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Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
August 1 -2, 2015 • Vol. 123 • No. 153 • www.alexcityoutlook.com
COMMUNITY SUPPORT Golf tourney raises funds for BRHS golf, page 10.
Officer thwarts store robbery By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
An alert Alexander City Police officer was in the right place at the right time late Wednesday and took down a man suspected of robbing a local convenience store. Capt. Tommy Lovett said that 18-year-old Jeremiah Malik Russell of Alexander City was arrested late
Coyotes encroaching on Alex City
Wednesday night and charged with robbery after Officer LaGorrera Maxwell was on routine patrol and spotted suspicious activity at the Happy Mart on Broad Street in Alexander City. “He was in the area, just checking on businesses, making rounds,” Lovett said. “He saw a suspect at the counter with his arm extended and pulled off and waited.”
INSIDE: Local law enforcement take part in National Night Out – Page 5 Lovett said that Russell was inside the store and had a t-shirt wrapped around his hand and demanded money from the store’s cash register. “When he came out of the store, Officer Maxwell was able to take him
To the beat of a different drummer
Animal Control getting more calls about the animals
By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
Outlook Staff Writer
See COYOTES, Page 3
Lila Graves / Special to The Outlook
This is a cellphone image of a coyote on downtown property.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
The Horseshoe Bend High School Marching Band is preparing for its fall show with band camp this past week under the leadership of third year director Bucky Alleman. Above, Emily Elliott and Cody Walrod practice tunes from ‘Grease’ in music rehearsal as drum major Kevin James, right, leads. The band is almost 40 strong up from about 20 just a couple years ago and has majorettes and a color guard.
Surveillance 489.10 image leads to burglary arrest Lake Martin
Lake Levels Reported on 7/31/15 @ 2 p.m.
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
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City to weigh pay raises, economic development pacts Council to again take up reorganization plan, abatement packages
By David Granger If reports around town are to be believed, coyotes are continuing their encroachment on the city. There have been more and more sightings of the animals within the Alexander City city limits. One citizen was cited for illegal discharge of a firearm after shooting at a coyote that was attempting to mate with his dog. There are even reports of the animals – normally considered carnivores – routinely munch on the melons of at least one local farmer. Kelly Cotney, an animal control officer for the Alexander City Police Department, says while reports of coyotes within the city have increased,
down and take him into custody,” Lovett said. “It turned out that the suspect didn’t have a gun, but he presented himself like he did and had robbed the clerk.” Chief Willie G. Robinson said to catch a robbery in progress and catch the suspect without incident is an unusual occurrence and credited See ROBBERY, Page 5
By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
A tip from a citizen who saw a surveillance photo of a man suspected in a smash and grab burglary at a local convenience store has led to an arrest. Alexander City Police Department Capt. Tommy Lovett confirmed that Giddens Demarcus Montrel See IMAGE, Page 3
USPS Permit # 013-080
Williams Plumbing Heating and Air
We do Plumbing too
SERVICE - INSTALLATION - REPAIR RESIDENTIAL - COMMERCIAL - INDUSTRIAL Mike Coker 3875 Dadeville Road, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-329-8488 • 256-267-5021 mobile
Pay raises that were part of a reorganization plan for the Alexander City Public Works Department, but were not approved by a vote of the Alexander City City Council will be back on the agenda for Monday night’s council meeting. Also on the agenda are two economic development agreements that could be good news for the local economy. One of the project development agreements will help pave the way for an expansion at SL Alabama. The second is part of a move that will help Jacksons Gap-based CES Industries purchase the former Russell Corp. New No. 1 Building and set up operation for its laminated paper business, which needs space for expansion. While there may not be a lot of discussion on those two items where agreements are all but finalized, it’s likely that there will be plenty of talk on the Public Works issue. The reorganization plan was the subject of a work session last week that got testy with a heated exchange over communication and the lack thereof between council members Bob Howard and Tony Goss. In two previous meetings, the item was on the agenda and no action was taken. Public Works Director and City Engineer Gerard Brewer showed an organizational chart and explained how duties would be shifted. Brewer said that, over time, the department would reduce the number of superintendents and employees, which would save the city more than $58,000 per year. Some on the council have expressed issues with approving the plan now since it wasn’t handled in accordance with the city personnel manual. Brewer apologized to the council for the See COUNCIL, Page 3
Hwy. 63 paving to go to September By Cliff Williams Outlook Staff Writer
It will be September before the paving project on Highway 63 is finished. “It is a big project,” Mark Ingram with Gary Ingram Paving said. “The job requires over 50,000 tons of asphalt and we produce about 1000 tons day.” The state project starts at the Tallapoosa and Elmore County line and stops at Highway 280 in Alexander City. Mitch Sneed / The Outlook “It’s a little over 12 miles and A crew from Gary Ingram Paving lays down asphalt on Highway 63 we are doing 128 over to Wind Thursday. The project should be completed in September. See PAVING, Page 5