Headlines
Photo by Trey Wood
By Trey Wood
LANETT — Officials with Lanett Police Department felt it appropriate to move forward while taking a classy step back.
In October, police Chief Angie Spates asked the city council to fund four Ford Police Interceptors to help revitalize the department's more aged rides.
Instead of just getting four new vehicles, they got a new paint scheme to match. Instead of the department's regular coloring, the new vehicles feature a sleek, simple, black and white color scheme, giving residents and criminals alike a chance to see their local police department on the move.
"We like the black and white. We've heard for a while a lot of agencies like the black and white," Spates said. "and the general public seems to like the black and whites too because it is a visible sign of law enforcement."
The black and white coloration is one of the oldest and most recognized color schemes. North American police cars have featured black and white colors for decades, including the iconic Bluesmobile, a 1974 Dodge Monaco driven by Jake and Elwood Blues in "The Blues Brothers."
"We were able to buy vehicles like these for our police officers who do such a good job," Lanett Mayor Oscar Crawley said. "It's a tough job to deal with the public out here, but when you have nice vehicles and everybody commenting on how nice they are — I haven't heard anybody comment about the cost.
"They just talk about how nice they look running up and down the road."
And they do. The simple black and white is accentuated by a supercharged, 288-horsepower V6 engine with Ford's EcoBoost system, allowing 20 percent more fuel efficiency then their previous engines.
At night, the vehicle's roar, sure, but they glide as well.
"The image of law enforcement goes a long way to protect. … The image of trust and protection makes a big difference," said Elinor Crowder, executive director of the Greater Valley Area Chamber of Commerce. "… We are very proud of this visible sign of the progressive initiative of Chief Angie Spates and her staff."
No matter the power or the appearance of the vehicle — it all boils down to protection, protection for the residents of Lanett and visitors to the city along with supporting other local law enforcement groups in their own endeavors.
A resident recently supported was Denise Clark, president of the chamber. Several items were taken from work vehicles at her husband's business, Chris Clark Grading and Paving, and within a week, officers recovered about 95 percent of that removed.
In her words, the vehicles are a welcome gift to a group of admirable, talented officers.
"I have respect for all the officers and thank you for everything you do at Valley, LaFayette, Lanett, West Point," Clark said. "Mayor, they deserve these cars."
VALLEY — On Monday, a veteran who served his country in World War II will be honored during a 11 a.m. Memorial Day services at Veterans Park in the Langdale community.
Like so many young men did at the time, Harvey Brooks answered the call to duty during that pivotal period in history, then made military service a career following the war, remaining in service until retirement.
A U.S. holiday that's annually observed on the final Monday in May, Memorial Day is a day for remembering the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. armed forces.
Originally known as Decoration Day, the holiday originated in the years following the Civil War as a way of remembering the Union and Confederate soldiers who died in the conflict.
In the 20th century, the holiday was extended to include all Americans who died in service to their country. Since then, many volunteers have placed lots of U.S. flags on the graves of those who died while in service.
Monday's program will be dedicated to local men who have fallen. In recent years, two new monuments were dedicated in the park, one containing the names of the young men from the Valley area who died while in military service in WW II and another marker containing the names of those young men who have died in wars since then — Korea, Vietnam and Afghanistan.
The names on those two markers will be read aloud during Monday's program.
Everyone is invited to the program. Remarks will be made by members of the host organization, American Legion Post 67 and the local Legion Auxiliary.
LANETT — A Lanett woman recently was charged with first-degree theft after allegedly taking money from residents interested in adopting children.
Chief Angie Spates said the police department was notified at the beginning of May of an adoption scam. Brandi Renee Harsh, 37, allegedly told potential parents she was affiliated with the company Angel Adoptions, a legitimate adoption agency through Waltham, Mass.
Spates said Harsh would tell those interested that she could help them adopt a baby, also that fees were minimal and they wouldn't have to worry about any stiff regulations.
The Alabama Bureau of Investigations was notified of the scam, and agents posed as an interested couple contacted Harsh to make a payment. Once Harsh took the money, she was taken into custody and charged with first-degree theft.
