R 10, 2022
SEPTEMBE TBALL EDITION KLY HIGH SCHOOL FOO Abbeville 0 ... Page 12 ALABAMA’S BIGGEST WEE 18, Holtville 7 ... Page 8 Edgewood 40,Central Coosa 24 ... Page 14 8 ... Page 2 Wetumpka 27, Park Crossing ... Page 4 Dadeville 27, Saks 13 6 ... Page 6 Beauregard 14, Tallassee
Selma 22 ... Page 9 Reeltown 42, Goshen Bend 0 ... Page 10 Luverne 12, Horseshoe
Isabella 65, 21 ... Page 15 Clay 49, Elmore County
Larry Robinson / TPI
Tallassee’s Joshua Grifn wrestles for the ball during a game against Beuregard Thursday, Sept. 8, 2022.
SPORTS EXTRA: See scores and coverage of local high school games inside Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
SPORTS EXTRA WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 37 | $1.00 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00
Local Winn-Dixie stores offering Pfizer Holtville High School basketball COVID-19 bivalent booster vaccines By report Cliff Williams Staff Staff TPI StaffWriter virtual teacher at Elmore InAaccordance with updated County School’s Edge program CDC and FDA guidelines, Southhas been arrested and charged eastern Grocers (SEG) is now with school employee distribadministering Pfizer bivalent uting obscene material to a stuCOVID-19 booster vaccines in dent. select Winn-Dixie pharmacies, Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said Emmanuel Andre Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon.
Wilson those was the head basketincluding at the Alexander ball coach at Holtville High City, Millbrook, Montgomery, School and was Prattville, Selma and Wetumpka placed on adstores. ministrative This is in addition to the Modleave Jan. 13 erna bivalent boosters currently according to Eloffered in select in-store pharmamore County cies. The reformulated versions of Schools superthe Pfizer and Moderna vaccine intendent Richard Dennis. WILSON “We had a report,” Dennis said. “We had a preliminary
Food truck event to benefit Family Sunshine Center
coach arrested
Franklin said investigators Wilson was released on a investigation andprotection handed itagainst off aim to improve with the Elmore County Sher$6,000 bond 90 minutes aftothethe appropriate authorities. original strain of the coronaiff’s Office have the alleged victer turning himself in accordHe was also placed on adminisvirus as well as the Omicron subtim’s phone. Authorities collect- ing to the Elmore County Jail trative leave at that time.” variants BA.4 and BA.5. website. Dennis said school officials ed Wilson’s phone as well. The Pfizer bivalent COVID-19 “You could see a conversaDennis said Wilson also follow the same procedure vaccine is authorized for use as a when administrators receive a tion between the two,” Frank- coached other sports at Holtsingle booster dose for individureport of allegations against lin said. “Mr. Wilson is going ville schools includingFILEbeing | THE HERALD school staff and employees. to contend someone had the the(pictured) head track coach and assisThe Winn-Dixie locations in Wetumpka and Millbrook are now offering VACCINES, “Once we See hand it over, Page we A2security codebooster to his vaccines. phone and tant football coach. COVID-19 know very little about what is he was not responsible. There Dennis said other staff would going on,” Dennis said. “We is other information we can’t fill in for the duties of Wilson at cooperate with authorities if disclose now but I don’t think Holtville while he is on adminnecessary.” it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave.
