Jan. 30, 2018 Alex City Outlook

OPINION, PAGE 4: GET TO KNOW THE CANDIDATES

THE LOCAL, PAGE 9

Volunteers clean up area at Trash Walk event

TUESDAY

Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892

SPORTS, PAGE 10

Wildcats pull off comeback victory

January 30, 2018 Vol. 126, No. 21 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢

WASHED OUT Submitted / The Outlook

Saturday morning police responded to what residents said appeared to be a wild hog terrorizing residents on Worthy Road.

Police forced to put down pig Officers chase wild hog through neighborhood; pig too aggressive to capture

By MITCH SNEED Editor

For the second time in a week, Alexander City Police Department officers were forced to put down an animal that ended up in the wrong place, acting erratically.

Saturday morning police responded to reports of what residents said appeared to be a wild hog terrorizing residents on Worthy Road.

Alexander City Police Chief Jay Turner said that officers received a call and did all they could to bring the animal under control.

See PIG • Page 3 Special / The Outlook

County sees needed rainfall over weekend, culvert collapses

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

A solid storm front moved across Tallapoosa County over the weekend, bringing with it cloudy skies and a steady rainfall Saturday and Sunday. With the area under a moderate drought, the rainfall was a welcome sight in helping to alleviate some of the dry conditions. “According to the National Weather Service, rainfall around the county varied,� Tallapoosa County EMA Director Jason Moran said. “It ranged from 2.47 inches up around New Site, 2.2 inches in Dadeville, 2.1 inches in Alexander City, down to 1.33 inches around the Tallapoosa County-Elmore County line near Tallassee.�

With a steady rainfall like what was seen See RAIN • Page 3

Cliff Williams / The Outlook

County road crews work to repair a portion of Church Road in the Eagle Creek community. The road was already slated for repairs, but heavy rains caused a portion of the culvert to collapse Saturday making the fix necessary. The road will be closed for a couple of days while repairs are completed.

State releases list of ‘failing’ schools

Stephens Elementary School held its second annual National Junior Beta Club induction ceremony Friday afternoon. Seventy fourth-graders were inducted into the society after taking the Junior Beta Pledge to maintain academic integrity and be a positive influence on those around them. The event featured special guest speakers Jada Leonard from Alexander City Middle School and Cameron Tolbert from Benjamin Russell High School. Club officers Brodie Holman, William Lovett, Jax Carter, Carter Neese and Ava Barrett lit the five Junior Beta candles, explaining the meaning of each one. Principal April Neese said this was the second year of having a Junior Beta Club at Stephens, and was glad to see so many students getting inducted.

The Alabama Department of Education released a list Wednesday of 75 public schools across the state that are labeled as “failing.â€? These 75 schools were given a failing grade under the guidelines of the Alabama Accountability Act, passed in 2013 and amended two years later, which defines a failing school as one finishing in the bottom 6 percent of state schools on the state standardized test in See FAILING • Page 2

Donald Campbell / The Outlook

Lake Martin

Weather Lake Levels

47 27 High

Low

The Alexander City Board of Education held a special called meeting Monday morning to approve a new Child Nutrition Food Service Management contract set to take effect on Feb. 16. Despite the absence of board member Michael Ransaw, the board was able to proceed, approving a contract with Southern Foodservice Management. “We opened one bid on Friday, the other company said they were no longer interested in submitting a bid,â€? Chief Schools Financial Officer Rhonda Blythe said. “The other company (The Nutrition See BOE • Page 3

Students inducted into National Junior Beta Club

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Today’s

City school board approves new food service contract

484.53

Reported on 01/29/18 @ 5 p.m.

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Relative gladly funds niece’s insurance, but not vacations

Wednesday

57 37 Low

High Mostly sunny

Thursday

58 41 Low

High Rain likely

Staff

Directory Telephone: (256) 234-4281 Fax: (256) 234-6550 Website: www.alexcityoutlook.com Management Steve Baker Publisher, Ext. 218 steve.baker@alexcityoutlook.com Mitch Sneed Editor, Ext. 213 mitch.sneed@alexcityoutlook.com David Kendrick Circulation Manager, Ext. 204 david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook.com Lee Champion Production Manager, Ext. 220 lee.champion@alexcityoutlook.com Audra Spears Art Director, Ext. 219 audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com Betsy Iler Magazine Managing Editor, Ext. 221 betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com Tippy Hunter Advertising Director, Ext. 206 marketing@alexcityoutlook.com Angela Mullins Business Manager, Ext. 202 angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com Newsroom Amy Passaretti Assistant Magazine Editor, Ext. 227 amy.passaretti@alexcityoutlook.com Lizi Arbogast Sports Editor, Ext. 228 lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com

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Information (USPS: 013-080, ISSN: 0738-5110)

Cliff Williams Staff Writer, Ext. 212 cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com Donald Campbell Staff Writer, Ext. 208 donald.campbell@alexcityoutlook.com Santana Wood Staff Writer/Pagination, Ext. 210 santana.wood@alexcityoutlook.com Advertising Sales Doug Patterson Newspaper Advertising, Ext. 205 doug.patterson@alexcityoutlook.com Katie Wesson Retail Sales Manager, Ext. 232 katie.wesson@alexcityoutlook.com Scott Hardy Digital Marketing Coordinator, Ext. 232 scott.hardy@alexcityoutlook.com Rebecca Carlisle Advertising Sales, Ext. 217 rebecca.carlisle@alexcityoutlook.com Erin Burton Advertising Sales, Ext. 225 erin.burton@alexcityoutlook.com Composing Darlene Johnson Composing Department, Ext. 203 darlene.johnson@alexcityoutlook.com Hallie Holloway Composing Department, Ext. 203 hallie.holloway@alexcityoutlook.com Circulation Linda Ewing Office Clerk, Ext. 201 linda.ewing@alexcityoutlook.com

Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. manages The Alexander City Outlook, The Dadeville Record, Lake magazine, Lake Martin Living, Kenneth Boone Photography and a commercial web printing press.

The Outlook is published five times a week, Tuesday through Saturday mornings, by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, P.O. Box © 2011 Tallapoosa 999, Alexander City, AL, 35011.

Publishers, Inc. Reproduction of any part of any issue requires written publisher POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Post Office Box 999, permission.

Alexander City, AL 35011.

How to Submit Obituaries

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The Outlook

Obituaries can be submitted to The Outlook from funeral homes by e-mail at obits@ alexcityoutlook.com or by fax at (256) 234-6550.

For more information, call (256) 234-4281.

DEAR ABBY: My 25-yearold niece still lives at home.

She works full time and attends college online. She’s a hard worker who doesn’t do drugs or engage in risky behavior.

