OPINION: HASTY LOTTERY VOTE RAISES QUESTIONS, PAGE 4.
Former Wildcat returns to BRHS as coach. Sports, Page 10.
TUESDAY
THE WHAT’S GOING ON?
Keep up with your community with our calendar, page 5.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 August 9, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 159
www.alexcityoutlook.com
Forum features city’s options for mayor By MITCH SNEED Editor
Is it in the best interest of Alexander City to continue on the Cliff Williams / The Outlook path it’s on or do residents deserve Candidates from left, Charles Shaw, Mark Fuller, Mark Lamborne and better, need a better-qualified leader or a no-nonsense approach in the Jim Nabors met with voters in a forum on city issues Monday night.
mayor’s office? Those were the options voters were presented Monday night as the Lake Martin Young Professionals hosted the 2016 Alex City Mayoral Forum at the Betty Carol Graham Technology Center at Central Alabama Community College.
Bus drivers voice complaints at board meeting
County, Dadeville to merge courthouse projects
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
A representative of Tallapoosa County Schools bus drivers and an Alabama Education Association representative voiced concerns over certain conditions for the drivers in the Tallapoosa County school system at Monday’s meeting of the Tallapoosa Count Board of Education at the Central Office in Dadeville. Arlene Booth, who has driven buses in the Tallapoosa County system for 28 years, and AEA District 22 Uniserv Director T.C. Coley presented the board with a memorandum outlining their concerns and then voiced them to the board members, as well. Coley said the items listed in the memo came from “several bus drivers within Tallapoosa County, several of which came up during a meeting with had with you toward the end of last school year and several that have come up in continuing conversations.” The memo listed safety concerns first, asking for “an immediate review of loading and unloading procedures for the younger students.” Booth said, more specifically, the item refers to four-year-old pre-K students. “When it refers to the youngest, I’ve had several drivers come to me about the four-year-olds,” Booth said. “Just this past week,
By MITCH SNEED Editor Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Above, Jim Pearson Elementary School second grader Kenterrius Hoyett does push ups in physical education under the direction of Patricia Jones. Below, nervously, Jim Pearson Elementary School first-grader Heath Sanders picks up his lunch tray as Montravious Shealey looks on.
FIT TO LEARN City schools report smooth start to new year By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
There were few, if any, surprises as the school year started on Monday in Alexander City Schools. Principals at the system’s five schools all reported smooth starts to the year with only the normal bumps along the way. “We’ve had an extremely smooth start,” said Andrew Caves, principal at Radney Elementary School. “We started out the day with an assembly for our new fifth graders to help get them get acclimated to the school and they did an outstanding job. It’s been very calm and very quiet and everything is going smoothly. “One thing we’ll be doing right away
See BOARD • Page 9
Weather
87 73 High
Low
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
489.10 Reported on 8/09/16 @ 5 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
8
A day of prayer at Great Bethel
The Alabama Judiciary Inquiry Commission officially signed off on an agreement Monday that will avoid a public hearing and suspend Tallapoosa County Probate Court Judge Leon Archer for six months without pay. The action comes as a result of an investigation launched following a Jan. 30 Alexander City Outlook story that revealed that the judge had exchanged sexually explicit message with a See JUDGE • Page 9
Locally Owned for Over 45 Years
256-234-6071
1945 Hwy 280 • Alexander City
HOLMAN FLOOR COMPANY THE PROFESSIONALS”
A plan to merge two separate projects where grants were awarded to help beautify and rework the streetscapes around the Tallapoosa County Courthouse and just how the Tallapoosa County Probate Court Judge’s Office during the six-month suspension of Judge Leon Archer will operate were the main topics of discussion at the August meeting of the Tallapoosa County Commissioners Monday. The city of Dadeville and Tallapoosa County both applied for and were granted funds to do curb and gutter work, sidewalks and traffic-flow aids and beautification work. Dadeville’s grant was to be to the outside of that square, while the county’s was to do work on the inside of that area. The Dadeville City Council applied last September for the grant and Tallapoosa County did the same in December. Since so much of the work will overlap, engineers felt it would be wise See COMMISSION • Page 9
Chair-ish committee seeks decorated items for annual raffle
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Hardwood Floors Ceramic Tile Carpet & Vinyl
“WE’RE
See SCHOOL • Page 3
Archer’s suspension official after Monday action
Today’s
A crowd of 419 people were on hand for the forum and they saw four men who all seemed sincere in their hope to lead the city. Mayor Charles Shaw and challengers Mark Fuller, Mark Lamborne and Jim Nabors See MAYOR • Page 9
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Great Bethel Missionary Baptist Church members William and Dorothy Bentley took part in the day of prayer at the church with a Bible study. +
Bill’s Electric ELECTRICAL CONTRACTORS
P.O. Box 673 1814 Airpor t Blvd • Alexander Cit y, AL
(256) 234-4555 “PROVIIDING QUAALITYY ELEECTRRICALL CONSSTRUUCTIIONN SINCE 196 61”
For the third year, MainStreet Alexander City’s Chair-ish committee is asking you to decorate a chair, stool or a piece of furniture of your choice to be raffled off to benefit MainStreet Alexander City. “We have some incredible talent in our community and last year was the biggest and best,” said Jane Benton Howell, a member of the Chair-ish committee. See CHAIRISH • Page 3
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Cars• Vans• Trucks • SUV’s
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