Jan. 31, 2018 Alex City Outlook

SPORTS, PAGE 10

HORN LEAVING BRHS FOR CLAY CENTRAL THE

WEDNESDAY

Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892

ARRESTS, January 31, 2018 Vol. 126, No. 22 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢ PAGE 2

BIGFOOT SIGHTING?

A family’s new lawn decor causes quite a stir in Equality

to have him, so we brought him home,�

Steve said. “We found it at Longleaf Antique Mall before Christmas,� Jean said. “He had a Christmas hat on.�

Since the purchase, Bigfoot has been making quite the scene in the Bakers’ yard. “Steve keeps him moved around the yard,� Jean said. “We took off the Christmas hat,� Steve

By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

Bigfoot has been sighted and it appears he has taken up residence in the Coosa County yard of Steve and Jean Baker.

The Bakers installed a five-foot tall metal likeness of the creature in their yard recently, and it has been causing a stir since. “We saw him the store and just had

said. “While it was cold, we got a little ‘boggan for him. When it gets warmer we will probably take the hat off.� “During the snow, all the grandkids and I had our pictures made with Bigfoot.�

More than family have taken notice of the newest resident on Coosa County Road 18. “We will look out and see people slow See BIGFOOT • Page 3

Accused shooter indicted

OUR VERY OWN FORREST GUMP

Suspect was already known to police

By MITCH SNEED Editor

Coach Roger Bishop enjoyed a front-row seat to history

By MITCH SNEED Editor

C

oach Roger Bishop has never been featured in a beer commercial, but he may very well be “The Most Interesting Man in Alexander City.�

Bishop, 70, was a Bronze Star winning soldier who fought from a tank and armored personnel carrier in Vietnam, a bus driver who traveled millions of miles often carrying the likes of Elvis Presley, Bob Dylan, Bob Hope, Bob Seger and countless college football teams and a teacher who coached student athletes on See COACH • Page 6

Roger Bishop is a decorated soldier who fought in Vietnam, a teacher and coach, a bus driver who drove the likes of generals, Elvis, Bob Hope and Bob Dylan and now gives back to the community.

Country star Daryle Singletary concert at Rodeo Club Feb. 9

By MITCH SNEED Editor

Daryle Singletary is a man who personifies that traditional country music sound and to hear him talk about having been able to pay the bills for more than two decades making that kind of music and helping folks have a good time – you still hear a genuine excitement in his voice.

Local folks will get a

chance to see that love of music up close and personal as Singletary brings his show to the stage of the World Famous Rodeo Club near Dadeville on Feb. 9. “Every time I get on stage I can’t help think about how lucky I am to be standing up there doing something that I love the way that I do,�

Singletary said in a telephone interview last week. “We’ve

A young man who is well known to local law enforcement and suspected of playing a role in multiple shooting incidents last year has been arrested after a Tallapoosa Grand Jury returned an indictment against him last week.

Alan Lyrenski Sandlin, 17, of Alexander City was arrested Friday night on charges of shooting into an occupied dwelling or vehicle.

Alexander City Police Department Chief Jay Turner said that Sandlin is suspected in multiple incidents that took place last April and May. During that time, there were incidents of shooting into homes and at vehicles on the Northside as well as in the Spring Hill community. “Through the investigation we were able to identify Sandlin as a suspect in a number of these incidents,â€? Turner said. “There for See INDICTMENT • Page 3

Warren fights for bill that will regulate all daycares

By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer

Special / The Outlook

Hardcore country singer Daryle Singletary said he is excited to See CONCERT • Page 3 bring his hits to fans at the World Famous Rodeo Club Feb. 9.

Cliff Williams / The Outlook

This shadowy figure can be seen all over the Bakers’ property in Coosa County.

