INSIDE: n Obituaries, page 2 n Religion, page 6 n Classifieds, page 9 n Sports, page 12
Weekend
OPINION, PAGE 4: HOW DO YOU KEEP YOUR NAME OUT OF THE PAPER?
The Outlook
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
January 21-22, 2017
Vol. 125, No. 15
www.alexcityoutlook.com
SAVE TIME & GASOLINE!
Police nab suspected killers By MITCH SNEED Editor
Alexander City Police Department investigators have two men in custody in connection with the murder 27-yearold LaDarrell Lamar Hart. Cliff Williams / The Outlook Alexander City Police Department Edward Rashun Thomas, 20, of Dadev- Interim Police Chief Jay Turner ille was one of two suspects arrested confirmed that Edward Rashun and charged with capital murder.
Thomas, 20 and 20-year-old Bobby Lee Ponds Jr., are in custody and will be charged with capital murder. Both men are listed as residents of Dadeville. The arrests were made Friday after the execution of two search warrants. Ponds was arrested at about 3:30 p.m. and was held until they were able to locate Thomas about two hours later.
With Ponds in custody, Thomas was transported to the Alexander City Police Department by units from the Dadeville Police Department. Thomas was then led into the facility by ACPD officers and members of the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force at 7:05 p.m. Ponds was already
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Traffic citations mean big bucks to some area towns CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Traffic stops are common in Tallapoosa County – it’s just that they are more common in some areas than others. With recent discussions at council meetings in Jacksons Gap and New Site in regards to overtime in the police departments, The Outlook examined traffic citations written in the month of December 2016 for Alexander City, Dadeville, Jackson’s Gap and New Site. The Alexander City Police Department issued 150 traffic citations in December. Alexander City Interim Police Chief Jay explained they write no warnings and that this number does not include those the municipal court might lower to a warning. Turner also explained that these citations include equipment violations. In that same time frame, the Dadeville Police Department issued 54 traffic citations and 39 warnings. The New Site Police Department issued a total of five traffic citations in December with a total of two full-time officers. According to the 2010 Census, New Site has a population of 773 people while Jackson’s Gap had a See TICKETS • Page 3
Weather
71 57 High
Low
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
483.97 Reported on 01/21/16 @ 4 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
8
Ponds
Arrest made in Colonel Tom’s fire
Speeding is big buisness
Today’s
See ARREST • Page 8
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Ed Collari, right, shows off the Lake Martin Inovation Center to Sabal Trail Pipeliine staff and local officials Friday. The center opened this week and also houses the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce.
Innovation Station
Donation makes innovation center possible CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Lake Martin Innovation Center is up and running thanks to a donation from Sabal Trail. “We would not be at this point without you,” Ed Collari of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce said of the Sabal Trail donation. “Without this we would not be this far along. It is a godsend. We were looking at another six or seven months.” Collari and the staff of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce gave representatives a tour of the building Friday
after opening Tuesday. “This is starting to shape up,” Sabal Trail’s Andrea Grover said. “You have come a long way since the last time we were here.” Collari and chamber members have been doing a lot of the work themselves from sanding the concrete floor to painting to reclaiming and rehabbing furniture to save money. The center already has tenants – Wisepoint is one of them. Wisepoint’s Jeff Kirk says his company was looking at moving to Auburn because See DONATION • Page 8
Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department investigators have arrested a man they believe played a role in the torching of a Dadeville area nightspot last month. Caldwell Colonel Tom’s Tavern at 10207 County Road 34 near Dadeville was heavily damaged in a fire that occurred in the early morning hours of Wednesday, Dec. 14. Law enforcement and fire personnel arrived on the scene at about 3:55 a.m. Jonathan Kurtis Caldwell, 19, of North Oak Street in Dadeville was arrested on Friday in connection with the fire. According to Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett, Caldwell was a charged with second-degree arson, third-degree burglary and third-degree theft. Caldwell was booked into the Tallapoosa County Jail and bond was set at $40,000. The arrest after a month-long investigation into the club fire that caused extensive damage. The interior of the building, which featured walls that were largely plywood, was gutted by See ARREST • Page 3
Alex City Man authors self-help book on depression and PTSD By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
An Alexander City native has used his personal battles with post traumatic stress and depression and his background in nuclear power engineering to author a step-by-step, self-help book for others struggling with similar issues. Christopher Bishop, 38, authored “Out of the Depths I Cried” with the inspiration from his experiences. As an engineer, he said he wanted a process to follow, steps and guides – which is why he wrote the book in four parts detailing his experience along the way. But Bishop said it was
not easy. “It was difficult because I was having to live the research whenever I was trying to learn how to manage my own depression,” said Bishop. Bishop said he formulated his own process in writing the book. “It’s a self-help book really, that’s what it is designed for,” Bishop said. “It was to solidify what I had learned about depression and realized maybe others would be able to benefit as well.” Among what Bishop called the “tools” he developed in finding his way through his turbulent period, was prayer. He said prayer along with
meditation were integral tools in dealing with his depression and PTSD. Bishop said he is a Christian, so there are Christian references throughout the book. “Anybody who goes into it with an open mind will find help,” Bishop Bishop lived in the area until he was 18, joined the military and then began his engineering career with the Navy Nuclear Program, retiring as a MM1 Machinist Mate First Class. Later he said worked as a quality assurance manager for a nuclear laboratory that manufactured nuclear cores See BOOK • Page 3
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