Students learned the routines of school on the first day at Wetumpka going on,” Dennis said. “We is other information we can’t fill in for the duties of Wilson at ElementaryifSchool including cafeteria cooperate with authorities disclose nowthebut I don’troutines. think Holtville while he is on adminnecessary.” it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave.
Wetumpka students fill classrooms as school starts back
Chamber holds luncheon
welcoming members See 4-H, Page A6
By Cliff Williams Staff Writer
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon.
The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its annual luncheon to install new officers and board members for the first time in a while Thursday. The COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gatherings but the chamber celebrated the successes of business in Wetumpka. “We haven’t been able to do this for the last couple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your SUBMITTED | THE HERALD attendance is an indication people want to get back Lauren Clardy hopes and to inspire her as she to see each together havethose thesearound opportunities serves as a 4-H State Ambassador. See CHAMBER, Page A3
CLIFF WILLIAMS/
Police continue investigation, man no longer suspected By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer
THE HERALD
Police are still investigating the fatal shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart parking lot on Jan. 20. Police were dispatched to the parking lot around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. Once there, they found Centell Winston, 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot wound in the driver seat of his vehicle. According to Wetumpka police chief BY CLIFF WILLIAMS Greg Benton, this was not a random shootStaff Writer ing. “This was not random, not a random River Region United Way (RRUW) is act,” said Benton. “We believe the vicaccepting donations now through the end of the tim and the perpetrator knew each other.” This is the first homicide in Wetumpka year to support area nonprofits through its annual in over three years. The last homicide in campaign. the city took place in 2018. The 2022 United Way Annual Campaign “It’s not a SECURITY good way to start out the new BY CLIFF WILLIAMS The kitchen at Redland Middle SCHOOL is a community fundraising drive to support year,” said Benton. Staff Writer School will have the same equipment Dennis said Elmore County Schools community-based nonprofit agencies as they Benton want totospeculate on the as the new kitchen at Stanhope have didn’t made strides make sure address the River Region’s health, education, It’s no secret Elmore County is Elmore High School. students and staff are safe while at financial stability and basic needs. growing and with that growth, more “It is all new hardware,” Dennis school. New See schools are constructed The theme of the 2022 effort is “Be a Champion SHOOTING, Page A3 classrooms have been added by the said. “It’s state of the art.” to limit access from the outside and in Your Community.” RRUW’s 2022 Annual Elmore County Board of Education. Dennis said staff from the others are being retrofitted. Campaign is co-chaired by senior vice president Holtville is adding classrooms lunchrooms at Stanhope Elmore “Two of the last three schools and cash management officer with Servis First and a new kitchen is still being joined Redland Middle last week to without security entrances are going in Bank, Delbert Madison and business manager with constructed at Stanhope Elmore High train on the newer equipment. right now,” Dennis said. “There is also Alabama Power Ronda Cherry-Smoke. Madison is School. Newly constructed Redland At Stanhope Elmore, students will a perimeter fence around the back of a Montgomery native, and Cherry-Smoke has lived Report at Holtville school up culture a shift a positiveas direction. Middle School isthe opening to from that get of meals madeinelsewhere kitchen Theour schools.” inStaff the River Region for over two decades.schoolwide Both are assembly High School. Elmore Countyfor Su-the first school struggling mo- school experienced a 62 percent The single point of entry and students time. Elmore with low construction is completed. members of the River Region United Way’s Board The Alabama Association of perintendent Richard Dennis was rale, achievement and attendance in discipline County Schools Superintendent “For thedecrease first month, we will referrals,limited access on the perimeter of of Directors. Secondary Principals in attendance for theRichard presentation. a school that strives excel50 percent in chroniccampuses is not the only changes in Dennis to said while staff and for[be bringing] in food decrease from outside “I am excitedSchool to kick off our 2022 Campaign,” (AASSP) named Holtville High exceptionlence.the Bynew collaborating staff, forabsenteeism, 7 percent increasesecurity to the campuses of Elmore students will occupy school, with sources the main entree,” Dennis Cherry-Smoke said. “Improving the quality“Kyle of life Futral is an Kyleeffort. FutralWith the challenges al principal and iscontractors very proacmany of the school’s issues were in the graduation rate, 33 percentCounty Schools. are still there. said. forSchool all takesprincipal a community 2022by Alabama High School Prin-in community tive and innovative in“There his thinkand addressed. increasesuch in CCR rate and a 20 per- “We also now have a resource is a lotidentified to be done,” Dennis Futral’s Other schools as Holtville shaped the pandemic, an increase cipaland of changes the Year.in the workplace, increased ing and approachessaid. to managing en- cent increase ACT proficiency “There are leadership punch list style itemsoftolistening, Elementary School willinmove classes officer on each campus,” Dennis said. needs Theto High School Principal of his school,” Denniscontinue said, to be done. couraging, supporting, the last five years. the We are trying to organizing around as in necessary to allow “Last year we had seven resource access resources is critical to accomplishing the the Year award was presented to As principal of Holtville High set andupchallenging the staff and stuget the kitchen and operating installation of new HVAC systems. officers. This year we are going to See PRINCIPAL, Page A3 Page A2Futral hasastransformed Futral on Friday, Jan.See 28 CAMPAIGN, during a School, it should.” dents, caused the school culture to have 14. That isFUTURAL significant.”
River Region United Way launches campaign
Construction creates minor issues for Elmore County Schools
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
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