SPORTS, PAGE 10
OPINION: ALLEY DECISION SHOULD BE SO HARD, PAGE 4.
THE WHAT’S HAPPENING? See a complete listing of local events, Page 5.
TUESDAY
Several players earn All-State honors.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
December 27, 2016 Vol. 124, No. 259 www.alexcityoutlook.com
Alex City Sonic closes for good By MITCH SNEED Editor
A restaurant that has been a staple of Alexander City’s downtown landscape for more than a decade has closed for good. The fast food drive-in style restaurant located 174 Broad Street in Alexander City closed Saturday, catching some by surprise. Attempts to gain comment from employees or reach owners of the business were
unsuccessful Friday and Saturday. Seeing the business leave the downtown area also surprised Alexander City Chamber of Commerce CEO Ed Collari. “When I first came here I was surprised to see a chain fast-food restaurant downtown,” Collari said. “Typically that isn’t the situation that companies like. They tend to prefer the high-traffic highway locations. Mitch Sneed / The Outlook “But it was good to have it here and it Late Saturday afternoon the menu boards were down and the Sonic was closed for good. See SONIC • Page 3
Local officials report quiet holiday period
Wellborn to auction part of collection
Lee County reports 3 motor vehicle deaths over 24 hours
Local musclecar museum owners to put 11 cars on block
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
By MITCH SNEED Editor
While the holidays are often a busy time for law enforcement due to the high volume of holiday travelers and people leaving homes unattended, this year it appears that trouble also took a holiday here in Tallapoosa County. Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett Monday reported that it was a relatively quiet holiday period for his department. “No major events – it has been a safe holiday weekend so far,” Abbett said Monday afternoon. The official holiday travel period was scheduled to end Monday at midnight. Local law enforcement agencies reported just six arrests since midnight Dec. 23, with two of those resulting from domestic incidents. The same was not true in neighboring Lee County. Lee County Coroner Bill Harris reported three motor vehicle deaths on Christmas day. See SAFE • Page 3
Today’s
Weather
71 56 High
Submitted / The Outlook
THE JOY OF CHRISTMAS
Outlook readers shared their Christmas pictures with us, like Maddox McDaniel’s first Christmas, above, or Lucas Williams’ reaction to his new Lego collection, left, and Ava’s Prices fun with makeup, below. For more pictures see page 9 inside.
New Site’s Smothers returns from two-year mission trip
Low
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
483.56
Reported on 12/26/16 @ 3 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
Alexander City’s Tim and Pam Wellborn are again preparing to offer a chance for muscle car lovers to own a piece of their prized collection. Two years after the Wellborns had a record-setting day when they put several cars in their collection on the auction block at Mecum’s Auction in Kissimmee, they will offer up 11 more of the cars that have been in the Wellborn Muclecar Museum. Mecum’s John Kraman, who is the director of consignment for Mecum and the host of the auction broadcasts on NBCSN, said for buyers to get a chance at part of the Wellborn collection is a big deal in the world of car collecting. “It’s always a big draw when the Wellborns offer up part of their collection,” Kraman said. “While he’s known primarily for the Mopars and the musclecars, he is known for quality. When people see the chance to get a car that was part of his collection, they know they will get the best of the best. The cars that he See AUCTION • Page 3
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
8
The Smothers family of New Site had a special reason to celebrate this holiday season. Horseshoe Bend High School graduate Kurtis Smothers was home for Christmas for the first time in two years. Smothers has been on a religious mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ministering to the needs of Tongans who live and work in Hawaii. He said while the experience was rewarding, it was great to be home again. He said that the
people he met through the mission have changed him in many ways. “I have a different accent now,” Smothers said with a smile. “Friends I’ve known for years have trouble understanding me. People ask, ‘Why do you sound so different?’” The change is easy to understand, since Smothers spent the first Christmas of his mission in intensive foreign-language training studying Tongan. Smothers also worked closely with Samoans and Filipinos, even learning some Samoan after he reached Hawaii. See MISSION TRIP • Page 3
Horseshoe Bend High School graduate Kurtis Smothers was home for Christmas for the first time in two years this year. Smothers had been on a religious mission for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ministering to the needs of Tongans who live and work in Hawaii. He shared memories from his two -year mission and details of the work he did and how they helped others. Submitted / The Outlook
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