SPORTS: Wetumpka earns area championship over BRHS, B1 Deputy recovering after being shot in Claud standoff, B8 INSIDE: Albritton scholarship plants seed for the future, A5 WEDNESDAY, MAY 1, 2024 | VOL. 125, NO. 18 | $1.00
Judd’s daughter to serve 60 days in jail Holtville High School basketball coach arrested WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 2022 | VOL. 123, NO. 5 | $1.00
By CLIFF WILLIAMS tion. Kelly was News Editor By Cliff Williams Wilson wasoriginally the head charged basket5 with indeStaff Writer ball coach atApril Holtville High Grace Kelley is sleeping in the School and was cent exposure, Elmore Countyteacher Jail untilatJune. obstructing govA virtual Elmore placed on adThe 27-year-old of County School’s daughter Edge program ministrative ernment operations has beenJudd arrested and charged Wynonna pleaded guilty to leave Jan. and 13 soliciting with school employee distrib- according to Elobstructing government operaprostitution. Her uting material to stu- KELLEY more County tions andobscene public lewdness in aMillplea agreement got dent. brook Municipal Court Thursday. Schools superthe indecent expoElmore County Sheriff Bill sure intendent Kelley was sentenced to 60 days chargedRichreduced to public saidyears Emmanuel Andre lewdness ard Dennis. in Franklin jail and two of probaand the soliciting prostiWILSON Wilson II, 32, of Montgomery “We had a returned himself into authorities port,” Dennis Tuesday afternoon. said. “We had a preliminary
Clanton man sentenced to 30 years for child sex abuse
tution charge dismissed. Court records theit inciinvestigation andcontain handed off dentthereport from Kelley’s arrest to appropriate authorities. by the Police DepartHe wasMillbrook also placed on adminisment. leave at that time.” trative Officerssaid responded a call Dennis schooltoofficials follow the who samewas procedure about Kelley reported when administrators to be asking for moneyreceive near a report of allegations Walmart while wearing aagainst pink school staff andand employees. bra, black skirt pink panties. “Once we had hand it over, “She also a neon greenwe know very little about sign with writing stating,what ‘Rideis going on,” Dennis said. “We cooperate with authorities if necessary.”
4 a Ride’ along with several stated the female was causing homemade price investigators stickers on the issues in was the store with other Franklin said Wilson released on acussign the and Elmore her clothing,” theSherreport $6,000 tomers,” the report states. afwith County bond 90 minutes states. Kelley was located at the interiff’s Office have the alleged vic- ter turning himself in accordKelley became agitated when ingsection Highway 14 andJail Intertim’s phone. Authorities collectto theofElmore County officers spoke withasher. state 65 and when officers asked ed Wilson’s phone well. website. “You could see later a conversasaidsheWilson About an hour Millbrook Dennis for her name became also agitated tion between thea two,” Frank- coached other sports at Holtpolice received call a robbery and started yelling at officers. lin said. “Mr. Wilson 14 is going schools including being occurred on Highway with a ville“She was dressed inapprotovictim contend someone had the the head track coach and described as the woman priately, a short skirt cut assisup the security code to his phone and tant football coach. officers had just encountered. he was Dennis said otherSee staff would “[A]not storeresponsible. clerk called There and JAIL, Page B2 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
each count to be served consecutiveDouglas Sims Jr. will ly. be 72 years old when he is The case By Cliff Williams released Staff fromWriter prison. stems from Sims, 42, of Clanton a February was sentenced Thursday Chamber 2023 investiThe Wetumpka of Commerce held its SIMS by 19th Judicial Circuit to install new officers gation the annual luncheon andby board Court Judge Joy Booth members for the first time in a while Millbrook Thursday. after pleaded to threepandemic Policeput Department Theguilty COVID-19 a hamperwhen on gathcounts oferings second-degree enforcement was alert-of but the chamberlaw celebrated the successes sexual abuse of a in 13-yearbusiness Wetumpka.ed about the possible abuse “WeThe haven’t been able to do this for the last couold in March. sentence plein years,” Clay McConnell said. “Your See ABUSE, Page B2 is 10 years prisonchairperson for attendance is an indication people want to get back together and have these opportunities to see each
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
See CHAMBER, Page A3
Law enforcement to get mental health help
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
AROUND THE WORLD AT WETUMPKA MIDDLE SCHOOL CLIFF WILLIAMS/
By Jake Arthur Chief Videographer
THE HERALD
By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
M
any years ago, Puerto Rico native Jessica Tapia depended on her son to help translate for her teachers. Now, she teaches Spanish at Wetumpka Middle School and has encouraged other English Second Language students to embrace their ethnicity through the school’s multicultural celebration. “We began four years ago