"Lanett Police Department wishes to thank the Alabama Bureau of Investigations and their dedicated agents for their hard work in bringing this case to an end," Spates said. "We would also like to thank the Fifth Judicial Circuit's District Attorney's Office and Chambers County Drug Task Force, as well as the concerned citizens who alerted law enforcement to the scam."
Anyone with further information on the scam, or if they know of anyone affected, is asked to call the state Bureau of Investigations at1-800-392-8011.
Sports
By Scott Sickler
Times-News Sports Editor
WEST POINT — The public is invited to show their support for the Point University men’s and women’s athletics programs by becoming members of the Skyhawk Club, the school’s new athletics booster program.
The inaugural 2013-14 Skyhawk Club is designed to provide financial assistance to the more than 300 men’s and women’s student-athletes at the school.
Point will field 16 varsity sports next year, eight each for men and women.
Point’s athletic department supports the school’s Christ-centered service and leadership program by offering numerous opportunities for men and women to participate in a top-notch, intercollegiate athletics program.
Athletics allows student-athletes opportunities to not only grow physically but also socially in addition to his and her overall spiritual development throughout their college years.
Fitness, self-confidence, leadership and teamwork are just some of the goals and benefits achieved in an athletics program.
With this thought in mind, it takes strong financial support to be successful. For additional information, contact: Pam Powers-Smith at (706) 385-1000.
By Scott Sickler
Times-News Sports Editor
MONTGOMERY — Lanett High student-athlete Zanquanarious “Juicy” Washington has been named to the AHSAA South All-Star football team, according to a press release from Ron Ingram, Alabama High School Athletic Association’s (AHSAA) communications director.
Washington played for three seasons for coach Clifford Story at Lanett High School and is projected to be a terrific college linebacker with all the physical tools.
The 6-2, 245-pounder enjoyed a big senior season as the Panthers went 8-2, qualified for the state playoffs, and just missed out on winning the school’s first region championship since the 2007 season.
This winter, Washington signed a national letter-of-intent (grant-in-aid football scholarship) to play for the Eastern Arizona JC Gilamonsters.
Teammate and wide receiver/defensive back Desmond Stevenson will also play with Washington next fall at Eastern Arizona.
With a combination of physical play and power, Washington is one of five linebackers on the South roster and among 74 players named to the North and South all-star teams.
The teams were announced by Alvin Briggs, director of the Alabama High School Athletic Directors & Coaches Association (AHSADCA).
The North-South All-Star football game is part of the 17th annual Alabama All-Star Sports Week competition in Montgomery, July 15-19.
All-Star Sports Week includes all-star games in baseball, softball, volleyball and boys and girls basketball and soccer and will also feature the summer conference with clinics and professional development sessions for coaches, principals, athletic directors, cheerleader coaches and officials.
The North won last year’s game 34-12 but the South holds a 29-23-2 edge in the series which began in 1948.
The 55th North-South All-Star game will be played July 18 at Montgomery’s Cramton Bowl.
The AHSADCA operates under the auspices of the Alabama High School Athletic Association. Membership includes coaches of all AHSAA sports as well as administrators of member schools.
By Scott Sickler
Times-News Sports Editor
STONE MOUNTAIN, Ga. — The Troup Tigers were holding a precarious 2-1 lead and just six outs away from playing in its first state championship series since 1985.
Unfortunately for Tiger baseball fans, Troup wasn’t able to hold onto the lead and fell to the Redan Raiders 3-2 in the deciding Game 3 contest here Tuesday afternoon.
It was a terrific three-game series between Troup (22-13) and Redan (28-7) with scores of 9-8 on a walk-off homer in the last of the seventh in Game 1, 4-3 in Game 2 and 3-2 in Game 3.
“It was a tough three games,” said Troup coach Craig Garner, now in his 12th season.
Garner has led the Tigers to the state playoffs 11 of his 12 years as coach in fashioning a 224-141 overall record, including 39-25 in the state playoffs.
It couldn’t have been any closer but still a very tough loss for Troup, as the Tigers had several other good scoring chances, particulary early in the game, to break it open before Redan rallied late for the 3-2 win.
Troup had a number of chances to score more runs and left numerous players on the basepaths, adding to the frustration.
