OPINION: THERE’S NO SHAME IN SEEKING HELP, PAGE 4.
THURSDAY
THE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
Inside, page 6
August 24, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 168 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
SPORTS, PAGE 12 Reeltown gets the local season started tonight
INSIDE TODAY: This year’s all inclusive high school football preview By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
For weeks and weeks, the Outlook has been preparing for the upcoming football season, and now it’s finally here. Three teams hit the gridiron for Week Zero, while next week, all five area teams will be in action. Tonight, Reeltown travels to play rival Notasulga to get the season started. Benjamin Russell will play a Jamboree game at Stanhope Elmore Friday and the Dadeville Tigers will take the field Friday night as they play
host to the always tough LaFayette Bulldogs. Also on Friday Horseshoe Bend travels to Sylacauga to face B.B. Comer and Coosa Central will entertain Catholic of Montgomery. Ready for some football? We have just what you need. Inside today, you’ll find our exclusive Gridiron Guide to all your preseason football needs. We’ve got rosters, schedules, stadium information and in-depth previews for each teams’ seasons. We’ve also selected a 2017 Outlook fantasy football team, which
Product liability suit playing out in circuit court
Sabal Trail Pipeline dealt a blow in federal lawsuit By ANDREW CAPLAN Gainesville Sun
A U.S. District Court of Appeals in Washington, D.C., ruled 2-1 against the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission on Tuesday for failing to include enough information on the impact of greenhouse-gas emissions carried by a network of pipelines, including Sabal Trail Transmission. The case was filed by the national and Florida Sierra Clubs, a nonprofit environmental advocacy group, in August 2016 and was based on FERC’s environmental impact study for the Sabal Trail pipeline. It is not immediately clear if the ruling will have any impact on operations of the gas pipeline that runs through North Central Florida, including parts of Alachua, Levy, Gilchrist and Marion counties. The Sabal Trail pipeline, which became operational in June, is a 515-mile natural gas project that travels from Alexander City, Alabama, through Georgia and Florida. It has been controversial across Florida for the past few years with protesters saying the $3.2 billion pipeline would be harmful to the environment and Floridan aquifer. Merrille Malwitz-Jipson, an organizer with the Sierra See PIPELINE • Page 3
gives you an inside look at who will be some of the best players from around the area, plus we have an early look at Lyman Ward Military Academy’s new coach John McNeal. Head online for even more coverage, where we’ll be releasing a “Three Keys to Success” series, which will tell you the most important things to know about each area team. Join us live on Facebook every Friday night and check the rest of our digital coverage. After all this wait, it’s time to let the games begin.
B CLIFF WILLIAMS By SStaff Writer
Large product liability cases are something many think are handled in big city s courtrooms, years in the making and with c millions of dollars at stake. m Alexander City is the site of one of those cases this week. c The case involves Jacksonville, Florida residents Loretta and Donald Carter who r filed suit against Bell Sports following a July f 2, 2 2012 bicycle accident on County Road 40. Loretta crashed after a confrontation with
NO WORD YET
Search for Ga. man continues on Lake Martin
See LAWSUIT • Page 3
Chamber seeks small business nominees
By MITCH SNEED Editor
The search for a Georgia man who went missing while swimming with friends in Lake Martin Monday evening stretched into its third day and despite the tireless efforts of local and state agencies and countless volunteers there is no closure. Teams were back on the water before 7 a.m. Wednesday searching the surface, using sonar to search under the water and divers were also on the scene. See SEARCH • Page 5
STAFF REPORT Staff Writer
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Top, two boats carrying search team members pass Wednesday morning. The third day of searching didn’t provide many answers as more agencies joined the process. Above, rescue workers rotate in and out to stay cool and hydrated at the command post at the City Boat Ramp on Stowes Ferry Landing.
The Alexander City Chamber of Commerce is seeking input from the community in nominating area businesses for consideration as 2017 Small Business of the Year, an annual awards program presented by The Partnership of the Chamber of Commerce Association of Alabama and the Business Council of Alabama. “Small business growth and success are the foundation to a prosperous economy, especially on the local level,” said President and CEO of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce Ed Collari. “We are blessed See NOMINATION • Page 3
Dadeville City Council terminates agreement with grant writer City Clerk Mike Gardner. “We’re looking around for someone to help us out,” he said. The Dadeville City Council “We have time to think about it and voted to terminate their agreement pick someone up in the next few with Monroe and Associates, the months.” grant underwriters for demolishing On a more positive note, the dilapidated structures around town, mayor and the city council praised during Tuesday night’s council Marrell Ward for his hard work in meeting. making Saturday’s soap box derby Dadeville Mayor Wayne Smith such a big success. indicated that the company had “If you missed the soap box stopped communicating with derby, you missed a good one,” the town and was not returning Councilwoman Brownie Caldwell phone calls as the reason behind said. terminating their agreement. “We want to recognize you for The city had not yet found a new what you did with the derby,” group to assist in the grant writing, Smith told Ward. but they would be weighing their Ward presented two certificates options, according to Dadeville of appreciation to the council, By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Donald Campbell / The Record
Ducky Ward Soap Box Derby organizer Marrell Ward and Dadeville City Councilwoman Brownie Caldwell with the certificates of appreciation Ward presented to the Dadeville City Council.
Today’s
Weather
87 67 High
Low
54708 90050
Lake Levels
490.59 Reported on 8/23/17 @ 5 p.m.
USPS Permit # 013-080
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See COUNCIL • Page 3
Lake Martin
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443 6
showing his thanks for the assistance the council and the city of Dadeville as a whole had given him to make the event as great of a success as it was. Representatives for the Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce were also present, presenting the chamber’s plans for a Dadeville Fall Festival scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 23. The event is scheduled to begin at 10 a.m., with a wide range of activities including 20 food and craft booths, face painting, a cvlassic car show, an archaeological display at the Tallapoosee Historical Museum, inflatables and live entertainment
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