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U.S. Rep. Barry Moore spoke at City Hall in April

2021 - The Year in News

By Michael Butler

Another 365 days are coming to a close. And the headliner of the year is what closed the chapter on 2021 - a lawsuit by mayor Johnny Hammock against the City of Tallassee and its council members.

Hammock and other city personnel were cited for alleged imporprieties in a resolution turned over to state officials by the council. The mayor countered by filing suit himself.

The council removed the title of superintendent of utilities from Hammock. The position paid an additional $50,000 per year to his $25,500 annual salary as mayor.

A move in Alabama to have municipal cycles on different years than the presidential cycles added another year to Hammock's mayoral term through 2025, but that could be cut short with Hammock's August announcment of his candidacy for Alabama Public Service Commission. That primary will be held in May of 2022.

Commerce returned to the streets of downtown with Sidewalk Sales in 2021

The year began with a return to the new normal after the coronavirus year of 2020 with vaccines being administered.

The Tallassee High School Hall of Pride had its 2021 inductions including a posthumous honor for Tallassee City School board member Lacey Brewer, who was lost to COVID in February.

2021 Tallassee High School Hall of Pride inductions at the 1220 Cafe Warehouse. Pictured (left to right): Carla Brewer for Lacey Brewer, Michelle Hayes Cole, THS principal Chet Stewart for Service Award recipient J. E. "Hot" O'Brien, Sylvia Farrow Phillips, Will Solomon for Olivia Pienezza Solomon. Photo courtesy of Suzannah Solomon Wilson, Tallassee High School Alumni Association.

Tallassee students returned to classrooms with a virtual mix and eventually eliminated the online option. The mask mandate was also removed.

Construction on the new high school began. The 1929 school was demolished. And, a new principal Drew Glass was introduced.

With construction ongoing at Tallassee High School, the candlelight ceremony for homecoming took place at City Hall

Gunshots could be heard in the Jordanville area during an incident on March 12. The shots were captured during a broadcast of Tallassee baseball on WTLS. Three were injured. A December shooting incident turned into a homicide investigation on Jefferson Street in the Carrville area.

Tallassee Police Chief Matthew Higgins announced that he was stepping down in December. Higgins served just under five years in Tallassee as head of the department.

Tallassee's census numbers dipped slightly. The population of 4,763 was about a one percent drop from 2010.

The city council announced its plans to seek bidders to handle demolition on the condemned Hotel Talisi. The former hotel and restaurant was closed after a fire in 2009. It was built in 1928.

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