DEFENSIVE EDGE
OPINION: REMINDER TO LETS BE SAFE, PAGE 4.
FRIDAY
THE
Former Dadeville assistant returns to lead Tiger defense, page 8.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 August 5, 2016 Vol. 124, No. 157 www.alexcityoutlook.com
Shoppers get a break with sales tax
Sweet Sounds of Strand
Annual tax holiday underway in the state
Workers back, AG investigator questions staff, suit threatened
By MITCH SNEED Editor
For those people with lastminute shopping left to do as their children head back to school, they can find a little bit of relief as they hit the checkout line. The 2016 Back-to-School Sales Tax Holiday started across the state at 12:01 this morning and will run through midnight on Sunday, Aug. 7. This year marks the 11th annual sales tax holiday in Alabama, giving shoppers the opportunity to purchase certain school supplies, computers and clothing free of state sales or use tax. During the tax holiday, the state’s four-percent sales tax will be waived statewide and locally Alexander City and Dadeville councils voted to waive their sales tax on the items covered under the program. Tallapoosa County opted not to participate and will still collect its 2 cents per dollar tax, but the opportunity still presents a potential savings for local shoppers. That means that rather than paying the standard 10 percent sales tax in Alexander City and the 9.5 percent in Dadeville, this weekend shoppers will pay just 2 percent in those cities. Some of the items subject to the tax holiday include: • Clothing priced at $100 or less; • School supplies valued at $50 or less; • Books that cost $30 or less; and • Computers and computer equipment with a selling price of $750 or less. See TAX • Page 3
City Hall filled with activity By MITCH SNEED Editor
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
B. Snipes of Birmingham performs at the final session of the 2016 Lake Martin Young Professionals’ Strand Sessions Thursday night. The Strand Sessions have brought out area residents to downtown Alexander City on the first Thursday of each month this summer. The Young Professionals hope to be able to put together a Christmas series similar to the summer series.
Almost all the employees at city hall in Alexander City returned to work after what Mayor Charles Shaw called “a two-day protest,” an investigator with the Alabama Attorney General’s Office questioned city employees as part of a probe into possible theft of city funds and an attorney for the city’s embattled finance director is threatening to sue. Yes, Thursday was just another day at Alexander City City Hall. Residents seeking to pay utility bills at city hall were able to do so by all means as most of the windows in the lobby were staffed Thursday, after two days where no employees were present to handle the task. “Most everyone is back today,” City Clerk Harriett Scott said. “So payments can be taken in all forms. “ While none of the workers have said on the record why they were out, Shaw told the Outlook Tuesday he felt “it was a direct protest against the council’s action from Monday night ” that put city Finance Director Sandra Machen back on the job. See CITY • Page 2
Camp Hill council votes to return to full-time hours for town employees By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Despite still having income less than expenses, the Camp Hill Town Council voted Monday night to return all employees to 40 hours a week. Just weeks ago the council voted to cut everyone but the police department back to 32 hours in an effort to save money. Court clerk Sallie Heard explained to town staff that everything cannot be done in a 32-hour work week. See CAMP HILL • Page 3
Renew Our Rivers Upper 489.21 Tallapoosa cleanup set Lake Martin
Ready, Set, Read
Lake Levels Reported on 8/4/16 @ 2 p.m.
By DAVID GRANGER Outlook Staff Writer LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
Today’s
Weather
93 74 High
6
Low
54708 90050
8
The 12th annual Renew Our Rivers Upper Tallapoosa River cleanup is Saturday, Aug. 6, with volunteers gathering at Tallapoosa River Outfitters near Heflin, located on Alabama Highway 46 near Heflin. The Upper Tallapoosa River Cleanup is one of more than 30 cleanups in Alabama done as part of Renew Our Rivers, including a Lake Martin cleanup, which is set for Friday and Saturday, Nov. 4-5. “We’ve been doing this for about a decade,” said Kent Owen, manager of Tallapoosa Outfitters. “We clean up about 5.2 miles on the river. The trip by water takes 3-4 hours, depending on the boat traffic and how high the water is. “We have about 20-30 volunteers every See CLEANUP • Page 3
USPS Permit # 013-080
Now Playing:
Suicide Squad 3D – PG Jason Bourne – PG-13 Nine Lives – PG
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Submitted/ The Outlook
Over 100 took part in the Summer Reading Finale for the Summer Children’s Reading Program “Ready, Set, Read” Saturday at the Sportplex Gym. Guests were entertained by juggler, Tom Foolery, mascots like Sparky the Fire Dog, McGrugg the Crime Dog, Winnie the Pooh and Big Al. Children in attendance were treated to train rides and play in sports inflatable. Children were also took home bags and certificates for participating in the reading program following a free lunch.
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