INSIDE: n Obituaries, page 2 n Religion, page 6 n Classifieds, page 9 n Sports, page 12
Weekend OPINION, PAGE 4: KING’S WORDS, DEEDS STILL HOLD TRUE
The Outlook
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
January 14-15, 2017
Today’s
Weather
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Vol. 125, No. 10
Jackson’s Gap council talks budget Council proposing cutting excess overtime, training expenses from 2017 fiscal year
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By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer THE ALABAMA WEEKEND FROM JAMES SPANN: A strong upper high will persist over the Gulf Coast states… meaning warm, dry weather continues. Partly sunny days, fair nights, and highs in the mid 70s. Temperatures are in the mid 70s across North Central Alabama this afternoon… almost 25 degrees above average for mid January in Alabama.
CLOSURES Both county and city schools are closed for the observance of Martin Luther King Jr. Day
WEEKEND EVENTS January 14 MLK PRAYER BREAKFAST: The Martin Luther King Jr. Celebration Prayer breakfast will be Jan. 14 at 8 a.m.
SAVE THE DATES February 18
CLAY CLASSIC: The Ronald E Koon Sporting Clay Classic is in its 11th year of providing a fun filled day for avid shooters to help support our local Boys and Girls Club of the Lake Martin Area. The event will be held at the Lower Wetumpka Shotgun Club in Montgomery, Alabama starting at9 a.m. on Feb. 18, 2017. Team of four is $600. Team of two is $300 and a one-man team $100. Lunch, shells, goodie bags and door prizes given to each participant Call 256-234-4757 to sign up today or email bgcreynolds@gmail. com
February 20
HORIZONS UNLIMITED: Daphne Simpkins will be speaking to Horizons Unlimited Feb. 20 from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. at the Alexander City Board of Education. The winter program runs through Feb. 27. Membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple each semester.
February 24-26
COMMUNITY THEATRE: The Sylacauga Community Playhouse will present “You’re a Good Man Charlie Brown” Feb. 24 at 6 p.m. and Feb. 25 and 26 at 2 p.m. at the Sylacauga High School Auditorium. Cost is $15 in advance and $18 at the door. For more information call 256-369-3003.
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
484.02 Reported on 01/13/16 @ 6 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
www.alexcityoutlook.com
Encourage Entrepreneurs!
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Jacksons Gap Mayor Jeff Walker presented a budget at the council meeting Thursday night amidst questions of town spending after a year of finding the town overspent $70,000 last year. “We busted our budget last year,” Walker
said. “Looks like we went over at least 60 grand.” Overtime in police department and within town hall shares the brunt of the over budget figure. At Thursday’s meeting that was rescheduled from Tuesday due to lack of quorum, discussion centered around the overtime and training expenses.
“Overtime pretty much caused us to go over budget,” Walker said. Walker and new council member Carl Pritchard were at odds over the overtime especially for Jacksons Gap Police Chief B.C. Cooper. “Town policy and procedure says all See JACKSONS GAP • Page 3
Three-day MLK Day celebration begins today By MITCH SNEED Editor
Martin Luther King Jr. Day in Alexander City is a time when the community celebrates and reflects back on how far the community has come and looks ahead to the potential for the future. While Monday is the actual holiday, Alexander City residents can take part in three days of events to commemorate this special time. It all starts this morning with a special Prayer Breakfast beginning at 8 a.m. at Stephen’s Elementary School Gym. The food at the event has become legendary and tickets are only $10. “We always have a big turnout for the prayer breakfast,” MLK Celebration Committee Chairperson Ouida Maxwell said. “It’s a great tome to come out and visit and see folks that you haven’t seen in a while. The food and the fellowship that is present is something that leaves you with a great feeling.” Last summer Alexander City experienced a sad moment that turned out to be an event that brought the city closer together. Thomas “Tu Tu” Marbury passed a few weeks after he was struck by a vehicle as he walked in the downtown area. The community came together by the
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Sisters from left, Hallie McDonald, Heather Johnson and Brittni McDonald-Moran took a family tradition in baking and turned it into Sweet Gaga’s bakery located at 126 Marshall Street in Alexander City.
SWEET SUCCESS
Sisters turning passion into their dream bakery business By MITCH SNEED Editor
Three sisters chasing a dream is what fueled the creation of Sweet Gaga’s Bakery in Alexander City. Located at 126 Marshall Street, Heather Johnson, Brittni McDonald-Moran and Hallie McDonald purchased the building last April and after months of work and the help of family and friends, the sisters opened the business in December. “This really was a dream
See CELEBRATION • Page 3
for all of us,” Heather said. “We grew up baking and watching our mother and grandmother bake and it was just something that was a family tradition. When the opportunity to do this came up, it was something that we just couldn’t pass up.” The smell of fresh baked cakes, cookies, pastries, rolls and cupcakes hits you when you walk in the door. When you take a bite of one of the creations, the taste is even better. The bakery opens at 7 See BAKE • Page 3
Part of Wellborn’s auto collection hits national stage today By MITCH SNEED Editor
If you want to see part of a worldfamous Alexander City classic car collection sold on a national stage, today is the day for you. Alexander City’s Tim and Pam Wellborn will have 11 of the cars from their prized collection on display at Mecum’s Auction in Kissimmee today. The cars that have been in the Wellborn Musclecar Museum will roll through the auction between 1 and 3 p.m. today. The bidding can be watched live at www.mecum.com or on NBC Sports Network. Tim Wellborn said the idea is to
make room for new displays at the museum and keep their collection fresh. “We had a great time down there in 2015 and what that did is allow us to get some of the cars that we haven’t had on display into the museum,” Wellborn said. “That is what we are hoping for this time around too.” Among the cars the Wellborns will have on the block are a classic 1971 Dodge Hemi Charger R/T that has about 9,800 miles and was just one of 63 produced that year. Wellborn will also put up two prized Corvettes as well as another 1971 Plymouth GTX and a classic See WELLBORN • Page 7
File / The Outlook
Alexander City’s Tim and Pam Wellborn will have 11 of the cars from their prized collection on display at the Mecum’s Auction in Kissimmee today.
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