29, 2022
OCTOBER TBALL EDITION KLY HIGH SCHOOL FOO 21, Minor 7 ... Page 14 ALABAMA’S BIGGEST WEE 35, Holtville 7 ... Page 8 Stanhope Elmore 15 70, Coosa 20 ... Page 7 ... Page 2 Benjamin Russell 48, Valley ... Page 4 a 30 Clay Central 35, Wetumpk 12 ... Page 5 Elmore County 60, Jemison ... Page 6 rg 21 Dadeville 28, Wicksbu
Tallassee 13 ... Page 10 Horseshoe Bend 16, Beulah 8 ... Page 12 Reeltown 40, Zion Chapel d 0 ... Page 13 Lee-Scott 55, Edgewoo
Autaugaville
SPORTS EXTRA
SPORTS EXTRA: See scores from local games inside Sports Extra Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
Dalton Middleton / TPI
Leonard Tallassee running back DJ multiple tries to break tackles from night. Holtville defenders on Friday
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 44 | $1.00 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00
Volunteers join CASA of Elmore County
Holtville High School basketball coach arrested
By CLIFF WILLIAMS volunteers are trained to advocate for the best interStaff of these children in the courtroom and initall By Writer Cliff Williams Wilson was theests head basketinvestigation and handed off areas of life, as needed.” Staff Writer ball coach at Holtville High to the appropriate authorities. School and was The CASA program He was also placed CASA is now up and going in Elmore County. recently sworeon inadministheir first A virtual teacher at Elmore placed on ad- two volunteers in trative at that time.” Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) Elmoreleave County under Judge programorganization ministrative Dennis said school officials ofCounty ElmoreSchool’s County isEdge a nonprofit that Patrick Pinkston. Wanda McCullers and Kathryn has been arrested leave Jan. 13 Bettich, both of Elmore followCounty, the same procedure recruits, screens and and trainscharged community volunteers completed their a school according to El- required CASA training when administrators receiveand towith advocate foremployee children indistribfoster care. and court observation report of allegations against uting obscene material to a stumore County “There are 89 children currently in care in will start serving foster children in Elmore County. school staff and employees. dent. County,” CASA of Elmore County Schools super- More about CASA Elmore of Elmore County can be “Once we hand it over, we Elmore County Sheriff Bill intendent RichExecutive Director Charity Alpert said. “CASA found on its Facebook page. know very little about what is Franklin said Emmanuel Andre ard Dennis. WILSON going on,” Dennis said. “We Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery “We had a recooperate with authorities if turned himself into authorities port,” Dennis Tuesday afternoon. said. “We had a preliminary necessary.”
Franklin said investigators Wilson was released on a with the Elmore County Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes afiff’s Office have the alleged vic- ter turning himself in accordtim’s phone. Authorities collect- ing to the Elmore County Jail ed Wilson’s phone as well. website. “You could see a conversaDennis said Wilson also tion between the two,” Frank- coached other sports at HoltSUBMITTED | THE HERALD linLEFT: said. Wanda “Mr. McCullers Wilson poses is going ville schools including being with Elmore County District Court Judge Judge Patrick to Pinkston. contend someone had the the head track coach and RIGHT: Kathryn Bettich poses with Elmore County District CourtassisJudge Judge security code to his phone and tant football coach. Patrick Pinkston. he was not responsible. There Dennis said other staff would is other information we can’t fill in for the duties of Wilson at disclose now but I don’t think Holtville while he is on adminit’s beneficial to Mr. Wilson.” istrative leave.
STELLAR welcoming members
Holtville Middle School principal arrested
Chamber holds luncheon
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Holtville Middle School principal was arrested Thursday night but has been on leave from his job since Tuesday. By Cliff Williams Lee Jackson, 48, of Deatsville Staff Writer was arrested by the Millbrook Police DepartmentThe andWetumpka booked intoChamber the of Commerce held its Elmore County Jail on a third-degree annual luncheon to install new officers and board domestic members violence charge. for the first time in a while Thursday. The Elmore Boardpandemic of Edu- put a hamper on gathThe County COVID-19 cation said in a statement it is aware of erings but the chamber celebrated the successes of the matter. business in Wetumpka. JACKSON “The incident that led to the arrest “We haven’t been able to do this for the last couis unrelated to the school or our ple years,” chairperson school system,” the statement said.Clay “AsMcConnell of Oct. 25, said. “Your attendance is an indication people want to get back the employee has been on leave. The Elmore County together and have these opportunities see each Public Schools has interim leadership taking care oftothe needs of Holtville Middle School students, staff and See CHAMBER, Page A3 parents.” The statement said the Elmore County Board of Education couldn’t comment any further on the matter. Thursday morning the Holtville Middle School website still listed Jackson as principal. Jackson was released from the Elmore County Jail Friday afternoon.
Police continue investigation, man no longer suspected
SEASON Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon.
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
CLIFF WILLIAMS/
E
By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer
THE HERALD
Police are still investigating the fatal dgewood won their fourth consecutive state championship and the sixth championship in the last shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart parkseven years for the program. Head coach David DeLozier has been the coach for each of the last ing lot on Jan. 20. three championships, and despite losing prominent senior classes each year, his teams continue to werephotos, dispatched to the parking lot get better and better and keep winning. For the full story, see Page B1.Police For more visit www. around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. thewetumpkaherald.com. 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 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 year,” said Benton. Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
Three Wetumpka residents turn 100 years old By ABIGAIL MURPHY Multimedia reporter
See SHOOTING, Page A3
Gardens of Wetumpka Assisted Living has three residents turning 100 years old this year — Joan Bromley, Jackie Sumners and Juanita Welker.
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
JOAN BROMLEY Staff Report
schoolwide assembly at Holtville Bromley’s birthday is Nov. 7, and she said it feels High School. Elmore County Su“impossible” to almost be turning 100. Thinking back The Alabama Association of perintendent Richard Dennis was on her childhood, she said what stands out the most Secondary School Principals attendance was running away from home when she in was around 6 for the presentation. (AASSP) named Holtville High “Kyle Futral is an exceptionyears old. School principal Kyle Futral the al principal “I tell that story all the time. I was mad at my moth-and is very proacHigh Prin-probably tive and innovative in his thinker,2022 and IAlabama packed my bagSchool and I went two doors cipalIof Year. ingmother] and approaches to managing down. ranthe away from home, but she [my The High School Principal knew where I was,” Bromely said. of his school,” Dennis said, the Year award was presented As she principal Bromley was born in New York to City, and went of Holtville High Futral on Friday, Jan. 28 during a School, Futral has transformed See RESIDENTS, Page A3
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the school culture from that of a school struggling with low morale, achievement and attendance to a school that strives for excellence. By collaborating with staff, many of the school’s issues were identified and addressed. Futral’s leadership style of listening, encouraging, supporting, organizing and challenging the staff and students, caused the school culture to
a k p m u Wet
shift in a positive direction. The school experienced a 62 percent decrease in discipline referrals, 50 percent decrease in chronic absenteeism, 7 percent increase in the graduation rate, 33 percent increase in CCR rate and a 20 percent increase in ACT proficiency in the last five years. See PRINCIPAL, Page A3
FUTURAL
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