COMMUNITY COLUMNISTS INSIDE!
WEDNESDAY
THE
SPORTS, PAGE 10
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
ARRESTS, PAGE 2
Catch all the results from high Take a look at reports from school basketball tournaments February 14, 2018 Vol. 126, No. 32 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢ area law enforcement
SIGN OF THE TIMES? By MITCH SNEED Editor
The qualifying period for upcoming elections has just been completed, but already questions have arisen over political signs. Issues with when campaign signs are allowed to be posted, where they can be placed and the allowable size, especially in Alexander City where
Timing, size and placement of campaign signs an issue
there is an ordinance outlining those guidelines, have been raised. Last week, city officials removed some signs that weren’t compliant. The Alabama Department of Transportation also removed several that were placed improperly on the right of way. “What we did was take some down that were in violation of the ordinance as we have been instructed on it in the past,” Alexander City Police Chief Jay
Turner said. “We didn’t destroy them, but just collected them and saved them and let the candidates know so that they could pick them up. The idea was to be informational.” Derrick Blythe, a local attorney who is also a candidate for the District 81 seat in the Alabama House of See SIGNS • Page 3
Special / The Outlook
A number of campaign signs were picked up last week for potential sign ordinance violations, but that process is on hold for now while research is done by city officials.
Field set in primary elections Familiar names, newcomers fefeatured on ballots for both parties
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer Sta
Friday afternoon at 5 p.m., the qualifying window for the 2018 election cycle in Alabama closed, finalizing the slate of candidates for local, state and national offices. From county commissions to the governorship and the U.S. House of Representatives, both the Democrat and Republican parties will have a full list of potential office-holders to place before voters during the June 5 primary election. While some relatively easily recognizable names were listed by their respective parties as having qualified (Kay Ivey, Walt Maddox, Tom Whatley and Mike Rogers) and others choosing not to run (Roy Moore), there will be plenty of candidates for voters to choose from when they go to the ballot box in four months. “This means a lot to us, not only locally,
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Happy Valentine’s Day. Today is one of the busiest days of the year for florists, greeting card companies and chocolatiers. If you don’t believe it, love was in the air everywhere you turned in Alexander City Tuesday as retailers loaded up for the onslaught of procrastinating men and last-minute shoppers hoping to impress that special someone. From balloons of all shapes and sizes to a demand for Valentine’s cards so great that Hallmark representative Kelsey Pruitt had to restock and straighten the card section at Walmart multiple times a day – rush didn’t even begin to describe the day. Take Grace’s Flowers for example, where LeaAnn Dean, right, holds up one of an estimated 150 dozen roses that had to be arranged and readied for pickup and delivery. She said in all 200 or more arrangements will go out the door today with three vans and other vehicles on the road for non-stop delivery.
See BALLOT • Page 9
Lake Martin Innovation Center businesses shine in competition STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Two businesses housed inside of Alexander City’s business incubator, the Lake Martin Innovation Center, competed last Thursday in the Alabama Launchpad Auburn Regional Startup Competition. Beyond Home Care and JC Golf Info were two of nearly a dozen startup companies that pitched for the chance to advance in the competition that awards $100,000 to help fund the
County schools recognize positive accomplishments
businesses. Beyond Home Care, an in-home care service led by founder and CEO Kelly Adams, was one of six teams to advance to the semifinal round that will trim the field down to four ahead of April 4th’s finale event. The competition was made up of teams from Chambers, Lee, Macon, Russell and Tallapoosa counties, the five Special / The Outlook counties that entries must Beyond Home Care, an in-home care service led by founder and reside in to be eligible for the CEO Kelly Adams, was one of six teams to advance to the semifiSee LAUNCHPAD • Page 3 nals of Alabama Launchpad Auburn Regional Startup Competition.
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
The Tallapoosa County Board of Education welcomed two special groups of guests to Monday night’s meeting to talk about some of the programs offered in the county that have been having a positive impact on students and parents. The first group was headed by Dadeville Elementary School teacher Tabitha Smith and discussed the Family Connections program offered through the “Leader in Me” program that has been an important part of the school. “We use the same tools that we teach See SCHOOLS • Page 3
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