SPORTS, PAGE 12
OPINION: ELECTED OFFICIALS NEED OPEN MEETING TRAINING, PAGE 4.
TUESDAY
THE TRASH WALK & MORE See our Community Calendar, Page 5
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January 10, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 6 www.alexcityoutlook.com
Police & fire chief out in Alex City Council votes against keeping Robinson and Jones By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Alexander City council members Eric Brown, Tommie Spraggins and Tim Funderburk vote against the reappointment of Police Chief Willie Robinson Monday night.
Alexander City will have a new police chief and a new fire chief after the city council declined to reappoint Willie George Robinson and Kem Jones to those roles Monday night. After hearing what each of the council members considered in arriving at the decision, members Tommy Spraggins, Tim Funderburk
and Eric Brown voted against reappointing Robinson, with Scott Hardy and Buffy Colvin voting for reappointment. In the vote for Jones reappointment, the same three members were joined by Hardy in voting against Jones continuing in her role, with Colvin the lone vote in her favor. Council member Bobby Tapley was not at the meeting, having previously scheduled a vacation not
knowing that the meeting would be pushed back a week from its regularly scheduled date. The votes end their service in the positions immediately. While Colvin and Hardy spoke favorably of Robinson and his performance and all complimented him as a person, some said it was a question of leadership. “This is a difficult decision,” Spraggins said. “In this position See COUNCIL • Page 7
Student dies in Sunday collision By MITCH SNEED Editor
An Alexander City teen was killed Sunday when the truck he was driving collided with another vehicle on Highway 63. According to Alexander City Police Chief Willie Robinson, ACPD and ACFD responded to a two-vehicle accident on Highway 63 South at 4:46 p.m. A 1997 Ford Ranger driven by Alex Thomas Morgan Dean, 16, of Alexander City collided with a 2012 Buick Enclave near the highway’s intersection with Coven Abbett Road. Dean was pronounced
No injuries reported in middle school gun incident
dead at Russell Medical a short time later and the driver of the Buick was flown from Russell to UAB for treatment. Alexander City Police Department Traffic Homicide Unit is still investigating the facts and Robinson said there would be more information when the probe was complete. Evidence at the scene suggests that the collision was virtually head on between the two vehicles. Dean was a wellknown and liked student at Benjamin Russell High School and was a member of the school’s wrestling team. Alexander City Schools Superintendent Dr. Darrell See COLLISION • Page 3
Two students in custody after gun goes off at school By MITCH SNEED Editor
Alexander City School and law enforcement officials are investigating a Monday incident where a student brought a gun to the middle school and it accidentally discharged while another student was looking at it. Alexander City Schools See INCIDENT • Page 3
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Students at Alexander City Middle School are released after school after an incident where a firearm was brought to school by a student and accidentally fired as another student was looking at the weapon.
Commissioners to ask legislature to abolish constable positions
Submitted / The Outlook
A helicopter prepares to take one of the victims of a nearly head-on collision on Highway 63 to UAB hospital.
County slips past icy winter storm unharmed By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
By MITCH SNEED Editor
The Tallapoosa County Commissioners will ask the Alabama State Legislature to abolish the office of constable in the county. The commissioners voted 4-0-1 with Commissioner John McKelvey abstaining to approve a resolution requesting the legislature to take that action, after hearing a request from resident John Prophitt and other information from Tallapoosa County Chief Deputy David McMichael. “Probably the main argument to end this office See COMMISSION • Page 3
Today’s
Weather
Lake Levels
46 32
484.05
High
6
Lake Martin
Low
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
Reported on 1/9/17 @ 12 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443 8
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Ice hangs from the cab of the Smith Mountain Fire Tower. The view gives an overhead look of the area after a winter storm passed through, missing the area with snow. For more photos see page 11.
Tallapoosa County escaped the worst of the predicted winter storm that struck the state Friday. The predicted drop in temperatures happened after most of the moisture fell leaving the area with scattered sleet and some ice on puddles and trees. According to the National Weather Service, Alexander City did not drop below freezing until after midnight Friday night while the last reported precipitation was 8 p.m. Friday night and totaled less than a quarter inch. The timing could not have been better for Tallapoosa County to avoid the wintry mix. “We dodged a big, big bullet with this storm,” Tallapoosa County EMA Director Jason Moran said. “We were fortunate here that the temperature See WEATHER • Page 3
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