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THE SPORTS, PAGE 11 Jordan McGuire named Dadeville softball coach
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
August 17, 2018 Vol. 126, No. 163 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
OPINION, PAGE 4 Hallmark: It’s all right to lovingly disagree
Suit against sheriffs thrown out Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett said meals are on a two-week rotating schedule at the county jail and meet recommended nutritional requirements similar to those followed by public school lunchrooms.
Alabama judge dismisses prison food records suit By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
An Alabama judge has dismissed a suit against Alabama sheriffs filed over records requests looking into the sheriffs’ prisoner food programs. Fourth Judicial Circuit Court Judge Don McMillian granted the sheriffs’ motion to dismiss the suit filed by the Southern Center for Human Rights (SCHR) and Alabama Appleseed Center for Law and Justice (AACLJ) in a 15-page ruling recently.
File / The Outlook
At issue was the plaintiffs’ records request “seeking financial records that may contain monies related to the feeding of inmates in county jails.” The 49 sheriffs named as defendants in suit, including Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett, filed a response stating “certain financial records are personal rather than public.” In most cases, the sheriffs say they have nothing to hide; the problem is in the way the state has the funding set up for the programs, in some cases with sheriffs See SHERIFFS • Page 3
Chamber to hold State of Education luncheon
Jeffcoat, Oliver share thoughts on issues during town hall meeting By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Representatives from both the Alexander City School System and Central Alabama Community College will be taking part in a State of Education luncheon Thursday, Aug. 23 in the multi-purpose room of the Betty Carol Graham Center at CACC. During the event, which is held by the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce and is scheduled to begin at 11:30 a.m. and run until 1 p.m., Benjamin Russell High School Principal Dr. Anthony Wilkinson, Alexander City School Superintendent Dr. Darrell Cooper and CACC President Dr. Susan Burrow will be speaking with members of the public on where local education at the primary, secondary and post-secondary education stands. “This is part of a series we started doing this year,” Alexander City Chamber of Commerce Marketing and Events Director Kim Dunn said. “We have already had the State of the City and the See EDUCATION • Page 3
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The upstairs board room of the Alexander City branch of Valley National Bank was filled to capacity Thursday night, as the Lake Martin Young Professionals hosted its second “Access to the Issues” event, giving the public the chance to come out and listen to the plans the two candidates for the Alabama House of Representatives District 81 seat have for when they get to Montgomery. “These events are meant to bring the community together in order to understand the issues,” Lake Martin Young Professionals’ Jacob Meacham said. Following the introductions from Democrat candidate Jeremy Jeffcoat and Republican nominee Ed Oliver, Meacham, who served as the moderator for Thursday night’s event, asked questions on a number of various topics, including education, infrastructure, ethics, healthcare and criminal justice reform. As Oliver and Jeffcoat provided the audience with answers to the questions, there were See CANDIDATES • Page 9
Ed Oliver, above, speaks with attendees of Thursday’s House 81 forum. Jeremy Jeffcoat, right, speaks with Valley National Bank’s Mark Spencer. Cliff Williams / The Outlook
History room provides library patrons with research opportunities By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
For area residents looking to do research into the past, a relatively hidden resource for information exists close by. Occupying a room on the main floor of the Adelia M. Russell Library in Alexander City, the Alabama History Room provides patrons the chance to explore the history of Alexander City, Tallapoosa County and the state of Alabama. “This room first opened to patrons in November of 2012,” library director Amy Huff said. “Much of it is the history of Alexander City and Tallapoosa County, though any historical information relating to Alabama can be stored here.” There are a wide range of items housed in See LIBRARY • Page 7
We Care About You
Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Books on Alabama history line the shelves in the Alabama History Room in the Adelia M. Russell Library. The room offers patrons the ability to do research into local, regional and state history.
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