I pay her a bonus for every A she earns, and I also pay for her health insurance.

While I gladly pay the college bonuses, I have misgivings about continuing to pay for her health insurance, even though I can afford it. She doesn’t make much money at her job, but she goes out to restaurants and bars often, attends concerts and takes trips out of state three or four times a year.

When I was her age, I also went to college, worked a low-paying job and lived with my mother. Although I went out with friends often, I never wasted money on those other things -- especially vacations.

Should I continue paying her health insurance for her? I don’t know if I’m being judgmental or enabling irresponsi-

DEAR ABBY Advice

ble behavior. -- PROTECTIVE IN HOUSTON DEAR PROTECTIVE: You are obviously a generous person, but yes, you are being judgmental. Your niece is working, studying and living a clean and healthy life. You had a social life when you were your niece’s age; you should not begrudge her having hers.

Going to restaurants, bars and concerts is normal for a young woman her age.

However, if you prefer not to subsidize the vacations because you feel they are excessive, discuss your feelings with her before deciding what to do.

DEAR ABBY: My husband

and I have lived like nomads for the last few years. We have bought, sold and moved many times for all sorts of silly reasons. Our 5-year-old daughter finally started school, yet we don’t feel at home here. We now realize buying and selling may not be for us, so we are renting, but we still aren’t happy.

We moved here to be close to my oldest and dearest friend, whose kids are now grown, and to my sister, who hardly talks to us or sees us. My husband’s sister and her husband’s family love us and treat us well. They have suggested we should move by them. They have kids our daughter’s age. The only issue is possibly not finding a good home or school. Private school could be an option.

Would another move be bad? Should we make a final move before our daughter gets vested in school and friends?

It would put us within walking

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.

Obituaries Mr. Kermit Oliver 1935 - 2018 Funeral Service for Mr. Kermit Oliver, 82, of Alexander City, will be Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Radney Funeral Home. Rev. Jerry Abbett and Dr. Steve King will officiate. Burial will follow in the Alexander City Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Monday, January 29, 2018 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Radney Funeral Home.

Mr. Oliver passed away on Saturday, January 27, 2018 at Russell Medical. He was born on September 27, 1935 in Tallapoosa County to Thomas Herbert Oliver and Mary “Mae” Frances Blythe Oliver. He loved his family dearly. He was an active member of Alexander City First Baptist Church, owner and operator of R.C. Cola Company of Alexander City, enjoyed working, cooking, traveling, and wood working.

He is survived by his

wife, Laura Bell Dykes Oliver of Alexander City; daughter, Brenda Darlene Lynn (Raymond) of Alexander City; grandsons, Jeremy Dykes Lynn (Ariel Alise) of Alexander City and, Jonathon Zachary Lynn of Redmond, WA; brother, Owen Herbert Oliver of Alexander City; sister, Sara Roebuck of Talladega; greatgrandson, Brogan Dykes Lynn; and best friend, Don Dykes.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to: The Early Learning Center Alexander City First Baptist Church PO Box 400 Alexander City, AL 35011 Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www. radneyfuneralhome.com.

Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Mr. Marvin Winton Whigham Jr. 1941 - 2018 Funeral Service for Mr. Marvin Winton Whigham Jr., 76, of Alexander City, will be Thursday, February 1, 2018 at 11:00 a.m. at the Chapel of Radney Funeral Home. Pastor Ray Dunn will officiate. Burial will follow in the Daviston Methodist Cemetery. The family will receive friends on Thursday, February 1, 2018 from 10:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at Radney Funeral Home.

Mr. Whigham passed away on Thursday, January 25, 2018 at Chapman Healthcare. He was born on September 24, 1941 in Mobile, Alabama to Marvin Winton

Whigham Sr. and Ruth Hazel Lindsey Whigham.

He was retired from ICG as a Locomotive Engineer and a member of Daviston Methodist Church.

He is survived by his son, John S. Whigham Sr. of Houston, Texas, and a grandson, John S. Whigham Jr. of Houston, Texas.

He was preceded in death by his parents.

In lieu of flowers, memorials may be made to Daviston Methodist Church, PO Box 101 Daviston, AL 36256.

Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www. radneyfuneralhome.com.

Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.

Mr. Terry Kelley Funeral service for Mr. Terry Kelley 70 of Goodwater, AL will be Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at 12:00 p.m. at Armour’s Memorial Chapel in Alexander City, AL; Burial at St. John A.M.E. Church Cemetery in Goodwater, AL. Visitation: Monday, January 29, 2018, 1 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Final Arrangements Entrusted to Armour’s Memorial Funeral Home.

Failing reading and math.

No schools in the Alexander City, the Tallapoosa County nor the Coosa County school systems fell into this category, which was dominated by the Birmingham City School System, with 14 of the 75 coming from that one system, followed by the Montgomery County (11 schools) and Mobile County (9) systems. While none of the schools in the two local systems made

distance to several families we spend a lot of time with and who love us very much. We are afraid of judgment from everyone. Please help us sort it out. -- HOPEFUL NOMADS IN ILLINOIS DEAR NOMADS: Forget about the judgments. You will survive them. The older your daughter becomes, the more difficult moving away from the people she knows will be for her. If you are going to move to an environment more compatible for you, your husband and your daughter, the time to do it is now, so her education and social relationships will not be as disrupted as they would be when she is older.

continued from page 1

the list, there were some in the area that did. Notasulga High School was back on the list after not being featured last year, while LaFayette High School came off the list this year and Lanett Senior High School remained on the list.

While this list does identify those schools that scored the lowest in reading and math on the state standardized test, this does not come without its own controversies. The scores used to calculate this list came from results on the ACT Aspire test, which the Alabama Department of Education canned last year as not aligning with state standards.

Until a permanent replacement is found, the state will be utilizing the Scantron battery of tests, which it hopes will align to state standards better than the Aspire did.

Alexander City School Superintendent Dr. Darrell Cooper said he was thankful none of the city schools were on the list, but still believed this to be a flawed method of measurement.

“This only takes into account the scores on the Aspire test,” Cooper said.

“There should be something, some way for schools to be held accountable, but I’m not sure that this is the right way to do it.”

When these results are compiled, schools at every level are lumped together into one grouping, something Cooper felt was not fair to anyone, as the scales used give different weights to each level of schooling.

According to this scale, high schools are going to look like they are not doing as well as elementary and middle schools, thus leading to a higher “failure” rate of high schools across the state.

“We’re thankful we were not on this list, but I believe you have to look at a lot of factors when you are measuring a school,” Cooper said. “The schools on this list, they may have their issues that need addressed, but it just doesn’t seem right to measure them based on the results of one test.”