For parents of young children, finding a good daycare is one of the most important decisions they have to make. Ensuring they are placing their young ones in the hands of caring individuals who are well trained and capable of handling any potential situation can sometimes be difficult, with all the many different options that exist, especially in Alabama. Here, daycares that file paperwork as being a church-based daycare receive a wide range of exemptions from See BILL • Page 3

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Man puts drinking problem on display in widow’s yard

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Staff

Directory Telephone: (256) 234-4281 Fax: (256) 234-6550 Website: www.alexcityoutlook.com

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

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

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. 208 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

Newsroom Amy Passaretti Assistant Magazine Editor, Ext. 227 amy.passaretti@alexcityoutlook.com Lizi Arbogast Sports Editor, Ext. 228 lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com

Circulation Linda Ewing Office Clerk, Ext. 201 linda.ewing@alexcityoutlook.com

Postal

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

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Outlook

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.

Planning a Yard Sale? Boost your pro½ts with an ad in the Classi½eds. It’s an easy and affordable way to bring more business to your door!

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DEAR ABBY: I’m a widowed senior who has been dating a very kind man, “Ben,” for three years. He’s retired; I am not. He does things for and with me, and we enjoy traveling together.

The problem is, Ben usually starts drinking about 3 p.m. at the neighborhood bar. I’m welcome to join him, but I prefer to work at my job or volunteer in the community. By the grace of God, Ben has made it home safely every night, but I’m afraid he will eventually hurt someone.

My son came home for a month because of a job change, and tonight he found Ben passed out in the front yard. I told my son I was sorry, and he said not to be, but he does not want his family -- my grandchildren -- around when Ben is like this.

I am so embarrassed.

I would miss this relationship, but I’m wondering if

you think I should end it.

-- MISSING THE GOOD IN HIM DEAR MISSING THE GOOD: It must have been clear to you for some time that Ben has a serious drinking problem that needs to be addressed. Whether you should end the relationship depends upon whether he is willing to admit that he has a problem and is willing to do something about it.

Because Ben’s drinking is now affecting you and, by extension, your family, it’s time to confront him and give him a choice -- get help or find another lady friend. There are Alcoholics Anonymous groups worldwide and in almost every

Obituaries

Police Reports

Mr. Alveston Dunn Funeral service for Mr. Alveston Dunn 86 of Alexander City, AL; Thursday, February 1, 2018; 1:00 p.m.; Liberty Life Christian Center, Alexander City, AL; Burial, Armour’s Memorial Garden, Alexander City, AL Visitation: Wednesday, January 31, 2018 1-7 p.m.

Final Arrangements Entrusted to Armour’s Memorial Funeral Home.

How to Submit Obituaries Obituaries can be submitted to The Outlook from funeral homes by e-mail at obits@ alexcityoutlook.com For more information, call (256) 234-4281.

DEAR ABBY Advice

community. Steer Ben in that direction, and while you’re at it, locate the nearest Al-Anon group for yourself. You will find it both sympathetic and helpful.

These groups are as close as your phone directory or your computer. Visit al-anon.org.

DEAR ABBY: I recently utilized a national ancestry company to determine my heritage. I also provided kits to my adult children thinking it would be a fun exercise we all could share.

Unfortunately, my good deed came with unexpected consequences.

According to the results, my youngest son isn’t related to me. Apparently, unbeknownst to me, my ex-wife had an affair 25 years ago.

What do I do now?

Should I confront my ex to verify the affair and learn the identity of my son’s father? How do we tell my

Alexander City Police Department January 29

• Peyton William Hicks, 19, of McCalla was arrested for possession of marijuana.

• Jerome Allen Jr., 34, of Hueytown was arrested for possession of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia.

• Stephanie Andria Perry, 49, of Alexander City was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

• Alphia K. Gamble, 61, of Alexander City was arrested for possession of a controlled substance.

• Arturo Rojas, 27, of Alexander City was arrested for two counts of failure to appear.

• Brandon Ray McMillian, 29, of Alexander City was arrested for receiving stolen property.

