SPORTS: Wetumpka’s Khloe Harris signs with LaGrange volleyball, B1 Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 48 | $1.00 WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00
Elmore Food Pantry Thrift Store moves HoltvilleCounty High School basketball coach arrested By CLIFF WILLIAMS By Writer Cliff Williams Staff Staff Writer
The Elmore County Food A virtual teacher at has Elmore Pantry Thrift Store now a County School’s Edge program permanent home. has been arrested charged After a year on theand Holtville with school employee Highway, the thrift store isdistribjust utingthe obscene to a stuacross Coosamaterial River Parkway dent.the food pantry it serves at from Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said Emmanuel Andre Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon.
25 Gossum Switch Road. The Wilson was the head basketthrift store has changed what ball coach at Holtville High the food pantry can do. School was “It hasand been a tremendous placed on adboost for the ministry,” Elmore ministrative County Food Pantry board presleaveLarry Jan.Dozier 13 said. “It has ident according to Elbeen great for the food pantry.” more County The thrift store opened about Schools supersix years ago to support the intendent Richard Dennis. WILSON “We had a report,” Dennis said. “We had a preliminary
Wetumpka second graders donate harvest to food bank
food pantry. investigation and handed it off “The food pantry was strugto the appropriate authorities. gling and board members put He was also on adminismoney fromplaced their own pockets trative leave at that time.” to help pay the bills,” Dozier Dennis officials said. “Wesaid wereschool going to do follow thetosame procedure something help the future when receive boardsadministrators to keep the food pantrya report of allegations against from being in that situation.” school and employees. Nowstaff the food pantry owns “Once we hand it over, we know very little about what is going on,” Dennis said. “We cooperate with authorities if necessary.”
the property and building of the “Every penny made from the Franklin said investigators Wilson was released on a old Sanders Motors. thrift store goes to the food panwith the Elmore County Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes af“He had been in business for try,” Dozier said. “Every dollar iff’s haveand the had alleged vic- termade turning himself accord25 Office plus years to retire,” in the thrift in store helps tim’s phone. Authorities collecting to the Elmore County Jail for Dozier said. “He gave us the purchase six pounds of food edfirst Wilson’s phone as well. website. option on the building and a family.” “You couldit.” see a conversaDennis saidpantry Wilson we bought The food helpsalso fill the tion The between the two,” Frankother sports at Holtproceeds from the thrift coached needs of those who are food linstore said.helps “Mr.clients Wilson of is thegoing food ville schools including being topantry. contend someone had the the headSee track coachSTORE, and assisTHRIFT Page A2 security code to his phone and tant football coach. 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.
Chamber holds luncheon
welcoming members
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Second grade students at Wetumpka Elementary School have spent the last few months getting their hands dirty. By Cliff Williams WhileStaff children Writer are known to play in dirt just for fun, these second gradThe Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce held its ers have gotten dirty growing collards to their installlabor new officers and board and kale.annual Now luncheon the fruit of members forthe thecommunity first time in as a while Thursday. is helping others in put a hamper on gaththe crops The wereCOVID-19 donated topandemic the Elmore eringsPantry. but the chamber celebrated the successes of County Food An appearance from Santa Claus closed out one year’s parade. business Wetumpka. Second grade in teacher Katy Hall “We haven’t been able toto do this for the last cousaid the project allowed students years,” chairperson said. “Your make thepleconnection of whereClay foodMcConnell in is an indication people want to get back the storeattendance comes from. together and in have opportunities to see each “Having the kids the these garden has been a great learning opportunity See CHAMBER, Page A3 for the students to make connections that the food we grow takes time and nurturing before it ever arrives at the grocery store,” Hall said. Second grader Brittany Walker was part of the project. By CLIFF WILLIAMS Coosa. This year being held “I enjoyed watering them, pulling Staff Writer all day Dec. 10 in Goldthe weeds and watching them grow,” star Park and downtown Walker said. Jack Devenney is creditWetumpka. ed with starting the Christ“We wanted to make it a See FOOD BANK, Page A3 mas parade in Wetumpka in big deal and remind every1972. one we have been doing Now 50 years later, this for 50 years,” City of Devenney’s parade has Wetumpka special events evolved into an all-day coordinator Valencia Johnevent — Christmas on the son said. “This is the 50th
Members of the Wetumpka Chamber of Commerce attend the chamber’s “A Taste of Our Home Town” luncheon.
Police continue investigation, man no longer suspected
FILE | THE HERALD
50th Christmas celebration CLIFF WILLIAMS/
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 year. It is what inspired our this“We wanted to change Greg Benton, was not a random shoottheme — ‘A Golden Christ- it up a little bit,” Johnson ing. mas.’” said. “After a while you “This was not random, not a random Last year was Christhave to change it a little to believeagain. the vicmas on the Coosa’sact,” firstsaid Benton. make“We it exciting You tim and the perpetrator knew each other.” night parade and it returns do it to attract people to Thisthe is the first homicide in Wetumpka this year. Johnson said come out again. We wanted in over three years. The last homicide in slight change was to give to try something different the city took place in 2018. the event an extra spark to and it worked. Last year “It’s and not a good way to start out the new encourage participation year,” said Benton. attendance. See CELEBRATION, Page A2 Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
coming to Wetumpka See SHOOTING, Page A3
Pavers to help fund pocket project
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
By CLIFF WILLIAMS the new Kelly Building,” Main Street Pavers are currently on sale. They Staff Writer Wetumpka director Haley Greene said. are similar to the ones in The AlleyStaff Report schoolwide assembly at Holtville the school culture from thatfence of a isshift in a there. positive “The already Wedirection. have The way. Small pavers are currently $50 High School. Elmore County Suschool struggling with low moschool experienced a 62 Main Street Wetumpka is creating been doing it increments, because wepercent and larger ones are $100. The Alabama Association of perintendent aRichard achievement attendance discipline referrals, “They will go up in price at the pocketDennis park towas help rale, further tell the andhave to have decrease funding toindo it.” Secondary School Principals in attendancestory for theofpresentation. to a school that strives for excel-said50Main percent decrease in chronic Wetumpka’s unique history. Greene Street is not waitstart of the new year,” Greene said. (AASSP) named Holtville High “Kyle Futral The is anidea exceptionlence. Bystops collaboratinging with 7 percent is to create small forstaff, a brickabsenteeism, paver fundraiser to beincrease “We hope to start on the construction School principal Kyle Futral the al principal around and is very proacmany of the school’s issues were to in the graduation rate, 33 percent town providing information completed do more work. drawings in January.” SUBMITTED | THE HERALD 2022 Alabama High School Prin- tive and innovative in his thinkidentified andmore addressed.“We Futral’s increaseup in the CCRview rate and a 20 per- The pavers will help pay for drawand a reason for people to spend just cleaned a Second grade students at Wetumpka Elementary cipalhave of been the Year. managing style of listening, en-Greene cent increase in ACT proficiency time intotown. The Fallleadership Line Pocket little bit,” said. “The plaques ings and other needed construction at School growing collards and kale withing the and approaches The High School Principal of his school,” Dennis said, couraging, supporting, organizing in the last five years. Park is already under construction in will be going up in December. Five the small park. help of school staff. Now the crops have been donatYear award was presented to those As principal of Holtville High and challenging the staff and stu- plaques will be going in phases. educational edthe to the Elmore County Food Pantry to help See PRINCIPAL, Page A3 between Coaches December.” Futral on Friday,inJan. 28County. during a School, Futral “It hasistransformed dents,Corner caused and the school culture to FUTURAL See PAVERS, Page A3 with food insecurities Elmore
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