PAGE 4: PAUSE TO REMEMBER PEARL HARBOR
THE
LOCAL, PAGE 9 Firefighters respond to a fire in Jacksons Gap
THURSDAY
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
December 7, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 242 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
SPORTS, PAGE 10 Tigers to host BRHS in rivalry matchup
Two men arrested on sexual assault charges By MITCH SNEED Editor
The Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department made two arrests in unrelated cases where suspects are facing charges relat- Thornton ing to sexual assaults. A 31-year-old Alexander City man was arrested Wednesday around noon on a warrant for sexual abuse of a female child under the age of 12. While Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett said because this was still an active investigation, few details
could be released. He confirmed that Corey James Thornton, 31, of Elkahatchee Road in Alexander City was arrested without incident at a mobile home on Bay Pines Road by deputies and investigaWhite tors. Abbett said that Thornton is facing two counts of sexual abuse of a child less than 12 and bond has been set at $25,000 on each charge. Thornton remained in the Tallapoosa County Jail Wednesday evening. In an unrelated case, Abbett said a See ARRESTS • Page 3
31-yearold Corey James Thornton was arrested on Wednesday around noon on a warrant for sexual abuse of a female child under the age of 12. Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Bond set at $6 mil ion for escapee Vernon
Officials react quickly to drugs found at Stephens
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Elmore County Judge Glen Goggans set a bond for former Coosa County Jail escapee 27-year-old Shane Anthony Vernon that should assure that he will be in jail up until the case is heard in court. Goggans set a cash bond of $6 million cash bond for six felonies. Vernon is charged with three counts of firstdegree robbery, two counts of first-degree burglary and one count of first-degree kidnapping in Elmore County. Officials say it’s the largest bond amount they can ever recall in Elmore County. Elmore County Sheriff Bill Franklin confirmed Friday that Vernon had been waived extradition and was returned to Elmore County Friday where he was booked into the Elmore County Jail. Vernon had been in custody in DeKalb County, Georgia since his See VERNON • Page 3
Alexander City Schools officials, along with the Alexander City Police Department, are investigating an incident where an alert teacher spotted suspected marijuana after it fell from a garment worn by a 9-year-old student at Stephens School Tuesday. Alexander City Police Chief Jay Turner confirmed their presence at the school and their involvement in the process. “There was no arrest, but yes, a 9-year-old was observed putting his hoodie on and a small bag containing marijuana fell out,” Turner said. “The student was released to his mother and disciplinary actions will be handled by the school. Narcotics investigators have picked up on the case and will follow up on origin of the marijuana and appropriate charges when the investigation is complete.” Alexander City School Superintendent Dr. Darrell Cooper said all protocols and procedures were followed and law enforcement was called in to handle any legal aspects of the discovery. “We can’t go into a lot of detail, but a teacher did find drugs that were apparently brought to school,” Cooper said. “We have investigated and we See STEPHENS • Page 3
BUNDLE UP
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
The temperature difference between inside and outside with the high humidity caused condensation to form on many windows in downtown Alexander City on Wednesday evening.
Cold weather projected for county over weekend “There are currently a series of cold fronts and a pattern change is working to bring this cold weather down from the As the seasons transition from fall to winnorth,” Meteorologist Jim Westland with the ter, a cold front is expected to move in over Birmingham office of the National Weather Tallapoosa County within the next few days, Service said. “Right now (Wednesday afterbringing with it a drop in temperatures and the noon), there is still about a 70 percent chance potential for wintry weather, including a small See WEATHER • Page 3 amount of snowfall. By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
BRHS students have fun while prepping for semester tests Jamie Linderman combined current events with their studies. Similar to the situation currently seen in the south With the final week of the fall 2017 African country of Zimbabwe, where school semester approaching, the stuPresident Robert Mugabe was recently dents and teachers are spending this deposed after being in power for over week preparing for the end of semester 30 years, the students in both classes testing. No matter the class in question, were presented with a scenario to find a special preparations have been made, solution to. though several were finding ways to In the scenario, the island nation of make ready for the exams in a fun way. Xlandia had recently overthrown its Seniors in Trina Vest’s College dictator and was looking for a new way Essentials English class spent part of forward. The students were split into their Wednesday morning reviewing several groups, each one representing a subject-verb agreements. Across the different country of the United Nations, hall, Jennifer Clanton was asking her including Canada, South Africa, the English students review questions about Ukraine, the United Kingdom and a book the class had recently read, John Australia. Each group then devised a Steinbeck’s “Of Mice and Men.” plan to help Xlandia create a new sysMore interesting projects could be tem of government that would be fair found just down the hallway, as stufor all. dents in the government classes of See STUDENTS • Page 3 Coach Justin McCollum and Coach
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Today’s
Weather
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Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Students in Emily Sassano’s AP Biology class get up and moving Wednesday morning before they begin the day’s lessons in preparation for semester testing next week.
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