• Crystalea Joiner, 31, of Alexander City was arrested for two counts of bail jumping.

• Daniel Apprentice Ferrell, 28, of Sylacauga was arrested for theft, promoting prison contraband, possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

• Deangelo Denzell McWilliams, 23, of Montgomery was arrested for robbery.

• Shirmiah Tiara Poole, 19, of Alexander City was arrested for failure to appear.

• Leaving the scene of an accident was reported on Coven Abbett Highway.

• Criminal mischief was reported on Pamela Drive.

• Possession of a controlled substance was reported on Highway 280.

• Domestic violence was reported in Alexander City.

• Harassing communications was reported on 9th Avenue.

• Theft was reported on Highway 280.

• Criminal mischief and criminal trespass was reported on South Broadway.

• Identity theft was reported on Coley Creek Road.

• Theft was reported on N Street.

January 28

• Adrin Michelle Blake, 26, of Alexander City was arrested on two counts of failure to appear.

• Assault was reported on Sunny Level Cutoff.

• Domestic violence was reported on Highway 280.

• A house fire was reported on Laurel Road.

• Theft was reported in Alexander City.

• Disorderly conduct was reported on Highway 280.

• Theft was reported on Oak Hill Drive.

• Burglary and theft was reported in Alexander City.

• Harassment was reported on North Central Avenue.

January 27

• Thomas Earl Bullock Jr., 35, of Alexander City was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol.

• Kenneth C. Thompson, 58, of Jacksons Gap was arrested for driving under the influence of combined substances.

• Donna Leona Flournoy, 59, of Alexander City was arrested for driving under the influence alcohol and possession

son? Should we? How do we handle our families?

Keep it a secret? I would appreciate your guidance.

-- UNKNOWN FAMILY TREE DEAR UNKNOWN: Before making accusations or announcements, it is important that you determine the accuracy of the test to make absolutely sure the results are conclusive. If a second test verifies the first, your son should be informed because he has a right to know his familial medical history -- and HE should talk to his mother about who his biological father is.

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of opium or derivative.

• Theft was reported on Highway 280.

• Burglary was reported on Forrest Street.

• Euthanizing an aggressive animal was reported on Worthy Road.

• Possesion of a controlled substance and driving under the influence of alcohol was reported on Old Hickory Road.

• Public intoxication and fleeing or attempting law enforcement was reported on 6th Street Extentision.

January 26

• Isacc James Maxwell, 36, of Alexander City was arrested for public intoxication and fleeing or attempting to elude law enforcement.

• Austin Scott Thornton, 24, of Alexander City was arrested for possession of marijuana, possession of drug paraphernalia and tampering with physical evidence.

• Robbery was reported on Robinwood Drive.

• Criminal trespass and burglary was reported on Sunset Lane.

• Possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia was reported on Cherokee Road.

• Harassing communications was reported on Springhill Road.

• Harassment was reported on Indian Hill Road.

• Domestic violence was reported on 15th Street West.

January 25

• Domestic violence was reported on Iris Avenue.

Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department January 29

• Latravious Terrell Kelley from Hillcrest Road in Alexander City was arrested on three grand jury indictments for obstructing justice, public intoxication and attempting to elude. He was transported to the county jail.

• A resident on Highway 49 South in Notasulga filed a report for harassment.

January 28

• John Sullivan of Highway 49 South in Tallassee was arrested on an outstanding warrant for probation violation.

• Jessie Pearson of Sam Pearson Lane in Alexander City was arrested on an outstanding warrant for theft of property third.

January 26

• Alan Sandlin of C Street in Alexander City was arrested on an outstanding warrant for grand jury indictment shooting into an occupied vehicle.

• Bobby Grigsby, of Ford Road in Notasulga was arrested for domestic violence third harassment.

• Nathan Williams of Chalk Hill Road in Dadeville was arrested on an outstanding warrant for failure to appear child support.

