22, 2022
OCTOBER TBALL EDITION KLY HIGH SCHOOL FOO Home 7... Page 12 ALABAMA’S BIGGEST WEECounty 63, Holtville 48 ... Page 8 Reeltown 8,31,Highland 13 Lakeside 12 ... Page 14 ... Page 2 Benjamin Russell 47, Helena 16 ... Page 4 Wetumpka 34, Sidney Lanier 7 ... Page 6 County Dadeville 49, Randolph
Elmore 32 ... Page 10 Goshen 58, Horseshoe Bend ... Page 11 Statewide Scoreboard
Edgewood 14 ... Page 15 Ranburne 64, Central Coosa
SPORTS EXTRA
SPORTS EXTRA: See scores from local games inside Sports Extra Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
Larry Robinson / TPI
a Payton Stephenson celebrates over touchdown in a big 63-48 victory Holtville. Oct. 21, 2022.
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 43 | $1.00 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00
‘GOT TO High LIVESchool GOOD’basketball coach arrested Holtville
CLIFF WILLIAMS THE HERALD
Wetumpka resident celebrates 100th birthday By Cliff Williams Wilson was the head basket- investigation and handed it off
Staff Writer ball coach at Holtville High to the appropriate authorities. By CLIFF WILLIAMS City of Wetumpka. Schoolthe and was He was also placed on adminisStaffAWriter “I have now,”leave at that time.” virtual teacher at Elmore placed on ad- nothing to do righttrative Sumners responded. County School’s Edge program ministrative Dennis said school officials Jackie Sumners to Willis little more has been arrestedisn’t andnative charged leave Jan. 13was hoping to get afollow the same procedure Wetumpka but employee can remember the openout of with school distribaccording to the El- centenarian. when administrators receive a ing of the Bibb Graves Bridge. “This is the star of the show,” Sumnreport of allegations against uting obscene material to a stu- more County Sumners celebrated her 100th birthers supersaid. “You are going to sing andstaff and employees. school dent. Schools dayElmore surrounded by friends andBill familyintendent dance, right?” “Once we hand it over, we County Sheriff RichatFranklin the Jeanette CivicAndre Room. ard Dennis. Sumners said things are aknow little differvery little about what is saidBarrett Emmanuel WILSON Wetumpka Willis said he “We had a regoing on,” Dennis said. “We Wilson II,Mayor 32, ofJerry Montgomery was goinghimself to hire into Sumners to work for See BIRTHDAY, Page A2 cooperate with authorities if turned authorities port,” Dennis Tuesday afternoon. said. “We had a preliminary necessary.”
Franklin said investigators with the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office have the alleged victim’s phone. Authorities collected Wilson’s phone as well. “You could see a conversation between the two,” Franklin said. “Mr. Wilson is going to contend someone had the security code to his phone and he was not responsible. There is other information we can’t disclose now but I don’t think it’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.”
TPI leadership Police undergoes continue transition
Chamber holds luncheon
welcoming members 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 couCLIFF WILLIAMS/ ple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your attendance is an indication people want to get back CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD THE HERALD The “Art Gone Wild” art depicting animals, wildlife and the outdoors. The exhibit will be up at The Kelly until Nov. 19. Planning together andexhibit have features these opportunities to see each the exhibit inspired the Wetumpka Wildlife Arts Festival. See CHAMBER, Page A3
ART GONE WILD
WILDLIFE ART TAKING OVER DOWNTOWN WETUMPKA
Jackie Sumners celebrated her 100th birthday Thursday being greeted Wilson was released on by a the community $6,000 bond 90 minutes af- at Jeanette Barter turning himself in the accordrett Room. ing to the Elmore CountyCivic Jail Wetumpka Maywebsite. or Jerry Willis Dennis said Wilson also coached other sports stopped at Holt-by to praise Sumners ville schools including being for her comthe head track coach and assismunity involvetant football coach. ment. Dennis said other staff would fill in for the duties of Wilson at Holtville while he is on administrative leave.