State officials said Thursday that letter grades for every public school in Alabama will be released to the public Feb. 1. As with the data released so far, these report cards will be based on the results of last year’s ACT Aspire test.

“All schools should be held accountable, but there is so much that should go into accountability,” Cooper said. “Test results can give you good information, but they can’t tell you everything you need to know about a school.”

DISTRICT

Anniston City Barbour County Bessemer City Bessemer City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Birmingham City Bullock County Choctaw County Dallas County Dallas County Dallas County Dothan City Escambia County Fairfield City Fairfield City Greene County Greene County Hale County Hale County Huntsville City Huntsville City Huntsville City Jefferson County Jefferson County Lanett City Linden City Lowndes County Macon County Macon County Marengo County Midfield City Midfield City Mobile County Mobile County Mobile County Mobile County Mobile County Mobile County Mobile County Mobile County Mobile County Monroe County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Montgomery County Pickens County Selma City Selma City Sumter County Sumter County Tuscaloosa City Tuscaloosa City Walker County Wilcox County Wilcox County

SCHOOL

Anniston High School Barbour County High School Abrams Elementary School Bessemer City High School Barrett Elementary School Charles A Brown Elementary School George Washington Carver High School Hayes K-8 Hemphill Elementary School Hudson K-Eight School Huffman High School-Magnet Jackson-Olin High School Parker High School Smith Middle School Washington Elementary School Jones Valley Middle School Wenonah High School Woodlawn High School-Magnet Bullock County High School Choctaw County High School Keith Middle-High School Southside High School Tipton Durant Middle School Honeysuckle Middle School Escambia County High School Fairfield High Preparatory School Robinson Elementary School Greene County High School Robert Brown Middle School Greensboro High School Hale County High School Mae Jemison High School Lee High School Ronald McNair 7-8 Center Point High School Minor High School Lanett Senior High School Linden High School Calhoun High School Booker T Washington High Notasulga High School Amelia L. Johnson High School Midfield High School Rutledge School Ben C Rain High School Booker T Washington Middle School Mattie T Blount High School Mobile County Training Middle School CL Scarborough Model Middle School John L Leflore Magnet School Chastang-Fournier Middle School CF Vigor High School Lillie B Williamson High School Monroe County High School Bellingrath Middle School Capitol Heights Middle School Carver Senior High School Davis Elementary School Fews Secondary Acceleration Academy Highland Avenue Elementary School Jefferson Davis High School Lanier Senior High School Lee High School Nixon Elementary School Park Crossing High School Aliceville High School Selma High School R.B.Hudson Middle School York West End Junior High School Sumter Central High School Paul W Bryant High School Central High School Carbon Hill High School Wilcox Central High School Camden School Of Arts & Technology

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Page 3

www.alexcityoutlook.com

The Outlook

Rain over the weekend, parts of central Alabama were in the range of possibly having some issues with flooding, though Moran said he believed this was not going to be an issue for the area. The biggest issue from the storm occurred Saturday night when a culvert at Church Road near Eagle Creek partially collapsed. The road will be closed through today barring any complications. “The rain we got this weekend, it was much needed for our area,� Moran said. “I don’t see there being any problems with flooding in the county as a result of the rain.�

The clouds cleared off early Monday morning, bringing a dose of sunshine to the county. The sunshine is projected to last through Wednesday evening, according to the National Weather Service website.

Heavier cloud cover is expected to return Wednesday night, with a chance of rain in the forecast for Thursday and Friday morning, before the sun begins to poke through the clouds on Friday.

High temperatures are projected to range between 47 degrees today and 58 degrees on Thursday, while the nighttime lows could be as low as 26 degrees tonight and 41 degrees Thursday night.

continued from page 1

Cliff Williams / The Outlook

County work crews are replacing a washed out culvert under Church Road in Eagle Creek. The road was already slated for repairs, but after heavy rains caused a portion of it to collapse Saturday, the fix is necessary.

Pig

continued from page 1

“They responded to a wild hog call, they were advised the hog was acting strange and aggressive,� Turner said. “Upon arrival, they attempted to capture the pig but it was too aggressive to capture.�

The pig even led officers on a chase through the Worthy Road neighborhood and eventually it crossed onto Airport Road and into a yard. As officers tried again to capture the

pig, it became aggressive and turned on officers, according to a witness who didn’t want his name used. “After several attempts, the pig was only getting worse,�

Turner said. “They were eventually forced to put the animal down. It will be sent to forensics to see what may have caused the animal to act so aggressively.�

Turner said it now appears

that the hog was a pig that personnel had checked on earlier in the week when reports came in that someone had moved away from the home and left the animal there with no food or water. “My understanding is the pig had been left to fend for itself and reverted from domesticated to wild,� Turner said. “Anytime an animal – wild or domestic – acts in a manner not normal

that could put officers or the public in danger – if it can’t be safely captured – we will send it to forensics to be tested for rabies or other diseases.

Sometimes putting it down is the only safe option that we have.�

Turner said the incident remains under investigation and said they will look back at the previous call to see if they can locate the person responsi-

ble for leaving the pig uncared for and running at large.

Thursday officers were called to Tractor Supply after an eight-point buck that had been badly injured after being hit by a car limped into the store. When it became apparent how much blood the deer had lost and that he would have been at risk if they tried to remove him from the store, he too was euthanized.

BOE Group) sent us a letter saying they didn’t think their operational concept would fit in well with our school system,� she added after the meeting.

Blythe and Superintendent Dr. Darrell Cooper both said there may have been a bit of misunderstanding on Southern’s part during the bidding process last summer, as the process had changed.

However, during the bid submission window on Friday, Southern came in with a strong plan and a bid that actually was slightly more cost efficient than what Southwest Foodservice Excellence had bid for the contract over the summer, coming in at a cost of $1.11 per reimbursable meal. Blythe said the price could go up on the contract, but it could not exceed the Consumer Price Index. “This gives us a sense of confidence. We’ve dealt with this company before,� Cooper said. “We know what Southern offers, so we can just step right in with them. “Our way of business and Southwest’s business model just didn’t mesh. We think things will run much smoother with Southern. There was nothing wrong with

continued from page 1

them when we used them before.�

Following the short discussion, the board passed a motion to approve the new contract with Southern Foodservice Management. The contract will take effect Feb. 16 and run through June 30, though Blythe said the contract would be reviewed within the next

few months to determine if the school board wanted to renew it for up to four more years.

The need for a new provider arose during the school year after the board voted to approve a contract with Southwest Foodservice Excellence during the summer of 2017. The board felt there had been some issues with Southwest

HILLABEE TOWERS

since the school year began, including a battle over the system used to determine the nutritional values of the food being served and an issue over holiday pay for employees. “Neither Southwest nor us were truly satisfied with everything,�

Cooper said after the Jan. 22 board meeting.