• A resident of Whiskey Ridge Road in Dadeville filed a report for burglary of a residence and theft of property.

Public Meetings • Alexander City Board of Education meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the board office at 375 Lee St. or local school at 5 p.m.

• Alexander City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month.

Meetings are held in the courtroom at the old city hall at 5:30 p.m.

• Camp Hill Town Council meets the first and third Mondays of each month.

Meetings are held in town hall at 6 p.m.

• Community Action Agency of Chambers, Tallapoosa, Coosa holds its regular board of directors meetings every other month at the Central Office in Dadeville.

• Coosa County Board of Education holds called meetings at least once a month.

• Coosa County Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month.

Meetings are held in the Coosa County Courthouse in Rockford at 9:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday and at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday.

• Coosa County Industrial Development Board will hold its regularly scheduled meeting the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room in the courthouse in Rockford. All meetings are open to the public.

• Dadeville City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 6 p.m. with a pre-meeting at 5:30 p.m. in city hall.

• Daviston City Council meets the third Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Daviston Fire Department.

• Goldville Town Council meets the second Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the town hall.

• Goodwater City Council meets on the second

Tuesday of each month.

Meetings are held at the Caldwell Center at 6:30 p.m.

• Jackson’s Gap Town Council meets the second Tuesday of each month.

Meetings are held in town hall at 6:30 p.m., all Jackson’s Gap citizens are encouraged to attend.

• Kellyton Town Council meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the community center in Kellyton.

• New Site City Council meets the first and third Monday of the month at 5 p.m. in the Conference Room in the Town Hall.

• Ray Water Authority meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Ray Water Authority Office.

All customers are invited to attend.

• Rockford Town Council meets the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in town hall at 7 p.m.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Bigfoot

continued from page 1

down, stop or back up to get a better look,” Steve said.

“I belong to this ladies group that eats out once a month,” Jean said.

“Last week, one of them got up and said ‘to tell everybody what you have got in your yard.’ I said ‘Ahhh, just Bigfoot.’

When they all went home from the restaurant, they all stopped and found him in the yard.”

The Bakers’ Bigfoot is Cliff Williams / The Outlook not the only sighting of Steve and Jean Baker pose the creature in the area. for a photograph with their According to the Bigfoot Field Researchers ‘juvenile’ Bigfoot.

Organization, one was Clay County, in 2008 sighted near Russell Pond just south of Cheaha in the summer of 1967 State Park and again in where a witness described 2013. Other sightings in seeing something 8-feet Alabama include 2002 in tall covered in 3-inch Lee County near Opelika, black hair with shoulders 2000 in Lee County, 2007 that were 4-feet wide in Lee County near the and hips 3-feet wide and Chambers County line running 100 yards in 10 near Interstate 85, 1986 seconds. in St. Clair County, 2005 According to the same near Pell City, and 2007 organization, there have near Moody. been two sightings in Owner of Longleaf

Concert been very fortunate to stay on the road, year in, year out – for 22 years now. I continue to work and continue to build a fan base and I’ve done it without a ton of traditional, mainstream radio support for the last 15 to 17 years.

“There’s no magic formula. I just go out there and play the music I love and have a good time with it. Thankfully for us, there are still a lot of people out there who want to hear traditional country music and they’ve been finding their way to our shows all over the country.”

A native of Cairo, Georgia, Singletary said he grew up singing gospel music. His parents sang in groups and played all over South Georgia, South Alabama and Northern Florida.

Darlye was right there for most of those shows.

“I did that all of my young life,” Singletary said. “That’s still a big part of who I am. But when you grow up in Cairo, Georgia – you can’t help but be country I guess.”

He said that artists like George Jones, Johnny Paycheck, John Anderson, Ricky Skaggs, Rhonda Vincent, Randy Travis and Keith Whitley hit home to him.

Singletary said even though those names have varied styles – they all have those traditional country roots.

