SSPORTS, PAGE 12: VICKERS NAMED NEW HORSESHOE BEND SOFTBALL COACH
TUESDAY
THE LOCAL, PAGE 3
Muster on the Tallapoosa event a success
INSIDE, PAGE 9
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
August 22, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 166 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Authorities search for missing boater
Council cracks down on weeds By MITCH SNEED Editor
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Above: Students at Stephens Elementary School watch the solar eclipse Monday afternoon. Below: This composite image of two photos taken seconds apart at vastly different exposures through a No. 10 welder’s lens shows Smith Mountain Fire Tower and the Monday’s solar eclipse. The image is a representation created by using multiple images. More photos can be seen inside on Page 11.
ALL EYES ON THE ECLIPSE Monday’s solar eclipse brings excitement, wonder to locals By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Monday’s solar eclipse inspired a overwhelming sense of awe and amazement as the moon moved across the sky, obscuring the light from the sun and plunging towns in the path of totality into momentary darkness. While Alexander City did not experience a total eclipse like other cities across the country did, the partial eclipse still elicited excitement from those who made their way outside Monday afternoon. In the downtown area, local residents gathered on the sidewalks near the Court Square, watching the moon make its way across the solar disk. City firefighters joined the throng, stepping into the parking lot in front of Fire Station No. 1 to get a better look at the event. See ECLIPSE • Page 11
Five parcels of residential property were declared public nuisances by the Alexander City City Council Monday night, allowing the city to move forward with cleanup efforts and bill the owners for the work. The council voted 5-0, with Council President Tommy Spraggins absent, to move forward with weed abatement procedures on property located at 69 LaFayette Street, 143 Forrest Street, 49 Forrest Street, 453 11th Avenue South and 992 King Street. Resident and Front Porch Show host Kenny Dean spoke in favor of the declaration, especially on the LaFayette Street property. “It is terrible to see property to get to this point,â€? Dean said. I know there is a limit to what the city can do, but this process here is a good way to get it done. I don’t know what else could be done – maybe bring it into the entertainment district and hold a Halloween haunted house there. That’s about the only other thing I can think of to do with it.â€? This was the third round of recent citations taken up by the council as enforcement of the city’s weed abatement ordinance has been stepped up. “This is working,â€? Councilman Tim Funderburk said. “When this list was first put together, we had 10 properties on the list. When the owners were notified, five of them took care of the issues.â€? The council also voted 5-0 to start the public nuisance declaration process on See COUNCIL • Page 2
Kenneth Boone / The Outlook
Dadeville man arrested after bizarre Saturday incident By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Justin O’Neal Burns was arrested by the Dadeville Police Department Saturday evening after holding law enforcement at bay in a Dadeville neighborhood. “We had a number of calls of him threatening family members,â€? said Dadeville Police Department Assistant Chief Chris Martin. “We tried to make contact with him and he took off.â€? Martin explained that Burns appeared to be in an altered state and with several reports of See ARREST • Page 9
Police identify toddler who drowned in Tallapoosa River Soap Box Derby makes for a day full of fun in Dadeville Brady Knox races during the first annual Ducky Ward Soap Box Derby on Saturday. More photos can be seen inside on Page 10.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
The body of an 18-month-old boy who had fallen into the Tallapoosa River Saturday afternoon as waters rose swiftly was recovered by law enforcement officials late Saturday evening. The discovery of the child’s body came after Tallassee Police Department personnel received a call from a resident who reported seeing what they believed to be the boy’s body in an area not far from where he was last seen. See DROWNING • Page 9
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
The first annual Ducky Ward Soap Box Derby kicked off Saturday with around 30 children and their cars ready to race down Columbus Street next to the Dadeville Cemetery and the football stadium. At the top of the hill, cars of all shapes and sizes were lined up. There were some built in a
Today’s
Lake Martin
90 73
490.54
more traditional soap box style, while others looked like early 20th century roadsters, a kayak and even Lightning McQueen. There were those made of wood, and those made out of wash tubs and wheelbarrows, looking like something out of the movie “Mad Max.� In addition to the soap box derby, inflatables and vendors were spread out across the football practice field, selling food, painting faces and
Weather Lake Levels High
Low
FIRMLY ROOTED IN LAKE MARTIN AND HERE TO STAY.
Reported on 08/21/17 @ 6 p.m.
selling clothing ranging from dresses to Dadeville baseball caps. “There are close to 30 cars here today,â€? event organizer Marrell Ward said. “There are no words to say how much of a thrill this gave me to see.â€? Shortly after 1 p.m., the races kicked off, as each featured two cars dueling for the win and the chance to move that much closer to the championship. See DERBY • Page 10
# ! & " # !
#% & $ "%
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443 6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
8
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
FREE CONSULTATIONS
Evening & Weekend Appointments Available Upon Request
256-329-1313 • 217 Madison Street, Alexander City, AL “We are a Debt Relief Agency. We help people ďŹ le Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 under the Bankruptcy Code. Alabama State Bar requires the following in every attorney advertisement, “ No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.â€?