Following the approval of the new food service contract, Cooper informed the board that the February meeting of the board would be at the Board of Education building, and that the meeting at Benjamin Russell High School initially scheduled for January had been moved to March.

The April meeting of the board will still be held at Jim Pearson Elementary School, according to Cooper.

The next meeting of the Alexander City Board of Education will be Tuesday, Feb. 20 beginning at 5 p.m. in the meeting room of the Alexander City Board of Education building.

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Opinion

MITCH SNEED EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X213

editor@alexcityoutlook.com

EDITORIAL BOARD Steve Baker Mitch Sneed

Page 4

Outlook

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Our

Opinion

The

Baseball needs God-given talent and honesty

Get to know W the candidates

E

lection Day is not right around the corner. The primary races on the ballot this year are still almost five months away. Qualifying isn’t even complete for that matter, but we are already seeing encouraging signs.

Just take look at a few things in the news recently and we think you will agree that this year’s races seem to be drawing more interest than in the past.

Just last Thursday, around 40 people made their way to the south end of the county for the monthly meeting of the Tallapoosa County Republican Party in the lunchroom of Reeltown High School to learn more about some of the candidates on the ballot in 2018.

Joining party chair Denise Bates during the meeting were a number of candidates seeking local and state offices, including Alice Martin for Attorney General, Lee Hamilton for Probate Judge, Patrick Craddock for Circuit Clerk, Jimmy Abbett for Sheriff and Derrick Blythe for District 81 of the Alabama House of Representatives. Some of the candidates gave short speeches about themselves and why they chose to run for office, while others simply thanked their supporters and asked for continued support as they continued to push towards the June 5 primary.

The other side of that is we are seeing more and more candidates qualify to run for elected office from both major political parties.

The willingness to put one’s name out there, volunteering for public service is a big step. We applaud all those who have made that commitment.

Now that we have people running, it’s our responsibility as voters to get to know the candidates and make an educated decision about who will do the best job for our community and our state.

This newspaper will feature previews on the races in upcoming editions as a way to help voters form an opinion. We urge voters to do their homework.

Our area and our state are facing issues that will shape our future. It is important we find people who have our best interest at heart to serve us in elected office.

Don’t let cute commercials, sound bites or the letter beside a candidate’s name be the deciding factor for you. Knowledge is much more reliable.

ith dishonesty in politics becoming a national sport, it’s nice to know that some in our sports are still committed to maintain honesty, as witnessed by the 2018 Baseball Hall of Fame vote. Yet our national pastime still has four years to keep itself clean, blocking steroid users and gamblers from Cooperstown. The day players like Roger Clemens and Barry Bonds are admitted to the Hall of Fame is the day this sport, and many other Americans, will die. Here’s why.

Before the steroid abuse scandal broke, long-held records dropped. Home runs and strikeouts rose dramatically…now we know it was done artificially. Such players were rewarded with MVP and Cy Young Awards, passed totals amassed by players who played the game honestly and were richly rewarded by incredible contracts.

When it came to the Hall of Fame voting, most voters rejected the candidacies of those who not only cheated, but humiliated the sport in front of Congress and the courts (only a curious last minute switch of one juror’s vote kept Bonds out of prison, while it’s amazing that the same has not happened to Clemens). Players like Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Rafael Palmeiro, Manny Ramirez, Gary Sheffield don’t seem to stand a chance, though they got enough votes to prevent several deserving players from entering the Hall of Fame.

Communication with elected officials is the key to good government. To let your most local representatives know how you feel about state or local matters, contact any of the following.

Governor Kay Ivey represents the state of Alabama and its 67 counties. She was sworn into office on April 10, 2017, and can be reached at 334242-7100. Her office is located at the State Capitol at 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama.

Steve Marshall was appointed Alabama’s 50th Attorney General.

He was appointed in 2017 and serves as the State’s chief law enforcement officer.

He can be reached at 334-242-7300, and his office is located at 501 Washington Avenue, Montgomery.

Mark Tuggle (R) represents the 81st District covering Coosa, Chilton and Tallapoosa counties. He can be reached by phone at 256-392-2006 or by email at tughd81@gmail. com. His office is located at 110 Calhoun Street, Suite 108, Alexander City.

Tom Whatley represents the 27th District covering Lee, Russell and Tallapoosa County. He was elected to the Alabama Senate on Nov. 2, 2010, and can be reached at 334242-t7865. His office is located at 337 East Magnolia Drive, Auburn.

Kay Ivey

Steve Marshall

Mark Tuggle

Tom Whatley

Clemens and Bonds got a few more votes than other abusers did, but seemed stuck in neutral until the rules changed and the horizon for entry shrank to ten years.

A propaganda army began blogging the desperate arguments to give these men who were showered with awards and money the only thing in life they didn’t receive unfairly, the ability to have their names next to the word “fame” in the annals of baseball. Their vote totals rose to slightly above 55 percent, as their defenders sought to elevate these candidates by tearing down the reputations of others.

Past Hall of Fame players like Joe Morgan, and current Hall of Fame players like Chipper Jones, are united in rejecting those who nearly ruined the sport over steroids.

But for some sportswriters, they only care about headlines, records falling every day and the controversy the subject brings up. Player deaths from steroid abuse, as well as casualties of ‘roid rage and ruined careers do not trouble their consciences one bit, as excuses are made for any reality.

Chipper Jones and Joe Morgan may not have the statistics of Bonds and Clemens, but both are more

John A. Tures is a professor of political science at LaGrange College in LaGrange, Georgia. He can be reached at jtures@ lagrange.edu. His Twitter account is JohnTures2.

Today’s

Quote

“The difference between genius and stupidity is: genius has its limits.”

—Albert Einstein

Today’s

Scripture

“Sitting down, Jesus called the Twelve and said, ‘If anyone wants to be first, he must be the very last, and the servant of all.””

—Mark 9:35

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JOHN TURES Columnist

honest about their errors.

Jones documents his personal failings in his autobiography, deletes incorrect and insensitive tweets and owns them, even though they cost him a perfect score. He thankfully doesn’t deny his relationships or lie about his tweets, claiming someone hijacked his account or any other ridiculous defense.

As we got better information about Morgan’s friend Pete Rose and the latter’s gambling and inappropriate actions, Morgan did not make a plea for his teammate to be exempted from his anti-steroid screed, even as he stays in touch with him.

Compare them with the incredible excuses Bonds and Clemens offered in their defense, unwilling to point the finger anywhere except themselves. Maybe that’s why the honest, hardworking, hard-luck pitcher Mike Mussina, with lower vote totals than both players in 2017, surpassed them both in 2018 in votes received.

