OPINION: THOMPSON EMBODIES LAKE MARTIN’S COMMUNITY SPIRIT
Weekend The Outlook
A BITE OUT OF CRIME! Police Reports, Page 11.
BASEBALL TEAMS BEGIN HITTING
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
Sports, page 12.
January 30-31, 2016 • Vol. 124 • No. 22 • www.alexcityoutlook.com
JUDGE ADMITS SEXTING Archer apologetic over sexually explicit talk, photos with younger woman By MITCH SNEED Editor
A Tallapoosa County judge has admitted having sexually explicit conversations via social media messenger that included suggestive language and propositions for sexual acts. A 37-year-old female Facebook friend, who asked that her name not be used but did meet face-to-face with The Outlook, has supplied the newspaper with electronic copies of her conversations with Tallapoosa County Probate Court Judge Leon Archer. The online conversations began
in early January and escalated from friendly banter to sexually suggestive requests in a matter of days, according to time stamps on the messages. Archer, who has Archer been married for 47 years, apologized for his “very poor judgment.” “I’m not going to lie about it or deny it,” Archer said after viewing prints of the messages Friday. “I’m not a perfect man and I have done a lot of things that I am not proud of and this may be one of the worst. I
got caught up while on social media with my language and pictures going back and forth. It got out of hand and I should have known better. “This shows a lapse of judgment – very poor judgment. Being a judge, I should be above that and adhere to a higher standard. I feel like I have voided that trust.” The messages appear to be from Archer’s Facebook account, which features his official probate court judge portrait. One message even includes the offer of money if the woman were to meet with him. “What you got going today … I got some money I need to spend,” See JUDGE • Page 9
This is one of the Facebook messages Leon Archer sent to a 37-year-old woman. Many of the messages were not suitable for publication.
Criminal probe possible in city’s missing checks
Fishing for dollars
High school fishermen leave Elkahatchee Creek in last year’s Costa Bassmaster High School Southern Open. Bassmaster returns this week with the College Series Southern Conference Regional.
Records request denied due to pending outside forensic audit By MITCH SNEED Editor
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Bass tournaments to make February a busy time on Lake Martin Feb. 4-6 and the Alabama Bass Trail will be here Feb. 20. The two tournaments should mean extra tax dollars for the area as fisherman come to town for several days. “It will be a big economic impact for the city,” Alexander City Chamber or Commerce’s Carla Culligan said. “All
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Lake Martin will be busy the month of February as it plays host to two different fishing tournaments. The Bassmaster College Series Southern Conference Regional is here
Today’s
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Few people are fortunate enough to see and experience history as Barbara Tagger has in her 34-year career with the National Park Service. Tagger, who became superintendent of Horseshoe Bend National Military Park in Daviston on Oct. 18, has spoken with historic figures and walked in their footsteps. In fact, she has also had a hand in creating National Parks, monuments, systems and trails that honor those historic figures. “That’s one reason why I saw coming to Horseshoe Bend as such a challenge for me,” Tagger
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told a reporter after speaking to the Dadeville Kiwanis Club on Thursday. “It’s the first place I’ve worked with the Park Service that I didn’t have a hand in creating. But I also wanted to be a part of a small park and use my experience to help make it shine. It’s going to be a challenge to try to get it more recognition. ” Tagger’s previous stops with the Park Service were the Martin Luther King, Jr. National Historic Site, the Selma to Montgomery Voting Rights March National Historic Trail, Tuskegee Airmen National Historic Site, the National Underground Railroad Network to Freedom Program See PARK • Page 3
David Granger / The Outlook
Horseshoe Bend Military Park Superintendent Barbara Tagger speaks with Dadeville Kiwanis Club Member John Percy Oliver following her address to the club on Thursday.
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Tagger brings park experience to Horseshoe Bend By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
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of the hotels are already booked up, Wind Creek should be full. It should be great for all of our restaurants, retail businesses and marinas.” Bassmaster’s Hank Weldon sees it as great opportunity to showcase the lake and provide some economic boost. See BASS • Page 3
An Outlook request for city financial records, which included checks written to Lakewinds Golf Course that were never processed, has been denied by Alexander City officials due to an ongoing investigation. The request was filed Tuesday morning after resident Wendell Scroggins raised questions about a number of checks that seem to have been lost in the process at Monday night’s meeting of the Alexander City City Council. Alexander City Parks and Recreation Director Sonny Wilson said at the meeting that he believes the amount of missing funds could be $120,000. City Attorney Larkin Radney explained the reason for the denial of records. “I understand that a forensic audit is either in the process or about to be,” Radney said. “I have advised the mayor
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