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KICKING OFF A NEW YEAR
THURSDAY
THE
Wildcats open 2016 with victory over Northridge. Page, 8.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 February 11, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 30
www.alexcityoutlook.com
BRHS graduation rate dips slightly
Attorney seeks delay in McDaniel murder case Scheduling conflict for Feb. 16 hearing cited By MITCH SNEED Editor
The attorney representing Matthew Clate McDaniel, 33, of Dadeville who is charged with murder in the Jan. 17 shooting death of Norman Dean Crayton has asked for a continuation on the first call hearing set for Feb. 16. Opelikabased attorney Davis Whittelsey filed a continuance request on Feb. 1 accordMcDaniel ing to court records, citing a scheduling conflict. “We did make that request, but at this time we have not heard a word,” Whittelsey said Wednesday. “We want to be able to address some things at first call including setting a preliminary hearing so we are trying to get that rescheduled if possible.” Whittelsey also filed a request for discovery late last month, seeking access to all evidence the state has gathered in the case. Whittelsey said he has not gotten a ruling in that motion at this time. “We have not gotten as much as a piece of paper from the state at this point,” Whittelsey said. “We’d like to have that in order to prepare for a preliminary hearing. So we are waiting to hear on that as well.” McDaniel was arrested in the early morning hours See MCDANIEL • Page 3
Drop of 3 percent ends three-year run of increases, leaves school 5 percent below state average By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Above, Rev. John Hill of Flint Hill United Methodist Church and Rev. Todd Henderson greet a participants in Ash Wednesday imposition of the ashes at the site of the old Mandolin Cafe. Below, a sign welcomes participants in the event.
BISCUITS AND BLESSINGS
Churches take multiple approaches on Ash Wednesday By MITCH SNEED Editor
Several area churches held special events yesterday in observance of Ash Wednesday. In Alexander City several churches held Ash Wednesday celebrations, but one of the most unique was the Ashes & Biscuits To Go drive-though Ash Wednesday event sponsored by Alexander City First United Methodist Church and Flint Hill United Methodist Church. Rev. John Hill of Flint Hill and Rev. Todd Henderson of Alexander City United Methodist Church conducted imposition of ashes as drivers pulled through the parking lot See ASH • Page 3
Benjamin Russell High School saw its graduation rate slip by three percentage points from 87 percent in 2014 to 84 percent in 2015, according to data on graduation rates released recently by the Alabama State Department of Education. The Benjamin Russell rate was 2 percent lower than the state graduation rate of 89 percent. “There are no excuses,” said Alexander City Schools Superintendent Darrell Cooper when asked about reasons for the drop. “These numbers just tend to fluctuate and, unfortunately, this time we saw a little bit of a drop. “I think last year we saw our rates go up for the third straight year to 87 percent. Of course, that made us really happy and we’re disappointed to see it go down this time. But we’ve got a good administration and good faculty and we’ll continue to do the things we’ve been doing and I’m convinced it will rebound. We certainly don’t want to see it continue to trend down.” The graduation rate for Benjamin Russell’s black students in 2015 was 86 percent, four points higher than the number for white students. “I wasn’t aware of that,” Cooper said. “That is a positive. We actually have been looking at the ways the academic performance of some of our students is adversely affected by things like race and poverty and what needs to be done to fill some of those gaps, so maybe that tells us that we don’t have a gap with regard to race, which is a good thing.” In all of Alabama, black students posted a graduation rate of 87 percent while white students graduated at a 91 percent clip. The ASDE report did show, however, a gap with regard to impoverished students at Benjamin See GRADUATION • Page 3
Dadeville Council 57 34 votes to join county in Sunday sales vote Today’s
Weather
High
Low
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
482.92
Reported on 02/10//16 @ 1 p.m.
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
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54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
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With the Dadeville City Council unanimously passing a resolution at Tuesday’s meeting, the city of Dadeville is one step closer to allowing its citizens to vote on the sale of alcohol on Sundays. “We need to develop new revenues to keep providing the services that we provide,” Dadeville City Council member Randy Foster said. “But at the same time, I don’t want to ram it down someone’s throat.” Dadeville City Council See SALES • Page 3
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Kenneth Boone / The Outlook
Adelia Russell Foundation gives back
Ben Russell presented checks from the Adelia Russell Charitable Foundation to local charities recently. Pictured from left, Richard Wagoner receives a $40,000 donation to MainStreet Alexander City, Dr. Darrell Cooper received a $50,000 donation to the Alex City Schools Education Foundation. Russell is shown holding a $30,000 donation to the Adelia Russell Library, Sharon Fuller is pictured with a $25,000 donation to the United Way and Roger Holliday is shown with a $20,000 donation to the Gateway Foundation.
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