“That’s just what I listened to from the time I got to pick what I turned the radio to and it’s what I like,” Singletary said. “To show you how great this ride

Antique Mall Jim Wilder confirms the business did sell some likenesses of Bigfoot.

“We had a couple 6-foot ones and an 8-foot one,” Wilder said. “We are sold out now.”

The Bakers explained that they have not seen the real one on their property despite being there for a long time.

“I was born here,” Jean said. “My daddy built this house. I watched a show on TV. They say it ain’t real. I don’t know.”

“I have been here for 43 years,” Steve said. “I have yet to see one.”

While sightings of Bigfoot are rare and sometimes bring questions about what the person might be drinking, the Bakers said they have seen another like the one in the yard nearby.

“Somebody has one on the way to church in Elmore County,” Jean said. “It moves around too.”

continued from page 1

has been for me, I’ve been able to work with a lot of those folks in one way or another and those are the kind of things you just can’t measure how much they mean to you.

I just hope that I can do the same for some young fan out there along the way.”

Singletary has hits like “I Let Her Lie,” “Too Much Fun,” “Amen Kind of Love” and “The Note,” that many will remember from his early albums, but recent pieces like “There’s Still A Little Country Left” and “Say Hello To Heaven” hit a chord with fans at his live shows.

Singletary said you will never hear him knock any of the sounds you hear on country radio today. He instead says people have “to do what works for them, but I just go out and be who I am.”

“There are still great country songs out there,” Singletary said. “You just don’t hear them on the radio that much. But when you go to places like The Rodeo Club, you find our real quick that there are plenty of people who appreciate real country music. When I say country, I mean country. I couldn’t sing pop with a mouthful of firecrackers. That’s just not me.”

Singletary said he is looking forward to coming to the area to play at The Rodeo Club.

He said while he plays everything from bars and small club shows to fairs, festivals and stadiums – he said growing up gospel meant he didn’t get a taste of the bar scene until later in life.

Social Secu ity

“We play a lot of bars now, but that didn’t really start until I came to Nashville 25 years or so ago,” Singletary said.

“I mean in the part of the country where I was from and having those gospel roots, you just didn’t do that. I remember the first time was at a little place in Albany, Georgia called the East Side Country Club. I was just a kid and was scared to death. But I just told the boys ‘let’s go out there and have a good time and enjoy ourselves and hopefully the folks out there will do the same thing.’

“That’s something I learned a long time ago.

You have to be genuine and be yourself. If you don’t – people will know it in a heartbeat.

“We hope that a lot of folks will come see us and I will guarantee that we’ll have some fun.”

The show is set for Friday, Feb. 9 from 7-9 p.m. at the World Famous Rodeo Club located at 10268 County Road 34 in Dadeville.

Kowaliga Country 97.5 FM and Lake Martin Tractor and Outdoor are the sponsors of the event. Tickets are $15 in advance at the Kowaliga Country studios located at 1051 Tallapoosa Street or $20 the night of the show.

The Rodeo Club’s Ed Shikoski said bringing big-name acts to their stage is something they hope to do more of throughout the year.

“Marge and I are very excited to be the venue to host a country music star such as Daryle Singletary,” Shikoski said.

COOSA VALLEY

Page 3

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The Outlook

Bill

continued from page 1

governmental guidelines.

To try and bring in a more uniform set of standards for all of these exempted daycares, Representative Pebblin Warren of the Alabama legislature prefiled a bill that would require certain standards to be met for daycares that meet the exemption requirements.

“Being a grandmother and going to daycares inspired this bill,” Warren said. “I filed a similar bill during the 2017 session.”

In 2017, the Alabama House of Representatives passed the bill in an overwhelming majority, but it stalled on the Senate floor due to reaching the upper house on the final day of the session. As such, it was placed on the 10-minute calendar, when a bill must be introduced, have any and all questions answered about it and be voted on within a 10-minute span.

Warren said there were a couple of senators who appeared to want to delay the bill, so she decided to withdraw it and resubmit a new version of the legislation during this session.

