INSIDE:
n Obituaries, page 2 n Power Hour at the Boys & Girls Club, page 3 nBRHS grapplers lose season opener, page 12 Today’s
Weather
58 46 High
Weekend FOR SUBSCRIBERS: LAKE MAGAZINE INSIDE!
The Outlook
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
December 3-4, 2016 • Vol. 124 • No. 243 • www.alexcityoutlook.com
Council to consider major projects By MITCH SNEED Editor
Low
Weather This weekend, expect a cloudy welcome to some much needed rain. The 40% chance of rain Saturday increases into sunday with a 90% chance into Sunday.
Action that will help start the ball rolling on two key downtown projects in on the agenda for Monday night’s meeting of the by Alexander City City Council. The council is expected to consider a resolution allowing the mayor to seek a grant under the Alabama Department of Transportation’s 2017 Transportation Alternative Program that would help fund
reconstruction and installation of sidewalks and other streetscape features along Alabama Street, State Street and Tallapoosa Street. The TAP grants typically provide up to 80 percent of the funding, while the city would provide a 20 percent match and pick up the entire expense of engineering for the project. “The idea is to help with the streetscapes leading up to the area around Hamp Lyon Stadium where the Revamp the
Hamp project is in the advanced planning stages,” said Alexander City Community Development Director Randy Thomas. “With the Broad Street project finishing up, this is the next logical step to have some uniformity all across the downtown area.” Washington and Lee streets are due to begin paving next spring using funds from the Alabama Transportation Rehabilitation and Improvement Program. Monday, the council will also consider See COUNCIL • Page 7
Burglars hit several storage warehouses
Local Briefs HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS PARADE: Rain may force the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce Hometown Christmas Parade to be rescheduled. “We are going to be evaluating the weather and radar over the weekend and Monday,” Chamber President Ed Collari said. “We will make the call as early as possible Monday.” Monday, Dec. 12 at 6 p.m. will be the new date for the parade if it is rescheduled. The National Weather Service is predicting an 80 percent chance of rain at 4 p.m. and increasing to an 82 percent chance by 6 p.m. Monday. CHRISTMAS CANTATA: Red Ridge United Methodist Church will present its Christmas cantata “Christmas Music” at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 4 under the direction of Dr. Kim Walls. The choir composed of church members will sing some of their old favorite selections accompanied by a full orchestra composed of professional, amateur and student musicians from the local area. Featured vocalists will be H.D Price, Toni and Phil Adcock, Diane Miller, P. J. Armour and Susan Grace. Dramatization will feature the Manager Scene, the 3 Wise Men, The Angel Gabriel and the Shepherd Boy. Refreshments and coffee will be served following the concert. Make your plans to attend. Red Ridge is located at 8091 County Road 34, Dadeville, 256-825-9820, redridgeumc.org
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
483.07 Reported on 12/02/16 @ 6 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
8
SUPPORT YOUR NEIGHBORS
Police investigating overnight incidents where locks were cut By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Alexander City Community Development Director Randy Thomas poses for a picture at Bill Nichols Veterans Home. Thomas said that is one of the projects he is most proud of. The city has hired Al Jones to replace Thomas
Changing of the guard Community Development Director Randy Thomas to retire By MITCH SNEED Editor
vA man who has served 11 city councils and seven mayors, while bringing millions to the city through grants and other funding sources is wrapping up his career and will retire at the end of the year. Alexander City’s Director of Community Development Randy Thomas will retire Dec. 30, leaving a legacy that can be seen no matter where you look around town. “I’ve been talking about retiring for a few years,” Thomas said. “But I’ve been here 40 years and it’s time. I feel like the city has accomplished a lot of good things over the years and I’m proud to have played a part in some of those
things. My last day on the payroll is Dec. 30, but I’ll never be too far away if they ever need me.” To create a list of all the projects that Thomas has found ways to make happen would be a tall task. He became known statewide as a person who knew how to navigate both federal and state sources and programs for funding to solve problems in Alexander City. He talks with pride about things like the roundabout, streetscape projects, several airport expansions, the Sportplex and the senior center to mention a few. But the one that he said is probably the most memorable is the Bill Nichols Veterans Home. “Bill Nichols was the state’s first veterans home,” Thomas said. “Mayor Charles Bailey See THOMAS • Page 7
A number of storage warehouses were burglarized in Alexander City and law enforcement officials are seeking help from the public in finding the responsible party. Alexander City Police Chief Willie Robinson said that 14 units at storage warehouses at Vision Landscaping have been burglarized. Robinson said two units at another area facility were also unlawfully entered some time in the last 24 hours. “The report indicates that someone appears to have cut the locks of a number of units and took property from inside the units,” Robinson said. “Our investigators are working the case, collecting See BURGLARS • Page 7
Prank becomes arson at Horseshoe Jingle Jump set for next Saturday Bend School By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Camp ASCCA is hosting its second annual Jingle Jump a week from today where people raise funds to jump into the cold pool at the camp. “This is our largest fundraiser,” Camp ASCCA’s Dana Rickman. “Last year was wildly successful. We raised over $40,000 last year. It was beyond expectations.” This year is shaping up to be just as good. “We already have 37 teams signed up,” Rickman said. “They have to raise at least one campership. That is $725. Those 37 teams have a total of 58 people.” The second weekend of December is special at Camp ASCCA this year not only because of the Jingle Jump but because the camp is hosting campCliff Williams / The Outlook ers. Camp ASCCA’s Matt Rickman takes part in last year’s “We are having the Jingle Jump during our Jingle Jump that raised more than $40,000 for campSee JINGLE • Page 7 ers to attend the special camp. +
256-329-1313 Free Consultations
School officials and investigators with the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department looking into a small fire inside a bathroom at Horseshoe Bend School that apparently started as a prank. “Someone started a fire, apparently lighting some tissue on fire,” Horseshoe Bend Principal James Aulner said. “The fire alarm went off and we evacuated the building. We came back inside quickly afterwards. “No one was injured. There was only minor damage and the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department is investigating. It’s Friday afternoon. Unfortunately it appears a prank got way out of See FIRE • Page 7
+ Buy
Here + Pay Here + + CLEAN USED CARS No Credit Checks
Cars• Vans• Trucks • SUV’s
Midway Auto,Inc.
217 Madison Street, Alexander City, AL
Off Hwy. 280 • Alexander City, AL
“We are a Debt Relief Agency. We help people file Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 under the Bankruptcy Code. Alabama State Bar requires the following in every attorney advertisement, “ No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.”
256.825.9830
(On Right Past the River Bridge)