God gave players amazing talents to hit, pitch and field.

He gave them the drive to train hard, overcome adversity, persevere and achieve greatness. It’s sad that some feel such gifts just simply weren’t good enough.

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

I

A child’s love freezes to death

used to love snow.

See, being born and raised in extreme south Alabama, I never saw it. So, when my family moved to Equality in Coosa County and I actually saw it every couple of years or so, it was such a weather anomaly I loved it.

Seriously.

Here’s how bad it was.

There was no Weather Channel or super-dooper newfangled radar back then.

And, as hard as winter-weather systems are to forecast in the Deep South still today with those tools, imagine how hard it was without them. Still, I would hunker down in my weather-nerd bunker with a Rand-McNally road atlas and, using a pencil and a ruler, plot the movement of the incoming – or at least I hoped – weather system.

I ruined many an atlas causing many a wrong turn that way. (“That’s not a road, Jack!

That’s one of David’s snow lines,” I’ve often heard my mother say.)

But, as I sit here on Jan. 23, 2018, I think my snow crush has died a bone-chillingly brutal death. Fifty-seven years of snow love melted completely away in just four days!

After last week, I’m not sure if I care if it never snows again. I want to take up a love offering and send it to the

DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor citizens of Buffalo, New York, who must not only live with snow, but, worse yet, lakeeffect snows that pile up more and more in durations that last for endless days at a time.

(I’d send the same love offering to Cleveland, too, but, hey, they’ve got the rock-androll Hall of Fame. Buffalo?

The Bills, poor pitifuls. …

Oh, wait! I forgot the Browns.

Cleveland, you may get an offering, after all!)

Honestly, I don’t think it was just the snow that made us all so miserable last week.

I think it had a lot to do with the temperatures that accompanied it. Usually when it snows around here, the temps are hovering right at the freezing point. That’s why we normally get those huge fluffy flakes that we see when we do see snow.

But this time? The teens!

No fluffy flakes here. Just little tiny ones that land with a “shhhhhhhhhhhh” sound in the woods and hit your jacket with a sound like a hundred ants pelting you with itsy bitsy snowballs.

Sure it’s still picturepostcard beautiful while it

covers your yard undisturbed.

Then your dog, moving through the powder-white with the grace of a crippled rhino, makes his “art” in it and, well, there goes any beauty!

But the best part? Going to get in your vehicle after the snow, busting your butt at the bottom of the steps leading from your deck and concussing yourself on the bottom-most step.

WHAM, ***stars***OUCH!!!

What a way to start your day. And, oh, yeah, when you get in your vehicle and can finally focus, the in-dash thermometer says it’s a balmy 17 degrees outside.

So, yeah, I hope all the kids enjoyed their snowmanbuilding, their days out of school, all of those things from childhood that make me grow wistful just thinking about them.

But this 57-year-old got enough last week. By the time it warmed up on Saturday, it was all I could do to look at an ice cube.

And if the weatherman says the “s” word again anytime soon, I’m sure I’ll yell one right back at him!

David Granger is the managing editor of Tallapoosa Publishers’ Elmore County newspapers. He can be reached at david.granger@ thewetumpkaherald.com

The subscription rate is $136.00 per year in Tallapoosa and Coosa counties and $177.99 outside the area. Periodicals paid at Alexander City, AL. Newspapers are available at 100 news racks in our area at 75 cents for The Outlook and 50 cents for The Record. We would love to deliver a paper to your door. Call David Kendrick at 256-234-4281, Ext. 204 or e-mail david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook. com.

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The Outlook

WHAT IS GROUNDHOG DAY?

Every year since 1886, on February 2, the United States and Canada have celebrated the fun holiday that is Groundhog Day. On this day, tradition states that if the groundhog sees his shadow when he emerges from his home and is scared back into his dwelling, then Winter will last for six more weeks. If he is not scared by his shadow, Spring is set to come. This holiday’s origins go back as far as the Roman Empire.

Soldiers in the Roman Legion would make the same prediction with a similar animal, the hedgehog. If the hedgehog cast a shadow, then what the Romans called “the second Winter” would start. The most famous of the weather-predicting groundhogs lives in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania, and goes by the name Punxsutawney Phil. His home, or burrow, in Pennsylvania is called Gobbler’s Knob. Phil was featured in the popular 1993 movie, Groundhog Day. Other famous groundhogs are General Beauregard Lee in Atlanta, Georgia; Balzac Billy, in Balzac in Alberta, Canada; and Jimmy the Groundhog in Sun Prairie, Wisconsin.

GROUNDHOG DAY WORD FIND

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SHADOW MAZE America, Burrow, Canada, February, Gobbler’s Knob, Groundhog, Pennsylvania, Phil, Prediction, Punxsutawney, Shadow, Six Weeks, Spring, Winter

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CommunityCalendar Need Insurance?

Today is January 30, 2018

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The Outlook

Today’s Birthdays

Yvonne Lewis, Alyssa Forbus, Claudia May Whetstone and Brandon Spraggins are celebrating their birthdays today.

Submit calendar items:

Participate in your Outlook by calling 256-234-4281, faxing them to 256-234-6550, sending your event to calendar@alexcityoutlook.com or logging on to http://www.alexcityoutlook.com/.

Today’s Anniversaries

Roger and Martha Collum celebrate their anniversary today.

Call me.

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Mitch Sneed / The Outlook

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Brown Nursing and Rehabilitation Rehabilitation Services •Physical Therapy •Occupational Therapy •Speech Therapy 2334 Washington Street Alexander City • 256-329-9061 www.crownemanagement.com

Come Visit Us! Cecily Lee, Administrator Angela Pitts, Director of Nursing

Baseball and softball registration is upcoming for children playing with the Alexander City Parks and Recreation Department.

This sign on Sixth Avenue Extension tells the times and dates to register, which are Feb. 1-2 from 5:30 to 8 p.m. and Feb. 3 from 8 a.m. to noon at Radney Elementary School.

Wednesday, January 31

GRIEF SHARE: A session of GriefShare will be starting soon at the Trinity Campus of First United Methodist next to Russell Medical.

GriefShare helps those who have experienced the death of a loved one to realize that there is hope amidst the pain and uncertainty of grief. The journey can be made lighter when shared with others who are trained to listen with compassion and are able to provide guidelines on how to move forward.

There will be two separate groups meeting at the same location on the same days, one at 10 a.m. and the other at 6 p.m. Both are identical material. Meetings will start Jan. 31 and continue each Wednesday through April 25.

The facilitators are Dr. Tomeka McGhee and Patsy Coe Densmore.

