OPINION: FIGHT AFTER MEETING GIVES CITY BLACK EYE. PAGE 4. DOTTED LINE THURSDAY THE Stacy signs with Oregan State.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 April 28, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 85
Sports, page 8.
www.alexcityoutlook.com
Drug take back event set for Saturday By MITCH SNEED Editor
The Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership is once again teaming up with area law enforcement to offer a safe way to dispose of old, unwanted medication. The fifth annual Drug Take Back Event is set for Saturday, April 30 at Walgreens Pharmacy located in Alex City from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Sabrina Wood, coordinator of the Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership, said the event will offer a free, safe and environ-
mentally-friendly way to dispose of old or unwanted medication. Prescription and over-the-counter drugs are eligible for drop off – no liquids or needles will be accepted. “We partner with law enforcement as a part of this national event, and we’re excited once again to offer this locally,” Wood said. “A lot of times, people do not have access to safe and environmentally friendly ways to dispose of old medicine. This partnership offers that opportunity to them.” Wood said participating agencies include the Tallapoosa County
Sheriff’s Department, Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, Drug Enforcement Agency, Alexander City Police Department and Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership. Items can be dropped off to these agencies in the Walgreens parking lot the day of the event. The free, anonymous, no-questions-asked initiative prevents pill abuse and theft by ridding homes of potentially dangerous expired, unused and unwanted drugs. It also addresses a vital public health See DRUG • Page 3
Area showed resilience in 2011
Students get hands wet at Water Festival By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Sheriff Abbett recalls the tragedy that moved the community to action
The poster that volunteer Vicki Campbell was using to illustrate the water cycle at the 2016 Tallapoosa County Water Festival didn’t show anything like the water that Dadeville Elementary School fourth-grader Cortlin Morgan was looking out upon as Campbell talked. So Morgan asked where the water in Lake Martin came from. Told the lake was manmade, Morgan was even more puzzled. “How could one man do this?” Morgan inquired, motioning at the broad expanse of water off the point at Wind Creek State Park where he and his classmates sat. Campbell and others explained building Lake Martin took hundreds of men who built a dam to block the Tallapoosa River and form See WATER • Page 3
Cliff WIlilams / The Outlook
Area fourth graders take a look at a carp at Wednesday’s Water Festival at Wind Creek State Park. Left, Horseshoe Bend School fourth grader Caleb Montgomery kisses a carp at Wednesday’s Water Festival at Wind Creek State Park. Students couldn’t believe they were able to see another fish inside the mouth of a bass.
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Five years ago, the Lake Martin Community was waking up to incredible devastation caused by a tornado that ripped through a path from just north of Wetumpka, through the heart of Elmore and Tallapoosa counties. Dadeville experienced tremendous loss of property and loss of life. As the anniversary of that day was commemorated in various ways, Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett was hit on two fronts. His department received 839 calls for help in a four-hour period, while his own Dadeville neighborhood took on extensive damage as a result of the EF 4 twister. “When you are actually hit in two ways like that, it extends the things you are dealing with,” Abbett said. “Just the amount of damage that resulted meant that there was no way that it could be handled quickly. “So we were looking at an extended amount of time. But over those three weeks we had 30 See TORNADO • Page 3
Lake Martin
Relay set to ‘Paint the Town Purple’ By MITCH SNEED Editor
Relay for Life, a community benefit for the American Cancer Society, may be on the calendar for May 6 at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex, but the town is already taking on a familiar hue in honor of the cancer fundraising event. Relay for Life is again “Painting the Town Purple.” Bows will be going up this week and hang through the end of Relay. Purple is the color chosen to represent all
cancers, and beautiful bows will begin appearing on the ornamental lamp posts in downtown Alexander City in the coming days. “We are trying to bring awareness of the mission of Relay for Life, which is ultimately to find a cure for cancer,” said Mandy Gilbert with Relay for Life. “The community can help by donating $25 to Relay for Life of Tallapoosa County. In return, we will hang a bow in memory of, or See RELAY • Page 3
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Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Students at Stephens Elementary School recently took part in the American Heart Association’s Jump Rope for Heart event. The students raised over $6,100 to help the American Heart Association fight heart disease. Stephens student Hailey Horsley raised $258, more than any other student at the school. Students raising $100 or more were: Grace Galvan, Austin Holley, Vince Grier, Kailee McCrary, Sergio Alex, Cayden LeWallen, Tripp Gletcher, Mark Butcher, Mara Flournoy, Ana Corley, Hailey Horsley, Makayla Wingard, Zoey Fielas, Katie Bai, Ceclia Radney, Jason Chance, JaMichael Richardson, Katie Waldrop, Cholrie Morgan, Baylee Allen, Madison Shumway, Cortlynn Fisher, Keairra Morgan and Olivia Booker.
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