Warren described her bill as being non-partisan and not aimed at attacking religious institutions, instead merely looking to ensure that daycares throughout the state of Alabama, be they a church-based service or not, all follow the same basic guidelines and standards for operation. With these standards in place, parents can feel better about sending their children to any daycare in the state.

“The main thing is, I want to have some standards in place for everyone,” Warren said.

Daycares filing for exemption as being attached to a church that do not receive federal dollars must provide a report of their health inspection and fire inspection, give background checks to their employees, and they must inform parents that they are not licensed like those that receive federal dollars are, according to Warren’s

proposed legislation.

Warren’s bill comes on the heels of a number of issues with daycares claiming to be part of a church ministry, including one where nearly 90 children had to be admitted to the emergency room after becoming ill due to improperly prepared food and several where the daycare administration will close down, move to a nearby town and reopen under a different name. Several other states, including Utah, Connecticut, North Carolina and Indiana offer varying levels of exemptions to faith-based daycares, but Alabama’s exemptions are the most broad of all states offering exemptions, thus helping lead to such serious issues.

Warren said she knows there are daycares run by churches that are legitimate and follow the necessary guidelines for other daycares, but with so many unlicensed facilities that are able to take advantage of Alabama’s exemption policy, it was time to take action.

“People realize what I’m doing, that it’s all about taking care of kids,” Warren said. “There aren’t any co-sponsors on the bill yet, but I will open it up once it gets to the floor. Right now, I think everyone wants to jump on the bandwagon with this.”

Warren’s bill was in committee Tuesday morning, and could be brought to the House floor as early as Thursday. After the bill passes the House, which Warren believes could be approved with even more support than her 2017 bill, she said it will go to the Senate, where she believes it has enough support to pass and reach the desk of Governor Kay Ivey.

“This is all about having the same health and safety standards for everyone,” Warren said. “I am feeling very confident about this, but this is just the beginning.

I hope to eventually achieve a situation where everyone is licensed.”

Indictment

continued from page 1

several days we had a series of incidents that went back and forth between the two neighborhoods, many times multiple targets and incidents in the same day.

“Looking back it’s a miracle that we didn’t have someone killed or badly injured.

It was just a total disregard for public safety.”

While juvenile offenses are not available in Sandlin’s court records, The Outlook has learned that he was on the lam after fleeing a juvenile detention center.

Sandlin was arrested Jan. 26 and released Jan. 29 on a $60,000.

Paperwork on Sandlin’s arrest has not been filed in the electronic court records system, so no information on upcoming court appearances was available Tuesday.

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Opinion

MITCH SNEED EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X213

editor@alexcityoutlook.com

EDITORIAL BOARD Steve Baker Mitch Sneed

Page 4

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Opinion

Our View

Let’s learn a lesson from missing money case

T

here is nothing worse than the thought of a thief making off with something that didn’t belong to

them.

When a possible theft involved money belonging to hard-working, taxpaying citizens it’s just about enough to make anyone see red.

That’s why when news broke late Friday that no indictment was returned in the case of missing city funds from Lakewinds Golf Course, many people were upset.

Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall released a statement Friday indicating that they completed an investigation and presented the information to a Tallapoosa County Grand Jury, but no indictment resulted.

This business of missing funds from the city’s Lakewinds Golf Course dates back to 2016 and some people feel that someone dropped the ball here.

“In July 2016, after a referral from the local district attorney’s office, the Attorney General’s Office began an investigation into allegations of missing funds from Lakewinds Golf Course operated by the City of Alexander City,” the statement from Alabama Attorney General Steve Marshall’s office read.

“Upon completion of the investigation, all evidence collected was submitted to a local grand jury with no indictments returned. The investigation is closed at this time but will be reopened pending receipt of additional information.”

The truth is someone probably did steal that money, but things were in such a mess at the city and with their finances at the time, it was impossible for even the best accountants and state investigators to figure out who did it.