For more information call 256-2342455 or 256749-9354.

January 31 - February 2

CHURCH REVIVAL: God’s House of Prayer Holiness Church is hosting the Debt Cancellation Revival Jan. 31 to Feb. 2. Financial classes are nightly at 6 p.m. at the church at 573 Harper Avenue. Musical guests include Lemmie Battles, Paul Porter and Bishop Jason Nelson. For more information contact Bishop Frank McCleod at 334-740-0294.

Friday, February 2

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FEAST OF SHARING: St. James Episcopal Church will hold its Mardi Gras Auction at the church located at 347 South Central Ave in Alex City.

Doors will open at 6 p.m. and will feature live and silent auctions, raffles, wine/beer/non-alcoholic beverages, hors d’oeuvres, desserts and entertainment. Tickets are $25 in advance, $30 at the door. For information please contact Denise Graves 205-826-4066.

For tickets please contact St. James Episcopal Church 256-234-4752. All monies benefit Feast of Sharing, a ministry of St. James and First United Methodist Church, providing a free meal twice a week to hungry people in the area.

Saturday, February 3

BOSTON BUTT FUNDRAISER: Meals on Wheels is having a Boston Butt fundraiser. They are selling tickets for a Feb. 3 delivery of a Firetruck Boston butt at the Meals on Wheels office at Russell Medical or by calling 256-329-7382. Tickets are $35.

BOOK SALE: The Friends of the Dadeville Public Library will host a book sale on the lower level of the Dadeville Library Saturday, Feb. 3 from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Fill a grocery bag for $5 or three bags for just $15.

Wills will present “Forgotten Alabama” to Horizons Unlimited Monday, Feb. 5 starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Alexander City Board of Education.

Horizons Unlimited membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple.

Registration for winter quarter begins Jan. 8 at 1 p.m.

Tuesday, February 6

CHARITY BINGO: Niffer’s will be hosting charity bingo on Tuesdays in February to benefit the Lake Martin Area United Way. Cards are $1 each.

The first seven rounds are for Niffer’s dollars and the final round is for the jackpot. Niffer’s is located at 7500 Highway 49 South in Dadeville.

Wednesday, February 7

SITE REVIEW: Central Alabama Community College will host a site review for continuing accreditation of its Associate Degree in Nursing program by the ACEN on Feb. 7 at 3 p.m. in Building J of the Childersburg Campus.

For further information, go to the CACC homepage at www.cacc.edu.

ENGLISH LEARNER’S CLUB: The Adelia M. Russell Library is hosting the English Learner’s Club starting Wednesday, Feb. 7 from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Registration starts Jan. 3.

The club will help speakers of other languages learn, develop and improve English skills, learn American slang, idioms and other useful phrases and work on fluency activities and interview questions.

For questions and information, call 256-329-6796 or visit the Adelia M. Russell Library.

MONTHLY LUNCHEON: Bibb Graves High School Alumni and Friends in Millerville will host their monthly luncheon Wednesday, Feb. 7 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Please bring a covered dish and a small donation.

Friday, February 9

VALENTINES CELEBRATION: The Equality Performing Arts Center is hosting a Royal Valentine’s Celebration Friday, Feb. 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. Six past state pageant winners and the reigning Ms. Alabama Sr. America will perform popular love songs, a romantic aria and tap dance.

The EPAC is located on Alabama Highway 9 in Equality.

Sunday, February 11

VALENTINE LUNCHEON: Mt.Zion Baptist Church on Highway 63 South is hosting a valentine luncheon Feb. 11 at 11 a.m. There will be a photographer on site.

GOSPEL SINGING: Victory Baptist Church on South Road in Alexander City will host The Warrens Feb. 11 at 6 p.m.

Monday, February 12

Sunday, February 4

PASTOR’S ANNIVERSARY: New Harmony Missionary Baptist Church in Camp Hill is hosting the 9th Pastor’s Anniversary honoring Rev. and Sis. Melvin C. Kelley, Jr. Sunday, Feb. 4 at 2 p.m. The guest minister will be Rev. Ira Moss, pastor of New Mt. Zion Baptist Church in Tuskegee.

Monday, February 5

HORIZONS UNLIMITED: Glenn

HORIZONS UNLIMITED: Peggy Shores will present “Songs from the Heart” to Horizons Unlimited Monday, Feb. 12 starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Alexander City Board of Education.

Horizons Unlimited membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple.

Registration for winter quarter begins Jan. 8 at 1 p.m.

Friday, February 16

PAGEANT: God’s Beautiful

Creations Pageant will be Friday, Feb. 16 at 6 p.m. at Sardis Missionary Baptist Church in Dadeville in the Fellowship Hall. The event is sponsored by the music ministry. There will be five categories and all ages are welcome to participate. There will also be an Outstanding Couple category. To participate please contact any of the Sardis Missionary Baptist Church choir members.

Saturday, February 17

PANCAKE BREAKFAST: The Dadeville Kiwanis Club will be holding its annual pancake breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 17 from 7 until 11 a.m. at the Dadeville Elementary School Cafeteria. Tickets are $6 per person and includes all-you-can-eat pancakes, sausage, ham, coffee, juice and milk.

For tickets, see any member of the Dadeville Kiwanis Club, or contact Tony Johnson at 256-825-6364 or Peggy Bullard at 256-825-9415.

The Learning Tree Helping Children Learn and Grow

The Learning Tree, Inc. is Accepting Applications for 2nd, 3rd, and Weekend Shifts for Direct Care.

Applications can be picked up at: 101 S. Dubois Street Tallassee, AL 36078 Or contact Brinda Bell (334) 252-0025, Ext. 101 Email: bbell@learning-tree.org

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year!

Saturday, February 24

PANCAKE BREAKFAST: There will be a pancake breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 24 at Faith Temple Church Gym at 425 Franklin Street from 6 a.m. to 11 a.m. Tickets are $6 for all you can eat pancakes in house and sausage, juice and coffee. Carry out is available.

This is a fundraiser for the Faith Christian Academy’s Robotics team which will compete in the National WWII Museum’s Robotics Challenge in New Orleans in May. Tickets are available from FCA students and at the door.

Harold Cochran 256.234.2700 haroldcochran.b2cn@statefarm.com

Tony Guy, Owner Over 40 Years Experience

Monday, February 26

HORIZONS UNLIMITED: Dr. James Hansen will present “Neil Armstrong” to Horizons Unlimited Monday, Feb. 26 starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Alexander City Board of Education.

Horizons Unlimited membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple.

Registration for winter quarter begins Jan. 8 at 1 p.m.