The Tigers tallied two runs in the first inning and had chances to add several others but just couldn’t get them across.
Twice Troup had runners cut down at home plate resulting from good, aggressive team baseball but give credit to Redan.
The Raider shortstop on both plays fielded hard hit balls and made quick throws home to tag out the Troup runners in a pair of very close plays.
If Troup could have capitalized and may have led 4 or 5-0 early but couldn’t break the game open, which proved costly later in the game when Redan rallied.
Redan tallied a single run in the second inning as the game stayed in Troup’s favor 2-1 up to the pivotal sixth inning.
With Troup holding a 2-1 lead in the sixth inning, Redan rallied with two runs off two hits and took advantage of a costly infield throwing error by Troup into a 3-2 win and punched its ticket to the GHSA 4A state championship series opening Saturday at region rival Marist School.
Senior righthander Jarret Adams got the call on the mound in Tuesday’s Game 3 finale and was later relieved by senior Garrett “Git” McClurg, also a righthander, in the third inning.
McClurg faced the minimum number of batters in his work on the mound in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
McClurg later gave way to senior lefthander Jacob Ozley in the sixth inning.
Redan got the break they needed and the momentum for the two-run rally for win in the sixth after the Raiders James Nelson, the nephew of Anaheim Angels player Chris Nelson, reached on an infield throwing error by Troup.
It was an action-packed series for all three games as the Tigers were one pitch away from winning Game 1 with an 8-6 lead in the last of the seventh before losing 9-8 on a walk-off, three-run bomb by Redan’s Trega Williams.
Troup held on for a thrilling 4-3 win in Game 2 and then lost in heartbreaking fashion 3-2 in Game 3.
Adams and Ozley tallied first inning hits as Tyler Bunn (in running for Adams) and Brannon Weathers (in running for Jonathan Foster) scored Troup’s two runs.
Despite the series loss, the Troup baseball team made it back to the state semifinals for the second consecutive season and rang up some impressive numbers, especially the six-member senior class.
The Troup senior class posted a four-year record of 79-30, 34-16 in region play, four straight trips to the state playoffs, 17-8 state playoff record, 17-6 road playoff mark and 14-4 road playoff record the last two years.
Troup’s 14-4 road playoff mark in the GHSA playoffs is the best in all of GHSA baseball’s six classifications.
Just like in 2012, Troup was 7-2 in the playoffs (all on the road) this spring.
You can’t fathom how difficult it is in the GHSA playoffs to go 14-4 all on the road over the last two seasons against some of the best teams in the state, several of which are nationally-ranked.
The future is very bright for the Troup baseball program as the Tigers started three freshmen and one sophomore in the series.
Freshmen Miles Cameron, Bo Halcomb and Winston Turner are all starters for coach Craig Garner’s team as is sophomore slugger Jonathan Foster.
The team’s top power hitter, Foster led the team with six homers and had a terrific season in terms of average, total hits and RBIs.
Foster is a complete hitter and was second on the team in average and hits and led the team in RBIs.
Don’t be at all surprised to see Troup make another run for state honors next spring.
Obituaries
MR. EDMONDSON
LAGRANGE — Funeral arrangements are pending for Mr. Lamar Edmondson of LaGrange, formerly of Lanett, who died Friday, May 24, 2013, at LaGrange Nursing and Rehabilitation in LaGrange.
M.W. Lee Mortuary is handling arrangements.
MRS. PALMER
LANETT — Mrs. Sarah Palmer, 96, of Lanett died Friday, May 17, 2013, at Golden Living Center in Lanett, with her nephew-son, Marvin Moss, at her bedside.
Funeral services will be held Saturday, May 25 at 1 p.m. at Ebenezer Baptist Church of Lanett with the Rev. Eugene Cooks, pastor, officiating. Burial will follow at Pine Hill Cemetery in Lanett.
Foreman Funeral Home is handling arrangements.
MR. BARNES
VALLEY — Mr. Melvin B. Barnes, a resident of Lanett, died Wednesday, May 22, 2013, at George H. Lanier Memorial Hospital in Valley.
Funeral services and survivors to be announced by Davis Memorial Mortuary of Valley.