Audits and reconciliation of the city’s books put the missing amount at about $24,000. In a recent audit of the 2014 city financials, accountants said it appeared that issues with monthly reconciliations of expenditures and lack of consistent policies and procedures existed in the city.

Even Alexander City Mayor Jim Nabors said the delay and the sloppy accounting made it virtually impossible to track where the money went or who may have been responsible.

While no one likes the fact that a thief may have gotten one over on us, we need to put this behind us and take the current administration at their word. They have been working to fix the financial mess and say safeguards are being put in place to make sure that it won’t happen again.

Instead of whining over the past, let’s look at the fixes that are being put in place as a positive lesson learned.

Know Your

Officials

T.C. Coley represents District 1, including half of Coley Creek, the Andrew Jackson subdivision, the southern part of Indian Hill, North Central Avenue, part of Pearson’s Chapel Road, the Northside community and portion of Spring Hill T.C. Coley community. His phone number is 256-212-9316. His address is 2316 North Central Avenue, Kellyton.

Steve Robinson represents District 2, which includes the southern part of Alexander City, the Cedar Creek area, Ourtown and Willow Point. His phone number is 256-654-0047.

His address is 300 Heritage Drive Alexander City.

Steve Robinson

John McKelvey represents District 3, which includes Jackson’s Gap, Hackneyville, New Site and Daviston.

McKelvey currently serves as chairman.

His phone number is 256-794-4405. His address is 1285 Freeman John Road, Dadeville.

Emma Jean Thweatt represents District 4, which includes Dadeville, Pace’s Point, northern Camp Hill, Buttston, Dudleyville and part of Eagle Creek. She can be reached at 8254207. Her address is 585 Brookwood Circle, Dadeville.

McKelvey

Emma Jean Thweatt

George Carleton Jr. represents District 5, which includes southern Camp Hill, Red Ridge, Walnut Hill, Union and Pleasant Ridge. His address is 630 Turner Road Road, Dadeville.

George Carleton Jr.

Outlook The

Will 2018 be the year of the woman in ‘Bama politics?

T

his political year of 2018 may very well be the year of the woman in Alabama politics. In Alabama’s 200-year history, only one woman has been elected governor. Lurleen Wallace won in 1966. Only two women have served as governor, Governor Lurleen and our current governor, Kay Ivey. It may be a historic year.

Sue Bell Cobb, the former Alabama State Supreme Court Chief Justice, and the first woman to hold that position, is hoping to be able to be the Democratic standard-bearer. She was elected Chief Justice in 2006, in a very expensive, high profiled battle with Republican Drayton Nabors.

She had been a District Court Judge in her native Conecuh County for a long time before running statewide. She was elected to a six-year term as Chief Justice in 2006, but quit after four years, inexplicably.

Cobb, 61, is predicting that it will be an all female gubernatorial showdown.

She believes that she will be the Democratic nominee and that Governor Kay Ivey will carry the Republican banner into battle. She says, “That’s never happened and my prediction is that is what it will exactly be.”

However, first things first.

Judge Cobb has to win the Democratic nomination.

She is not the favorite in that primary. Tuscaloosa mayor, Walt Maddox, is the early favorite to win the Democratic nomination.

Most political insiders suggest that Maddox is expected to get the overwhelming support of African American voters.

The black vote makes up the bulk and majority of Democratic Primary voters in the state. This is no longer a monolithic vote. However, it tends to gravitate to one

STEVE FLOWERS Columnist candidate in a primary.

The few white voters who participate in the Democratic primary are young and they can more readily identify with Maddox who is 45.

In addition, there is some disillusionment among Democratic voters that Cobb quit her term midway as Chief Justice and allowed Republican Governor Robert Bentley to appoint a replacement. He, of course, appointed a Republican. She was the only Democrat on the Supreme Court. Roy Moore won the seat of Chief Justice in 2012.

