OPINION: USE EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS WEEK TO MAKE PLANS, PAGE 4.
THURSDAY
THE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
Inside, page 6
February 23, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 38 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
SPORTS, PAGE 10 Franklin to leave Horseshoe Bend
City schools get $3.5 million energy makeover By MITCH SNEED Editor
Jim Pearson and Alexander City Middle School will receive a $3.5 million electrical and mechanical makeover that will make them brighter and more energy efficient. The Alexander City Board of Education approved a contract with Schneider Electric Tuesday night for a project that will begin this spring. Under the plan, a lighting makeover will be done
at both schools, replacing bulbs and, in many cases fixtures, inside and outside of the buildings. Digital controls will be installed to allow the system to better regulate and monitor the heating and air conditioning. Pearson will get all new, energy efficient units. Schneider’s Todd Smith said that ceilings will be lowered and better insulated in part of the building at Pearson. Soffits around the buildings will be better sealed and insulated. “This is similar to what we did in the previous contract, but we will be using the latest technology
throughout the buildings,” Smith said. “We will use LED lighting inside and out and come with technology that should continue to produce the same dramatic results that we saw when we did the first project. “The goal with that was over 10 years was to save the system $1 million and we are on target to do that. You all are consistently in the Top 10 in the state in terms of efficiency, which is something that we are very proud of.” Alexander City Schools Superintendent Dr. Darrell See SCHOOLS • Page 3
PATH receives grant for Blue Zone assessment
Bentley signs order establishing Grocery Tax Force
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Alabama Gov. Robert Bentley signed Executive Order 28 Tuesday creating the Alabama Grocery Tax Task Force. The Task Force will review the state portion of taxes related to groceries and essential food products and recommend to the Governor and the Legislature changes that ensure a fair and equitable tax structure while encouraging a healthier Alabama. “My goal for this task force is to remove four percent off food items and put that money back in the pockets of Alabamians who need it the most, such as low income individuals and families on a fixed income,” Governor Bentley said. “As I have traveled the state, I have heard first hand from individuals who want the opportunity to adequately feed their families without being over taxed.” The Grocery Tax Task Force will review the potential financial impacts to the state budgets and other direct and indirect economic impacts to the state’s economy. This task force will offer recommendations on how to repeal the sales tax on groceries, as well as review See GROCERY • Page 3
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Above, CACC Nursing Instructor Sharon Davis goes over a lesson with students Wednesday. Below, CACC nursing students take notes Wednesday afternoon.
ONE OF THE BEST CACC’s LPN program ranked No. 4 in state By MITCH SNEED Editor
Central Alabama Community College’s Licensed Practical Nurse Program has been ranked the No. 4 LPN program in Alabama. The rankings were announced Wednesday by PracticalNursing.org. The schools were assessed on several factors that help illustrate how well a program supports students towards licensure. CACC’s LPN Program Director Dr. See NURSING • Page 3
An $8,000 grant awarded by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Alabama’s Caring Foundation will go to PATH Lake Martin to support a site visit and assessment by Blue Zones and Healthways. Tim King, Manager, The Caring Foundation, informed PATH that the grant had been awarded and that he was proud of the efforts of PATH in Alexander City. More than 35 local stakeholders have made personal donations to show community “buy-in” for this project. “We are still short of our goal and PATH is requesting personal and corporate support from community leaders and interested individuals in an effort to reach our $25,000 goal,” said Ella MacFiggen, president of PATH. A meeting was held on Nov. 30 where 60 Alexander City area community leaders heard Blue Zones Project co-founder Tony Buettner describe the concept and advantages of this See GRANT • Page 3
Area employers gather at Betty Carol Graham for job fair By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Job seekers gathered at the Betty Carol Graham Technology Center in hopes of finding a job with one of 36 employers at the career fair hosted by the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance and Central Alabama Community College. Last year more than 250 came to the single session fair. This year’s fair was divided into to a lunch and an evening session. “All the employers seem happy,” Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance’s Denise Walls said. “It is a little slow. So far we have only had about 100 come through. Hopefully with the evening session will be a little better.” The hope of two sessions was to give others an opportunity to attend with many working during the day.
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Amtech’s Mallory Padgett was happy the job seekers in the first session. “It has been good – steady,” Padgett said. “I think we will have even more this evening after people get off work.” For job seekers, there was something for almost everyone. Employers from the surrounding area who were looking for applicants included: Allegiance Staffing, Windcreek Hospitality, Briggs and Stratton, SL Alabama, Onin Staffing, Madix, C&J Tech, the Army National Guard, AmTech, Beyond Home Care, Kwangsung, Wellington, Prime Management/ Chapman Healthcare, Lake Martin Community Hospital, the Alexander City Fire Department, the Alexander City Police Department, PNC Bank, Wellborn Forest Products, Russell Lands Seedson Staffing, MasterBrand Cabinets, United States Marine Corps, Russell Medical Center, Southern See JOBS • Page 3
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
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Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Luke Robinson with Robinson Iron and Satterfield speaks with job applicants at the Career Fair hosted by the Lake Martin Area Economic Development Alliance and Central Alabama Community College.
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