NEW YE AR’S S AVINGS!
SPECIAL: Annual New Year Savings special section inside Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8
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Water in short supply in southern Tallapoosa County, eastern Elmore County
Holtville High School basketball coach arrested
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
By Cliff Williams The Writer winter weather has Staff caused havoc on multiple water suppliers in the area, primarily A virtual teacher at Elmore inCounty southern Tallapoosa School’s EdgeCounty, program eastern Elmore County porhas been arrested andand charged tions Maconemployee County. distribwithofschool Whileobscene demandmaterial is high and uting to a stuleaks due to burst pipes abound, dent. Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin said Emmanuel Andre Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery turned himself into authorities Tuesday afternoon.
one system is completely out of water in its tanks resorting to Wilson bottled water. Other was the headwater basketauthorities suggestball coachareatcautious Holtville High ing limiting School and usage. was “Unfortunately, placed on ad- Wall Street Water Authority (WSWA) has ministrative completely run out leave Jan. 13 of water on our water system,” according to El- it said on its Facebook page. more County“Our tanks are completely empty and we are at Schools superintendent Richard Dennis. WILSON “We had a report,” Dennis said. “We had a preliminary
the mercy of the treatment plant to supply us water once their current systemand getshanded restored. We investigation it off arethe hopeful [Monday] that we to appropriate authorities. canwas startalso pumping again He placedwater on adminisbut this will be a several trative leave at that time.”day restoration process for officials WSWA Dennis said school to have water at a normal operfollow the same procedure ating level. We are sorry for a when administrators receive this inconvenience and against will do report of allegations our best to have everyone water school staff and employees. “Once we hand it over, we know very little about what is going on,” Dennis said. “We cooperate with authorities if necessary.”
again.” Loachapoka Water Authority WSWA currently has bottled but it normally gets water from water at itssaid office for its cusWSWA.was released on a Franklin investigators Wilson tomers have drinking Tallassee Mayor Sarah afHill with the to Elmore County water. Sher- $6,000 bond 90 minutes WSWA services parts of Reelsaid Monday the city’s water iff’s Office have the alleged vic- ter turning himself in accordtown, East Authorities Tallassee and parts of ingfilter plant has been manned tim’s phone. collectto the Elmore County Jail Macon County. and operating at full capacity ed Wilson’s phone as well. website. Notasulga has multiple leaks Dennis for several daysWilson — even also over “You could see a conversasaid duebetween to breaksthe caused the the holiday. evenatwith that tion two,”byFrankcoached other But sports Holtweather. The small town is lin said. “Mr. Wilson is going ville schools including being See WATER, Page A2 trying to fill its tanks from the to contend someone had the the head track coach and assissecurity 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.
Publix coming to Wetumpka
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 couple years,” chairperson Clay McConnell said. “Your attendance is an indication people want to get back together and have these opportunities to see each
CLIFF WILLIAMS/ THE HERALD
See CHAMBER, Page A3
Construction of Publix in Wetumpka will soon start at the intersection of U.S. Highway 231 and Ft.Toulouse Road.
CLIFF WILLIAMS | THE HERALD
No meteor for New Years in Police Wetumpka
continue investigation, man no longer suspected By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
It’s a tradition started by Wetumpka’s Jack DeVenney more than three decades ago — a New Year’s celebration. It was DeVenney who also started the meteor drop in Wetumpka in the early 2000s but the meteor drop will not happen this year but the celebration lives on. “We are just doing fireworks this year,” City of Wetumpka’s Valencia Johnson said. “There are not going to be any extra activities for New Years By Jake Arthur like in years Chief Videographerpast. There will be no meteor drop or festival.” Johnson said the city decided with Police are still investigating the fatal all theinevents happening downtown shooting the Wetumpka Walmart parklastJan. couple ing the lot on 20. of months, the city needed todispatched take a small break fromlot a Police were to the parking around 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. larger celebration. Once DeVenney’s there, they found Centell meteor drop Winston, started 42 of Tallassee, dead County of a gunshot wound with the Elmore Technical in the driverwith seataof“meteor” his vehicle. Center traveling 300 According Wetumpka chief feet downtoa zipline overpolice 14 seconds. Greg Benton, this was not a random This year’s celebration will shootbe at ing.Goldstar Park with music over the “This wasinstalled not random, a random already soundnot system. A act,” said Benton. thep.m. viccountdown will“We beginbelieve at 11:59 timDec. and the perpetrator knew each other.” 31 with fireworks at midnight. 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
has been in the planning stages for “We couldn’t ask the last two and half years and that for anything better officials with the City of Wetumphe country’s largest employka have been great to work with from the city. City ee-owned company, Publix, bringing Publix to town. officials have been will have a store in Wetump“They have helped us in a lot of ka soon. ways,” Trotman said. “We couldn’t very supportive of Montgomery developer The Trotask for anything better from the See SHOOTING, Page A3 this development. man Company who has worked city. City officials have been very with Publix in several of its develof this development. Mayor Willis is excited supportive opments across the Southeast. Mayor Willis is excited to have to have Publix in “Publix is coming to Wetumpka,” Publix in Wetumpka. We are excitBy CLIFF WILLIAMS Charlie Trotman with The Trotman ed to bring Publix to Wetumpka.” Wetumpka. We are News Editor Company said. “We are hoping to Publix was founded in 1930 excited bringthePublix start in late February, by from George Staffconstruction Report schoolwide assembly atto Holtville school culture that W. of aJenkins shift ininaWinter positive direction. The early March. From there it takesHigh School. Haven, Florida. one of a 62 percent The Wetumpka City Council will County Su-” school struggling with low mo- Publix school is experienced to Elmore Wetumpka. likely decide at its next meeting anywhere from 10 to 11 months to the 10 largest supermarket chains By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
T
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
Rezoning possible on Highway 14
The Alabama Association of perintendent Richard Dennis was rale, achievement and attendance decrease in discipline referrals, for the rezoning of property on the — Charlie Trotman to a school thatinstrives build.” the U.S. employing more decrease than Secondary School Principals in attendance for the presentation. for excel50 percent in chronic southwest side of Wetumpka. (AASSP) named Holtville with staff, inabsenteeism, 7 percent increase The 48,387 square footHigh grocery“Kyle Futral is an exception- lence. By collaborating 240,000 people 1,322 stores, 86 School principal Kyle on Futral al principal is very proacof the school’s issues were in the graduation rate, 33 percent The 15 acres owned by John store will be located thethe north“Weand have 7,000 feet ofmany shops in Alabama. In 2021 Publix’s retail 2022corner Alabama School Prin- oftive and innovative to in his Futral’s increase in CCR rate and a 20 perStanley is currently zoned for rural west ofHigh the intersection unattached the thinkPublix identified out frontand addressed. sales totaled $48 billion. cipalHighway of the Year.231 and Ft. Toulouse ing andonapproaches to managing leadership listening, en-Publixs cent increase in ACT proficiency holding and the rezoning of the U.S. an out parcel,” Trotman said. style ofThe nearest to Wetumpka Theadjacent High School Principal of his school,” Dennis said, two othercouraging, in the five years. property along Highway 14 near Road to the U.S. Post “There are also out par-supporting, are in organizing Montgomery andlast Prattville. the Year was presented to will As principal staff and Office in award Wetumpka. But there cels.” of Holtville High and challengingAthe Publix is stuset to open in March in See PRINCIPAL, Page A3 Jan. 28 during a School, Futral has said transformed dents, caused theSylacauga. school culture to See REZONING, Page A2 FUTURAL beFutral moreontoFriday, the development. Trotman the development
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