investigation, man no longer suspected
By KAITLIN FLEMING Managing Editor
After six and a half years, Steve Baker is retiring from the position of publisher at Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. The company has announced Tippy Hunter, the current director of marketing and advertising for the company, will be stepping into the role of general manager. “I amByvery excited about Tippy Jake Arthur Hunter taking the general Chief Videographermanager’s position,” Kenneth Boone, owner of HUNTER TPI, said.Police “She’s aare hometown girl who still investigating the fatal is very involved in our community, shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart parkand a natural leader to TPI.” ing lot on Jan. 20. Hunter is a native of Alexander City, a graduate of the parking lot BenjaminPolice Russellwere Highdispatched School andtoAuburn University, around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. and has been at TPI for 11 years. Before TPI, Hunter there, they found Winston, worked Once at Russell Athletic in theirCentell merchandising and 42 of Tallassee, dead of a gunshot wound in the driver seat of vehicle. Seehis TRANSITION, Page A3 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 victim and the perpetrator knew each other.” This is the first homicide in Wetumpka in over three years. The last homicide in the city took place in 2018. “It’s not a good way to start out the new Staff Report year,” said Benton. TPI Staff Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
Gas prices falling again, but still high
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
I
t started as another themed art show — “Art Gone Wild.” But now it has grown from the walls of The Kelly to an event to Average gasoline prices in Alabama have fallen cover downtown Wetumpka. Page A3 5.7 cents per gallon in theSee lastSHOOTING, week, averaging “We planned the exhibit first — $3.35 per gallon Monday, according to GasBuddy’s wildlife art,” The Kelly Executive survey of 3,348 stations in Alabama. Prices in AlaDirector Jennifer Eifert said. “Then it bama are 15.5 cents per gallon higher than a month grew to a Wildlife Arts Festival.” ago and stand 17.4 cents per gallon higher than a Eifert said Wetumpka native year ago. The national average price of diesel has Thomas Harris was involved in the risen four cents in the last week and stands at $5.30 planning of the Art Gone Wild exhibit “We will have artists around downtown painting Nov. 5. per gallon. Staff Report schoolwide assembly at Holtville the school culture from that of a shift in a positive direction. The and brought the inspiration to plan High town,” Eifert said.County “We will the struggling There are several scheduled According School. Elmore Su-have school with low moschool experienced a 62 percent to GasBuddy price reports, the cheapthe The larger event. Association of perintendent Wildlife Federation out here demonstrations. est station in Alabama was priced at $2.98 per galAlabama Richard Dennis waswith rale, achievement and attendance decrease in discipline referrals, “He was inspired by the Southeasttheir animals. We will have the sportWildrose Kennels is renowned lon Sunday Secondary School Principals in attendance for the presentation. to a school that strives for excel- 50 percent decrease in chronicwhile the most expensive was $3.89 per ern Wildlifenamed Exposition in Charleston, ing dogs here. will have tastings, their British andstaff, Irish Labradors gallon, a difference of 91 cents per gallon. (AASSP) Holtville High “Kyle Futral is We an exceptionlence. Byfor collaborating with absenteeism, 7 percent increase South Carolina and the wildlife arts cooking demonstrations, vendors and in North America. Their British The national School principal Kyle Futral the al principal and is very proac- many of the school’s issues were in the graduation rate, 33 percent average price of gasoline has fallcents festival in Thomasville,” Eifert said. tivefood kids activities.” are regarded wing2022 Alabama High School Prinand and innovative in his think- identifiedLabradors and addressed. Futral’s among increase in CCR rate en and9.3 a 20 per-per gallon in the last week, averaging per gallon Monday. The national average “He wants that for Wetumpka.” Alabama PleintoAir Artists is aleadership shooters adventurers theincrease most in ACT$3.77 cipal of the Year. ing and approaches managing style ofand listening, en- ascent proficiency The is fromPrincipal 10 a.m. toof4 his school,” group ofDennis artists from state versatile sporting dogs in the world. The festival High School said, all over thecouraging, supporting, organizing in the last five years.is up 10.2 cents per gallon from a month ago and p.m. and has multitudeto of Asand beyondofwho love painting the Nov. Year 5award wasa presented principal Holtville High outand challenging the staff and stuSee GAS PRICES, Page A3 things on. Jan. 28 during a School, doors.Futral They has will transformed be scattered about See PRINCIPAL, Page A3 Futralgoing on Friday, dents, caused the school cultureSee to ART, Page A3 FUTURAL
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
Today’s
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