Saturday, March 10

PANCAKE BREAKFAST: The Alexander City Kiwanis Club is hosting a pancake and Conecuh sausage breakfast March 10 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. at the Benjamin Russell High School Cafeteria. It is $6 a ticket and all you can eat. Carry outs are available.

Wednesday, March 29

VIETNAM VETERANS WELCOME HOME: The Auburn Veterans Project is celebrating and reflecting on the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans March 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Auburn High School Auditorium.

Speakers will be Joe Galloway and Medal of Honor recipients Bennie Adkins and James Livingston. Family is welcome to accompany their veteran and there will be a light reception afterwards.

Visit auburnveteransproect. weebly.com/east-alabama-vietnamveterans-welcome-home-cermony. html. Attendees are asked to RSVP in advance by either emailing Blake Busbin at wbbusbin@auburnschools. org or by calling Auburn High School at 334-887-2120.

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Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The Outlook

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Tuesday, January 30, 2018

Tuesday, January 30, 2018 Your community, your news ...

Local news Outlook The

Page 9 www.alexcityoutlook.com

Horseshoe Bend’s Wil iams pulling together plans for visit to Montgomery

By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

Felicia Williams is scrambling to pull everything together for Wednesday. She is taking five of her family and consumer sciences students to Montgomery to visit with state legislators as part of Alabama Career Technical Education Day on the Hill.

Williams’ five students will be joined by some of Jessica Hodnett’s students and more than 500 other students and teachers from across the state.

Oh and by the way, Williams is helping organize the entire deal as Alabama Career Technical Education Vice President of Public Policy. The intent is to inform everyone career technical education is still needed.

“It’s a lot,” Williams said. “I have been real busy working with schedules.”

The trip is aimed at informing lawmakers who all is impacted by career technical education.

“There are a lot of people who do not understand all that comes under career technical education,” Williams said. “We are just wanting to bring awareness to career technical education. We will be in Montgomery Wednesday to meet with senators and representatives to tell them what we do and what we need.”

Williams said she has been working on plans for the day for months adjusting the schedule so everything works out.

“Found out just this morning (Monday) a group photo with the governor has to be moved from 11 a.m. to after 2 p.m.,” she said.

While Williams is fretting over the planning, students are looking forward to the trip.

Williams said the students will be sharing what they get from the career technical education offered.

“They like it,” Williams said. “They get to show their excitement and enthusiasm to others about what they get from the classes.”

Volunteers clean up area during Trash Walk The Lake Martin Resource Association and the Lake Martin Young Professionals teamed to help take trash of area roadways Saturday. In all about 30 volunteers turned out on a day filled with intermittent showers and worked along Washington Street, Dadeville Road, Coven Abbett and Highway 280. A total of 45 large bags of trash were collected. Top, David and Mike Lewis pick up trash along Washington Street. Left, pictured working along Washington Street from left are Precy Eiswerth, Lori Ennis and Maria Fe Reutebuch.

Mitch Sneed / The Outlook

LIZI ARBOGAST SPORTS EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X228 lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com

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Sports Outlook

Tuesday, January 30, 2018

The

Son gives reason to root for the Eagles

T

me (and his he Super siblings) to Bowl has Alabama never games, but he meant that much doesn’t so much to me. Like immerse himself many of you, in the moment I am a college as he does football guy. I LUKE tolerate my UA prefer to root for teams whose ROBINSON obsessiveness. players only Columnist In other words, Truitt allegedly get can be rather paid rather than disconnected from those who get taxed on fandom in general. their earnings.

Where Alabama My ambivalence losses have sometimes towards the big game ruined my weekends, doesn’t mean I won’t watch the Super Bowl. It Truitt never so much as batted an eye during is, after all, the greatest the Kick Six. Luckily, spectacle in American my angst is generally sports. I’d watch for enough for both of us. the commercials alone.

I doubt many However, rarely have psychologists would I ever had a fanatical agree with me, but I attachment to any team think there are a lot of in the NFL. life lessons to be learned 2018 will be a when you entrust your different story though. heart to a team’s success This year, I am cheering hard for the Philadelphia over which you have no control. You experience Eagles. joy and anguish and My newfound how to deal with each Eagle-allegiance has nothing to do with some respectively. When you misplaced hatred for Bill are devoted enough, you somehow believe your Belichick or completely understandable jealously presence at a game or your power of prayer can of Tom Brady. I am affect its very outcome. not sick of the Patriots’ You know how we success or upset about are down here at least; some questionable if you can’t commit to calls that may go in staying in the kitchen their favor. Neither because Auburn or “Deflategate” nor Alabama started playing “Spygate” opens any better while you were wounds for me. in there getting a drink, My Philly fandom well then how can you really has nothing to do call yourself a true fan? with Philadelphia. I like Truitt, however, has the city, but I have never never had deep feelings had anything tying me for a team before now. to it.

That is, until recently. It’s possible he saw my behavior during Because within the past Alabama football games year or so, my oldest and thought, “That son, Truitt, became a doesn’t seem normal.”

Philadelphia Eagles fan.

More likely, though, his To my knowledge previous detachment was there was no impetus due to his Asperger’s. for his fandom. Oh, he Don’t get me wrong; will claim he became an “Eagle-for-life” because I Truitt is not such a fan merely took him through he can recite the Eagles’ roster. He shows his Philadelphia on the way adoration with much less to the Alabama-Penn flair. Truitt’s wearing State game in 2010, but he was only 6 at the time a Philadelphia T-shirt is the equivalent to and we spent about six another fan’s covering hours in the city. I am themselves in body paint not sure he had time to of the team’s colors. His notice the Liberty Bell’s fanaticism will always crack. We practically have strict limits and a had to get our Geno’s cheesesteaks “to go” just lower ceiling than most die-hard fans. to make kick off!

However, he does The reasons for his wear an Eagles’ jersey Philly-love are not and he is focused in important though. I tightly to the TV during only care that he is the games. The way emotionally invested in he has bought into the a team. I was hoping it Eagles is surprising to would be the Crimson say the least. Surprising Tide, but I would take or not, though, I find it almost anyone. awesome.

You see, Truitt Truitt found his team. has Asperger’s And, as fate would have Syndrome which is a it, his team is on the developmental disorder biggest stage in sports on the autism spectrum. this Sunday. He will Symptoms include be watching intently in difficulties in social interaction and nonverbal hopes the Eagles bring home the trophy. communication.

I am just ecstatic he is Obviously, Truitt’s situation could be worse. watching intently.

I have no reason Asperger’s is labeled to cheer against New as a “high-functioning” England. But this type of autism and by Sunday, I am a Phillyno means am I looking fool only because I to pull a sympathy card here. In fact, if anything, want Truitt to feel that Truitt would probably be aforementioned joy before he has to feel the less than thrilled I was anguish that comes when writing this. your team loses.