Chamber holds luncheon
welcoming members
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Family Sunshine Center is hoping a food truck event will not only raise some money for the organization but, more By Cliff Williams importantly, raise awareness about the Staff Writer organization. Executive Director Tay Knight said the The Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its Oct. 22 event at the Wetumpka Farmers annual luncheon to install new officers and board Market will also be the introduction of an members for the first time in a while Thursday. organization under the center’s umbrella. The COVID-19 pandemic put a hamper on gath“It’s being hosted by Change Champierings but the chamber celebrated the successes of ons,” Knight said. “It’s a young professionbusiness in Wetumpka. als group.“We haven’t been able to do this for the last couIt’s their first event.” ple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your The Family Sunshine Center mission attendance is an indication people want to get back is to help end domestic violence, sexutogether and have these opportunities to see each al assault and human trafficking. It has centers across central Alabama including See CHAMBER, Page A3 See FOOD TRUCK, Page A2
Hours could change for entertainment district By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon. CLIFF WILLIAMS/
Police continue investigation, man no longer suspected By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer
CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD
HERALD Rana Stubbs Futral, president and CFO of First Community Bank ofTHE Central Alabama speaks at the reImagine Women’s Summit ThursPolice are still investigating the fatal day. Futral spoke about the importance of women learning about finances. 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 Greg Benton, this was not a random shooting. “This was not random, not a random act,” said Benton. “We believe the vicBy CLIFF WILLIAMS tim and the perpetrator knew each other.” Staff Writer This is the first homicide in Wetumpka in over three years. The last homicide in he Wetumpka Chamber of Comthe city took place in 2018. merce reIMAGINE Women’s “It’s not a good way to start out the new Summit did what it was supyear,” said Benton. posed to do — inspire women. Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
WOMEN’S CONFERENCE
‘BREAKS THE MOLD’
T
Walking around with an adult beverage in the downtown Wetumpka entertainment district could get a little easier. The Wetumpka City Council is considering More importantly, inspire women changing the hours of the district created by the to break the mold. Chamber Execucouncil a year ago. City attorney Justin Edwards See SHOOTING, Page A3 tive Director Shellie Whitfield hoped said the proposed change would allow someone the summit would show attendees, to walk in the district from 4 to 9 p.m. Sunday especially women, they are not stuck through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday in stereotypes. through Saturday with a beverage from a down“The idea is if we reimagine town store in an approved cup. CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD ourselves outside of the age-old nar“This would extend the hours of the entertainLeslie Sanders, Alabama Power Southern Division Vice President speaks at the reImagine rative, thentheweschool in turnculture can imagine ment anytime during these hours,” Edwards said. assembly at Holtville StafftoReport schoolwide from thatWomen’s of a shift a positive direction. The SummitinThursday. ourselves in business,” Whitfield “If there is a special event with different hours, High School. Elmore County Su- school struggling with low mo- school experienced a 62 percent said. the impact ed environments. told the referrals, “But don’t do that. You have to let theyThe would come back to the council.” Alabama Association of perintendent Richard Dennis was“In turn, rale,imagine achievement and attendance decreaseSanders in discipline we can have within our communities crowd of women gathered at the them know that what they said or did The council held a first reading of the amended Secondary School Principals in attendance for the presentation. to a school that strives for excel- 50 percent decrease in chronic and beyond.” Wetumpka Civic to not be small in is not acceptable.” ordinance for the entertainment district at its Tues(AASSP) named Holtville High “Kyle Futral is an exception- lence. By collaborating with staff, absenteeism, 7 percent increase Leslie Sanders is a vice president those environments. Sanders told a story of being a day meeting. It could be on the agenda for approval School principal Kyle Futral the al principal and is very proac- many of the school’s issues were in the graduation rate, 33 percent with Alabama Power Company and “I have found myself wanting to at 2022 the council’s next meeting. Alabama High School Prin- tive and innovative in his think- identified and addressed. Futral’s increase in CCR rate and a 20 peroften findsleadership herself in male shrink theincrease corner,” Sanders To change hours outside of these hours cipal of thethe Year. ing and approaches to managing styledominatof listening, en- into cent in ACTsaid. proficiency See CONFERENCE, Page A3 would councilPrincipal to pass a resolution for Therequire Highthe School of his school,” Dennis said, couraging, supporting, organizing in the last five years. the Year award was presented to As principal of Holtville High and challenging the staff and stuSee HOURS, Page A3Futral has transformed dents, caused the school culture to See PRINCIPAL, Page A3 Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a School, FUTURAL
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
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