Jan 12, 2017 Alex City Outlook

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OPINION: GET OUT AND BE PART OF THIS WEEKEND’S ACTIVITIES, PAGE 4.

THURSDAY

THE

WHAT’S HAPPENING? LOCAL, PAGE 5.

Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892

January 12, 2017

Vol. 125, No. 8

www.alexcityoutlook.com

SPORTS, PAGE 10

Coosa sweeps Randolph

Man killed in Highway 49 crash

Car fleeing traffic stop crashed Wednesday morning, ejecting two from vehicle STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

What started out as an attempt to initiate a traffic stop for speeding ended with a violent crash and one person dead and another in critical condition. According to Cpl. Jesse Thornton of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency, a single-vehicle crash at

12:30 a.m. Wednesday claimed the life of Jimmy Lee Dugan, 28, of Daviston. “A Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department deputy turned around to pursue a vehicle that was exceeding the speed limit on Highway 49 North,” Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett said. “Upon entering the intersection with Concord Road, the vehicle crashed resulting in one fatality. The deputy did not see the

City selects Turner, McAlister as interim chiefs

Weather officials see improvements but county’s drought status remains By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

Wet conditions have prevailed in the area as of late, with a few reports of flooding from recent weather systems that have moved across the central portion of the state. However, Meteorologist Jason Holmes with the National Weather Service of Birmingham said Tallapoosa and surrounding counties remain under drought classifications. “The good news is the drought has decreased but still we have a deficit from last year,” Holmes said. The decrease in drought conditions has brought with it a reclassification of drought status for a number of counties by the U.S. Drought Monitor as well. Holmes said most of Tallapoosa County remained in D2 or Severe Drought status, while Elmore County is in the D1 category or Moderate Drought conditions. According to the monitor as of late December both counties fell within the D2-D4 ranges, or Severe to Exceptional. Holmes said there were light showers, and chances for light precipitation throughout the area in the forecast over upcoming days. Late Tuesday and into Wednesday trace amounts of rains were present across Tallapoosa and Elmore Counties, after a weekend winter storm brought inches of rain following a wet New Year’s holiday. The Director of Economic and External Affairs with the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs, Jennifer Ardis Elmore, said See DROUGHT • Page 3

By MITCH SNEED Editor

Interim leaders were appointed to head the Alexander City Police and Fire Departments Wednesday, as the city council tapped Jerry W. “Jay” Turner to lead the police department and Reese McAlister to lead the fire department on a temporary basis. Both Turner and McAlister had served as deputy chiefs in their departments and will serve in McAlister the interim role of chief until permanent replacements are See CHIEFS • Page 9

Officials discuss progress on Hamp Lyon renovation

Ashton Shepherd to perform at Rodeo Club By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

The Lake Martin Event Center at The Rodeo Club is at it again. After the success of bringing in John Conlee in July Kevin Moon of Cheaha Entertainment has partnered with Ed and Marge Shikoski of the Lake Martin Event Center to bring country musician Ashton Shepherd to the legendary stage Jan. 21. “The Conlee show was a great production,” Moon said. “After that was a suc-

Today’s

Weather

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cess, we started to brain storm about who we could bring in next. We have worked with Ashton before with success and thought she would be a good fit.” Shepherd is a native of Coffeeville, Alabama and still lives in Alabama. She has been signing and writing since she was 5 and made her debut on the Grand Ole Opry in Sept. 2007 with “Takin Off This Pain.” Her third single “Look It Up,” made its way to the country File / The Outlook charts in 2011. Country music singer Ashton Shepherd will be performing at The See RODEO • Page 3 Rodeo Club on Jan. 21.

By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer

City and county officials met with an Alexander City School administrator and Main Street Alexander City Tuesday to discuss Hamp Lyon Stadium renovations, and ultimately grant permission for the project’s first phase to begin. Main Street Director Richard Wagoner said the group, including the mayor, met to clarify details about funding, and

Lake Martin

483.93 Ready to Graduate Reported on 1/11/17 @ 7:30 p.m.

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coordinate with city and county engineers. “We’re going to start soon,” said Wagoner. After the meeting Wagoner said the public works officials started on the plan that was set to begin in April. Alexander City Schools Superintendent Darrel Cooper was at the Tuesday meeting. Cooper said the joint project would begin with some demolition work to existing structures at the See HAMP • Page 3

Lake Levels

LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443 6

accident.” Abbett said that the State Troopers were the lead agency in the crash investigation. Upon arriving at the scene, the deputy found that the 2000 Oldsmobile Alero, in which Dugan was a passenger, had left the road, struck a sign and overturned. Dugan, as well as the driver Amy Clampitt, 30, of See CRASH • Page 3

laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL

Call Classifieds – 256.277.4219

FURNITURE

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