OPINION: GETTING READY FOR A NEW YEAR, PAGE 4
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SPORTS, PAGE 10: BRHS wrestlers advance to state duals.
Lake property sales see big year Over a 12-month period a total of $198.7 million in residential lake home sales were recorded and another $16.7 in lots.
units were sold during November, a 76.9 percent increase from the same period in 2016. Stats show November was a very good that 13 were sold in November month for Lake Martin waterfront 2016. sales and that strong month has Russell Lands Vice President helped fuel a 15 percent increase for Real Estate Sales for Russell in the number of sales over the Lands Steve Arnberg said the last 12 months. numbers for the year have been The University of Alabama’s impressive and have almost Culverhouse College of returned to 2007-2008 peak years Commerce and Alabama Center level. for Real Estate report that 23 “It has been an incredible By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
‘No Show’ use leads to 2 calls, 2 arrests
year, especially when you look at a rolling 12-month period,” Arnberg said. “You can look at one month, but that’s just a small snapshot and there can be events that skew a small sample like that. “But over that 12 months from Dec. 1, 2016 to Nov. 30 2017, we are seeing a healthy market and numbers that are almost back to the level before the crash.” See LAKE • Page 3
IT’S NOW OFFICIAL
Possession, endangerment of a child charges pending By MITCH SNEED Editor
A man and woman are facing multiple charges after police responded to a call reporting erratic behavior at a residence off J Street Thursday morning. According to Sgt. Fred White of the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, when officers arrived they found 20-year-old Morgan Miller of Alexander City inside a vehicle ”seized up” with the car running and her foot on the brake. “She was found there and apparently she was trying to drive away but thankfully that was as far she got,” White said. “We went inside the residence and found a male subject in a similar condition. There was also a baby in the residence in an infant seat of some type.” White said it appears that Patrick Gene Murphy, 24, of Alexander City and Miller had smoked a synthetic marijuana known as “no show” which apparently caused the erratic behavior. White said Murphy is facing probation violation charges, possession of a controlled See CHARGES • Page 3
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Alabama Administrator of Elections Ed Packard, Gov. Kay Ivey, Attorney General Steve Marshall and Secretary of State John Merrill were all present with members of the media and other interested observers at the results on the Dec. 12 Special Election for U.S. Senate were certified Thursday.
Despite Moore suit, Jones declared winner in Senate race By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
The Alabama State Canvassing Board met in Montgomery to determine whether or not to officially certify the results of the special election on Dec. 12. At 1:10 p.m., Governor Kay Ivey, Attorney General Steve Marshall and Secretary of State Merrill signed off on the certification, making the results of the race between Democrat Doug Jones and Republican Roy Moore final and official, with Jones set to take office in Washington in early January.
prepared statement Thursday. “As I said on election night, our victory marks a new chapter for our state and the nation. I will be an independent voice and work to find common ground with my colleagues on both sides of the aisle to get Washington back on track and fight to make our country a better place for all.” Shortly after the certification papers Jones Moore were signed by Ivey, Marshall and Merrill, the final results of the election “I am looking forward to going to were available on the Secretary of State’s work for the people of Alabama in the See OFFICIAL • Page 3 new year,” Senator-Elect Jones said in a
Bill would increase threshold for pot trafficking charge
Today’s
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Special / The Outlook
By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
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Sen. Dick Brewbaker of Montgomery has introduced a bill that would increase the amount of marijuana plant material that results in trafficking charges that carry a mandatory threeyear prison sentence in Alabama. “It’s pretty straight forward,” Brewbaker said Thursday. “The mandatory three-year sentence for trafficking – because it’s without judge’s discretion now, the key word is mandatory – in most southeastern states it takes between eight and 10 pounds, between
four and five kilos, of not salable marijuana, but of marijuana plant parts. They count everything, so we’re not talking about salable marijuana. If they find a marijuana plant in your back yard, they count the roots, the stem – everything – in the weight. In Alabama, it’s one kilo, 2.2 pounds. “The problem is, if it were salable marijuana that would be different, but since it counts everything. I mean, you know how big marijuana plants are? They can be huge. And since it’s the wet weight, not dry, ready-to-sell marijuana, you get caught with one marijuana plant and part of another, it’s a mandatory
three years in prison. And the judge doesn’t have any discretion.” Brewbaker said the reason marijuana’s wet weight is what is used “if they come across a huge marijuana plot that’s already been harvested, (dried out, etc.) they still want to be able to prosecute. So that’s why they don’t do it on just salable marijuana.” He said a bill that would have increased the amount for a person to be charged with marijuana trafficking – some limitation, but far less than what his current bill seeks – passed the Senate last year before See BILL • Page 3
We Care About You
Special / The Outlook
If Sen. Dick Brewbaker has his way, a bill he will push in the upcoming session will require larger amounts of marijuana, like this haul in a recent Tallassee bust, to be found to warrant a trafficking charge.
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