Police are still investigating the fatal shooting in the Wetumpka Walmart parking lot on Jan. 20. with 13 countries,” Tapia said.Police tries anddispatched welcomed to thethe ESL were parking lot “It has grown to 67 and now around is and exchange students from 10:45 p.m. for a “shots fired” call. more like a festival.” School as well. Once Wetumpka there, theyHigh found Centell Winston, A walk around the school’s42 of Tallassee, At each dead display, there was wound of a gunshot track Friday were students in theinformation about country driver seat of his each vehicle. talking with each other. They’re and often there was food or According to Wetumpka police chief Mexicans, Guatelmans, Greeks, a snack that could be found Greg Benton, this was not a random shootUkrainians and more. ing. there — in some cases cooked Hosted by the WMS Span- “This by was parents. students not Band random, not also a random ish Club, the multicultural day performed native music. act,” said Benton. “We believe the vicis open to everyone. Studentstim and the Currently Elmore County perpetrator knew each other.” did their own research and ThisSchools offers ESL programs is the first homicide in Wetumpka made displays about what in over to three help students learnlast English. years. The homicide in they learned. Native studentsthe city took place in 2018. represented their own coun- “It’s not a goodSee WORLD, Pagethe A5new way to start out year,” said Benton. Benton didn’t want to speculate on the
person as a chaplain.” The Wetumpka City Council has already approved its Editor’s Note: This story portion of funding the posicontains information about tion. Elmore County Sheriff suicide and may be triggering Bill Franklin said the counto some readers. If you are ty’s portion will go through suicidal or having suicidal the budgeting process with ideations, please call 988 the Elmore County Commisimmediately. sion starting in June. Franklin has already had preliminary Many police departments, talks with county leaders See SHOOTING, Page A3 CLIFF WILLIAMS | TPI sheriff’s departments and about the need for such a Jessica Tapia, right, dances for students at Wetumpka Middle School for multicultural day. even fire departments have a position. Tapia started the program four years ago with 13 countries with displays and had 67 this year. volunteer chaplain program. “It is one of the main But sometimes those voluntopics in developing our teers are unavailable to assist budget going forward,” officers and victims in emer- Franklin said. “It will help gencies. our employees and will Staff Report schoolwide assembly at Holtville the school culture from that of a shift in a positive direction. The To help combat the probhelp Wetumpka and those High School. Elmore County Su- school struggling with low mo- school experienced a 62 percent lem,The the Wetumpka Police inof the surrounding area. It is Dennis wasBy CLIFF Alabama Association perintendent Richard rale, achievement decrease in units discipline referrals, WILLIAMS and attendance replace HVAC at many schools (English Language Arts) kits and Department and the Elmore something we will all benefit Secondary School Principals in attendance for the presentation.News to aEditor school that strives for excel- and 50create percent decrease in chronic programs to help educate math enrichment kits so kids can County Sheriff’s Office are High from.” “Kyle Futral is an exception- lence. By collaborating with staff, allabsenteeism, (AASSP) named Holtville 7 even percent students. It has beenincrease used for progress and prepare for the next creating a shared position to departments School principal Kyle Futral theThe al principalhave and ais very proac- Elmore many of the school’s were programs in the graduation rate, around 33 percent County Schoolsissues is making that have been for grade in August.” aid2022 firstAlabama responders. chaplaintive program, but leadersin his think-sure identified High School Prinand innovative Futral’s decades. increase in CCR rate and a 20 perit gets the and mostaddressed. from the fundEven after covering the cost of “Thisofisthe a peer support realizeding more to be to managinging supplied cipal Year. andneeded approaches leadership of listening, increase in ACT proficiency by style the federal govern- en- cent “It will pay full pay for summer those, there was still some monies program,” Wetumpka helpschool,” with possible The High Schooldeputy Principaldone of tohis Dennis said, organizing school,” in the last five County years. Schools mentcouraging, as a resultsupporting, of the COVID-19 Elmore left from the pandemic funding that police chiefaward Ed Reeves the Year was said. presented to As principal of Holtville Highpandemic. and challenging the staff and stu- chief school finance officer Jason Seewill PRINCIPAL, Page A3 “ItFutral will beoncoordinated Friday, Jan.by28one during a See School, Futral hasA5transformed The dents, caused thehas school culture to Mann said. “It HEALTH, Page FUTURAL extra funding helped also provide See SUMMER, Page B2 By CLIFF WILLIAMS News Editor
Holtville’s Futral Alabama principal of the year
Summer learning just became easier in Elmore County
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