PAGE 4: WE HAVE A GIVING COMMUNITY
TUESDAY
THE
CALENDAR, 6
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
SPORTS, PAGE 11
Area events inside
December 26, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 21 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
2017 All-Area Football Team
Christmas morning shooting leaves 1 dead By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Gunfire following an argument left a female dead and at least two others injured on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, about 100 yards from the Edward Career Tech Center. Law enforcement at the scene was tight-lipped about what happened early Christmas morning. “We have a few victims at this time,” Camp Hill Police Chief Johnny Potts said. “You know
how it is, when the daytime comes it could bring out a few more victims.” Family on the scene said that Bessie Heard, 59, of Camp Hill died in the early Christmas morning shooting. Bystanders at the scene described more than 15 shots being fired about 2 a.m. and said an argument lead to the shooting. Outside the tin-covered home, evidence markers littered the dirt parking lot amongst automobiles and along the street as law See SHOOTING • Page 3
Investigators marked shell casings and other evidence following a Christmas shooting on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in Camp Hill that left Bessie Heard, 59, of Camp Hill dead and at least two others injured. Cliff Williams/ The Outlook
Area, state unemployment remains low State sets new record with just 3.5 percent jobless rate STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Tallapoosa County’s unemployment rate in November remained low at 3.5 percent, the same as the statewide average, which set a new record. The county’s 3.5 percent jobless rate is up slightly from October’s 3.4 percent, but well below last year’s November rate of 5.3 percent. The numbers released Friday show that just 636 percent of the people of Tallapoosa County are counted as unemployed. Coosa’s unemployment rate for November was just 3.6 percent, with only 160 residents considered unemployed. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey applauded the statewide numbers which were released Friday. Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted November unemployment rate set a new record low of 3.5 percent, down from October’s previous record setting rate of 3.6 percent, and well below November 2016’s rate of 6.2 percent. November’s rate represents 75,807 unemployed persons, also a new record low, compared to 77,231 in October and 136,135 in November 2016. More people See UNEMPLOYMENT • Page 3
Kenneth Boone / The Outlook
Lake Martin Machine Gun provides the lake region with a controlled outdoor shooting range to experience the thrill of firing historic and unique firearms.
RAPID FIRE RUSH
Lake Martin Machine Gun gives thrilling experience to locals By AMY PASSARETTI Staff Writer
T
he newest attraction to grace the community comes in the form of adrenaline, innovativeness and a rare opportunity that the average person would otherwise be unable to experience.
Lake Martin Machine Gun provides the Lake Martin area with a controlled outdoor shooting range to experience the thrill of firing historic and unique firearms. “The mission here of this range is to provide a safe environment, while having a great experience. People have to use our guns and See GUN • Page 9
Hunters harvesting fewer deer this season
Oh come all ye faithful
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Those night roadside attractions, deer, have been less noticeable this year not only to motorists but to hunters as well. Area retailers and deer processors say numbers are down on gun sales and deer brought in to process. “The numbers are down at this point this year,” deer processor John McKelvey said. “But the deer that are being brought in are bigger.” Retailers are not seeing the number of gun sales as in previous years. “We are selling fewer rifles this year,” The Sure Shot’s Woody Baird said. Both say deer are not making themselves visible. See DEER • Page 3
Led by Donnie and Louise Pritchard, volunteers gather for a prayer before the annual Christmas dinner at Comer United Methodist Church Monday. The church has been hosting the dinner for 14 years and many have been coming both as volunteers and guests for years. Cliff Williams / The Outlook
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1945 Hwy 280 • Alexander City
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