Occasionally, Fly, Eagles, fly. This Asperger’s can lead week, you have no to failures in shared bigger fans than Truitt enjoyment. That’s and me. where being a “fan” of something can be tricky.

Luke Robinson is a Especially when your father is a certified, well- regular columnist and contributor to Lake documented “Bammer” Martin Living and of the highest order.

BMetro.

Truitt will accompany

BRHS revamps batting cages

By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor

It’s been three years in the making, but Benjamin Russell’s baseball program finally has revamped its batting cages at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex, enclosing them completely, adding a new turf mat and putting in two bullpens.

“We’ve been wanting to do this for a while,” Wildcats coach Richy Brooks said. “We were in a situation where we really didn’t have an indoor facility.

Jim Pearson has been great to let us put some nets up, but we were at their mercy. If they had something going on, we couldn’t go over there.”

Especially during this cold winter, the enclosed batting cages have come in handy for the Wildcats. The project was completed in December and has already been utilized quite a bit during the three-week throwing period for pitchers and catchers ahead of official practice beginning Monday.

“We don’t get a lot of winter, but it seems that every year when we say the word ‘baseball,’ the cold comes,” Brooks said. “January is a month when we really need a place.”

Although the facility isn’t air conditioned or heated, it does break some of the wind chill and protects from the weather.

Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook

Brady Knox works on batting practice inside Benjamin Russell’s newly renovated batting cages, top.

This project has been in the works for more than three years with the Wildcats holding extra fundraisers and being smart about saving funds. The biggest fundraisers throughout the season are a sign sale, a multi-item raffle and a Boston butts sale in the spring.

Brooks said Benjamin Russell didn’t necessarily do any new fundraisers but “upped the ante,” and made sure not to spend much money on other projects over the course of the last three years.

“It’s taken a little bit of sacrifice,”

Brooks said. “There were things we would’ve liked to have, but we didn’t do it.”

When the idea first came to Brooks and the program, he presented it to Alexander City Parks and Recreation then superintendent Darryl Cooper and principal Anthony Wilkerson. It was also approved by the Alexander City City Council. Although the funds were raised by the Wildcats, they still have to be approved and released by the school.

Then it went through an arbitration process for pricing on materials, and a deal was agreed upon that the Alex City youth baseball and softball leagues would continue to have four other outdoor batting cages to use.

In total, the Wildcats raised more than $35,000 for the project, and the only money given to them by the Board of Education was the finishing costs.

“I’m very proud of it and the fact that we raised the money; nobody gave us anything to start,” Brooks said. “We also made sure the youth sports still had their cages. We’ve done our part with that; we’ve provided two nets to go outside and Parks and Rec will put up two more outside.

“We’ve always been good at raising money, and when we asked our parents, who make up our Diamond Club, they were on it. Our community is also very good about giving.”

Wildcats pull off comeback victory

By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor

Out of the gate, Dadeville’s boys basketball team was unstoppable. It racked up a 17-3 lead just five minutes into Saturday’s non-area contest with Benjamin Russell.

But just like Thursday night against Elmore County, the Tigers quickly saw their lead dissipate.

Benjamin Russell went on a 15-1 run over the course of the next five minutes, and a Za Stowes layup knotted the scoreboard at 18-18.

From there, the Wildcats seized momentum and eventually earned a 63-55 victory.

“We just needed to score,” Stowes said. “We were getting good looks and we were executing our plays, but we just couldn’t make the shots.”

BRHS coach Lewis Daniel said, “I kind of expected a slow start. My first thought was I felt like after the big win we had (Friday night) and we had beaten Dadeville once, they were gonna be prodded a

Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook

Benjamin Russell’s Kobi Crabb (3) is pressured by Dadeville’s Jay Patrick (10) and Jamarion Wilkerson (23) on Saturday.

little bit. They were going to come out fired up, and they did.”

Despite Benjamin Russell taking its first lead of the game late in the second quarter on a Desmond Bishop 3-pointer, it wasn’t out of the woods yet.

Dadeville (7-6) led 51-48 with five minutes remaining when the Wildcats (9-10) finally went on a run that put the Tigers away for good. Stowes hit a 3-pointer to tie it up, 51-51, with 4:19 remaining, then Quin

Burroughs nailed a jumper to take the lead. Bishop and Jaikobee Gamble had back-to-back layups before Dadeville scored another point.

“Our kids just went back to what they know and what’s expected of them,” Daniel said. “Playing good defensively is what we’ve been doing all year, and we knew if we got that combination of players on the floor, they knew what they had to do. That’s the beauty of where we’ve

come from to now — seeing that growth.”

Stowes led all scorers with 18 points, while Jaden Tuck and Bishop both got into double figures with 12 and 11 points, respectively.

Alex Doss racked up nine rebounds. For Dadeville, Jalen Sullivan had one of his best offensive outputs of the season with 17 points, and Jay Patrick scored 12.

Jamarion Wilkerson added seven points and eight boards.

On the girls side, Benjamin Russell was coming off a big loss to Opelika but easily turned the tables on Dadeville with a 58-24 win. From the opening tipoff, the Wildcats (12-6) jumped out to a 5-0 lead and never surrendered the lead.

Quanesha Presley scored all but two points for the Tigers (2-10) and hit a halfcourt shot at the secondquarter buzzer that swished in.

For Benjamin Russell, Jaaliyah Caldwell (18 points, 11 rebounds) and Brooklyn Edwards (13 points, 10 rebounds) both posted double-doubles.

LOCAL SPORTS CALENDAR Tuesday, Jan. 30 High school boys basketball Benjamin Russell at Wetumpka, 7:30 Central Coosa at Clay Central, 7 p.m.

Beulah at Reeltown, 7 p.m.

High school girls basketball Benjamin Russell at Wetumpka, 5:30 Central Coosa at Clay Central, 4:30 Beulah at Reeltown, 5:30 p.m.

High school wrestling Opelika, Holtville at Benjamin Russell,

5:30 p.m.

Reeltown at Elmore County, TBA Thursday, Feb. 1 High school boys basketball Randolph County at Horseshoe Bend, 6:30 p.m.

Reeltown at Pike Road, 7 p.m.

High school girls basketball Randolph County at Horseshoe Bend, 5 p.m.

Reeltown at Pike Road, 5:30 p.m.

Friday, Feb. 2 High school boys basketball Central Coosa at Benjamin Russell, 7:30 p.m.

Horseshoe Bend at Dadeville, 7 p.m.

High school girls basketball Central Coosa at Benjamin Russell, 6 p.m.

Horseshoe Bend at Dadeville, 5:30 p.m.