After winning four consecutive state wrestling titles, Enterprise High School senior Mackenzie Schultz is now focused on an even bigger goal: the 2028 Olympic Games.
Schultz says her drive comes from her passion for the sport, calling wrestling more of a lifestyle than a hobby. Her coach, Billy Landry, says her intense work ethic and leadership set her apart, adding that she has become like an assistant coach to younger athletes.
In addition to wrestling, Schultz trains in judo and jiu-jitsu. She has competed internationally in judo, earning third-place finishes at the Pan American Games, Cadet Worlds, and Junior Pan competitions. She competes under 170 pounds in judo and 152 pounds in wrestling.
Training seven days a week, Schultz balances home workouts with travel practices, all while preparing for her next major event — the IBJJF Pan Championship in March.
As she finishes her final year as a Wildcat, Schultz says she’s proud to represent Enterprise on the world stage and is determined to qualify for the 2028 Olympics in judo.
“Dreams don’t work, unless you do,” and that motto is being put into action by the Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
The Sheriff and Deputies have spent countless hours cleaning and preparing the county’s new Training Center, and this week the facility is hosting the Alabama Tactical Officers Association BTOC Course — commonly known as SWAT School.
Participants were awarded scholarships through ATOA, allowing officers from across Alabama to attend. Agencies represented include Saraland Police Department, Coosa County Sheriff’s Office, Hale County Sheriff’s Office, Brent Police Department, Fort Payne Police Department, Dale County Sheriff’s Office, Quin Police Department, Headland Police Department, and Henry County Sheriff’s Office.
Out-of-town officers were able to stay free of charge in the dormitories at the Training Center, helping remove financial barriers that might have otherwise prevented some departments from sending personnel.
Sheriff Eric Blankenship said bringing this course to Henry County has been a year-long goal.
“This has been a goal of mine for the past year and seeing this class come together is truly a result of great partnerships with the Henry County Commission, the Alabama Tactical Officers Association, and the staff at the Henry County Sheriff’s Office. A lot of these officers attending training this week may not have been able to get this training without this opportunity. As I put the new panels in the sign at the road today it made it all feel a little more real. Even though the facility has a lot more work to be done on it, we are on the right path!” — Sheriff Eric Blankenship
The training marks a major step forward for the county’s new facility and highlights the strong partnerships between local leadership and statewide law enforcement organizations.
More updates from the Training Center are expected as work continues and additional courses are planned
Join us tomorrow, 2/25 at 11:30am for our official opening!
We are so grateful for the support and cannot wait to welcome you in!.
This location across from the Highland Elementary has been in the works and a dream for the Home Oil family, for a long time. This store is worth the wait and we look forward to seeing all of our friends and customers tomorrow, for a very soft opening.
Long before he took the oath of office as Alabama’s first Republican governor since Reconstruction, Guy Hunt was simply a farm boy from Holly Pond.
Raised on red clay farmland, he grew up in a tight-knit community where neighbors helped neighbors and where hard work, faith and personal character shaped everyday life. Those early years in Holly Pond influenced everything he later became.
Hunt was known locally as a dependable young man deeply rooted in his church and community. He became a Primitive Baptist preacher, ministering in small rural congregations where his steady, plainspoken way of speaking made him relatable to the people he served. In Holly Pond, he was the kind of person families turned to when they needed guidance, a prayer or a calm voice during hard times. Before statewide politics ever entered the picture, he worked jobs that kept him close to everyday people, farming, helping families through his work in the funeral home industry, and staying actively involved with his community. Those who knew him often say he always made time to talk and treated everyone with respect.
His first big step into public service came in 1964 when he was elected probate judge of Cullman County. For a young man from Holly Pond, it was a surprising win, but his humble, community-minded approach quickly made him well-liked. As probate judge, Hunt listened more than he talked and supported the farmers and families of Cullman County, understanding their struggles because they were the same ones he had grown up with.
In 1986, Alabama politics took a dramatic turn. A chaotic Democratic primary left many voters frustrated and opened the door for an underdog. Hunt’s rural background, simple message and genuine manner resonated with people across the state who felt overlooked by the political establishment. When the votes were counted, he had made history as Alabama’s first Republican governor in more than a century. For Holly Pond and Cullman County, it was a moment of immense pride, proof that someone from a small, tight-knit community could rise all the way to the top of state leadership.
Even after taking office, Governor Hunt never acted like he had left rural Alabama behind. He pushed for improvements in agriculture, economic development in small towns, job opportunities outside big cities and better infrastructure in places often forgotten by Montgomery. He often reminded people that the true heart of Alabama was not found in skyscrapers but in its farms, churches and small-town streets, communities just like Holly Pond.
His time as governor ended in a difficult and controversial chapter when he was removed from office following a conviction involving inaugural funds. It was the first time in state history a sitting governor had been taken out of office, and it divided opinions across Alabama. Some believed it was a necessary legal decision, while others felt he had been targeted because he was not part of the political elite. In his hometown, many continued to see him as the same man they had always known, their neighbor, their preacher and their friend.
Guy Hunt’s life remains one of the most unique and memorable political stories in Alabama. His journey from a Holly Pond farm to the Governor’s Mansion showed that rural voices mattered and that an ordinary man with deep community roots could change the direction of state politics.
His legacy continues to influence Alabama today and stands as a testament to humble beginnings, steadfast faith, and the lasting impact one small-town leader can make.
The Worth Cleaners next to Cottonwood Corners may look like a really nice local store. There is only one problem, this is only a hub drop off location, they have to truck your garments to the head office in Montgomery, Alabama. So they will tell you, yes we will have this ready tomorrow, that is only if their truck, drives your garments all the way back from Montgomery.Lets support local dry cleaning businesses, that doesn’t have to ship your clothes two hours to get cleaned. Let’s keep the dry cleaners that made significant investments in dothan, open.
U.S. Sen. Tommy Tuberville, R-Ala., has joined Sen. Rick Scott, R-Fla., in introducing the SNAP Data Transparency and Oversight Act, aimed at increasing federal oversight of the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).
The bill would require states to provide recipient-level data to the U.S. Department of Agriculture upon request to help combat waste, fraud, and abuse. States that fail to comply within 30 days could risk losing federal SNAP funding.
Lawmakers say the measure is designed to ensure taxpayer-funded benefits go to those who truly need them. The bill also includes privacy safeguards and allows relevant data to be shared with law enforcement for investigative purposes.
The legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Senate and will now move through the legislative process.
