THE LOCAL PAGE 5 LOCAL, BRHS grad inducted into Ole Miss Columns Society
THURSDAY SPORTS, PAGE 10 Pat Love is doing BRHS proud heading up Tigers
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
April 26, 2018 Vol. 126, No. 83 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Man dies in fall from fair ride Amusement company employee falls from Ring of Fire ride, dies Wednesday
By MITCH SNEED Editor
An amusement company employee died Wednesday after falling off the Ring of Fire at the Kiwanis Fair at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex, according Mitch Sneed / The Outlook to Tallapoosa County Coroner Mike Knox. The name of the male victim had not See FAIR • Page 9
LEARNING FIRSTHAND
Accused killer denied reduction of bond By MITCH SNEED Editor
The alleged triggerman in the Jan. 18, 2017 killing of 27-year-old LaDarrell Lamar Hart in his Third Street home will not have his bond reduced. Dadeville residents Edward Rashun Thomas, 21, and 21-year-old Bobby Thomas Lee Ponds Jr., were arrested Jan. 20, 2017 and charged with murder for their alleged involvement in the shooting death of Hart. A preliminary hearing painted Thomas as the shooter and Ponds as helping in the aftermath of the crime. Both men have been indicted and Thomas was previously denied youthful offender status. A decision on Ponds’ application for youthful offender status is pending. See THOMAS • Page 9
Fourth-graders grasp the value of water with hands-on education at annual festival
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
S
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Top, Horseshoe Bend School fourth-grader Carissa Looser kisses a large mouth bass. Above, area fourth-graders inspect a black crappie captured from Lake Martin Wednesday morning at the Annual Tallapoosa County Water Festival at Wind Creek State Park.
DAV provides assistance to local veterans By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
When the men and women of the U.S. Armed Forces return from service, it can be a difficult time adjusting to a non-military life. For those who may have been injured or wounded and are now disabled, this adds an additional challenge. Thankfully, for those veterans from Tallapoosa County, the Bill Nichols Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans is there, ready to help in whatever way they can. “Our goal is to help soldiers and their families get the benefits they deserve,” Bill Nichols Chapter Commander Hugo Perez said. “If you were injured, we want to make sure you get the benefits you are supposed to get.” Founded during the First World War to help soldiers
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ome got kisses, others got “eww” – and they were not meant for a boyfriend or girlfriend or even a spouse but for fish at the 6th Annual Tallapoosa County Water Festival. “They’re weird,” Dadeville Elementary School fourth-grader Samantha Robinson said. “I’m not going to kiss a fish.” “Where is it?” Horseshoe Bend fourth-grader Carissa Looser asked. “I will kiss it.” See WATER • Page 3
Great Bethel lawsuit set for trial today
Bill Nichols Chapter Commander Hugo Perez speaks at a DAV luncheon held in March.
By MITCH SNEED Editor
A civil lawsuit involving former leaders at Alexander City’s Great Bethel Baptist Church and the church’s longtime minister Rev. Dr. Emerson Ware Jr. are due back in court Thursday at 9 a.m. to announce if a settlement has been reached or begin the trial. On Feb. 14, Judge Ray Martin set a trial date of April 26, but instructed Alexander City attorney Mitch Gavin, who represents the former trustees and Jason Jackson, who represents Ware, to try to negotiate a settlement. At last check with the attorneys involved, no agreement was finalized. See BETHEL • Page 9
File / The Outlook
returning from the trenches of France, the DAV has steadily grown since then, while the local chapter came into existence during the Second World War, receiving its charter in 1944. Since then, the Bill Nichols chapter has been active throughout the area, providing local disabled veterans with whatever aid they can provide. “If a veteran needs help in cutting his grass, we can See DAV • Page 9
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