Other Democratic partisans were dismayed that Cobb said she supported Donald Trump’s selection of Jeff Sessions for Attorney General. It may be perceived that her day has passed.

Kay Ivey appeared to be headed for the house and her day may have passed when out of the blue Bentley resigns and she is plucked out of the obscurity of the Lt. Governor’s office and thrust into the governorship. She seems like a grandmother who sticks to her knitting and steadies the Ship of State, which has gone through stormy waters the past four years. Kay Ivey may indeed make it to the dance as the Republican nominee in November. She is in the catbird’s seat and favored to win the GOP Primary.

However, she created a couple of stumbling blocks during the 2017 Senate election year that may thwart her reelection. Some GOP establishment stalwarts say that her changing the Senate election from 2018 to 2017 threw Luther Strange, their

candidate, under the bus and gave the nomination to Roy Moore, which led to losing the seat to a Democrat. Her move also cost the state’s beleaguered General Fund $10 to $15 million. Some suburban women became disenchanted with her with she said she had no reason to not believe the women who accused Roy Moore of assaulting them as teenagers, yet she was still going to vote for him because he was a Republican. These two actions are only political stumbling blocks, not roadblocks.

Therefore, what I see as a possibility is not an all female race for governor, but a possible triumvirate of females being sworn into the top three constitutional offices next January. You could see Kay Ivey sworn into the Governor’s office, Twinkle Cavanaugh sworn in as Lt. Governor, and Alice Martin sworn in as Attorney General. All three are Republicans.

The Republican nominee goes into the general election with a 60/40 probability of winning. Currently, Kay Ivey is the favorite in the governor’s race. Twinkle is the favorite in the Lt. Governor’s race. Alice Martin or Troy King is favored in the Attorney General’s race.

If you made me bet right now, I would bet that Alabama would at least have a governor and Lt. Governor that are women. That may be the story of the year in Alabama politics in 2018.

See you next week.

Steve Flowers is Alabama’s leading political columnist. His weekly column appears in over 60 Alabama newspapers. He served 16 years in the state legislature. Steve may be reached at www.steveflowers. us.

Busted pipes at the home place

W

e don’t often get hard freeze warnings in East Alabama, but when we do, we load up on milk and bread. We also drain the water heater and all the pipes in older homes. My house was built in 2009, so it’s not really a factor. The house we live in now is relatively old, but we keep it warm and leave a pencil-thin stream of water running in the kitchen sink when the temps dip into the twenties. The home place, however, was built well over a century ago.

The well is a couple of hundred feet from the house, and the water heater is actually under the house.

Please note that I called it a water heater and not a hot water heater.

I’ve drained the pipes there a time or two, so I thought I was doing everything right. I did have an issue with my hot water, though. I didn’t have any. It was lukewarm at best.

There’s nothing worse than lukewarm water, except for maybe busted pipes.

After draining everything that I thought needed draining and flipping the breaker to the well pump, I thought I was good to go. I assumed my worries were over, but they weren’t. They were just beginning.

I left the water off for almost a week but was ignorant to the fact that I should have flipped the breaker to the water heater, too. I did the same thing last month, which explains the lukewarm water. The heating elements quite literally burned up because they weren’t submerged in water.

In the past, when I’d restart the well pump, I could

JODY FULLER Columnist hear the water a’huffin’ and a’puffin’ as it made its way through the pipes. This time, I heard nothing. It was dead silence, much like Bama fans after this past Iron Bowl. I looked under the house to see if there were any busted pipes but didn’t see any water spewing.

I decided to call a guy named Terry.

I can’t recall the details, but last year, my mother-inlaw needed someone to do something with her gas line and gas logs. She checked with several higher profile companies who all wanted to charge her an arm and a leg, along with a couple of thousand dollars. Someone recommended Terry. He did the work for a fraction of the cost of the other guys.

He didn’t know about my connection to her, and she didn’t know anything about him. But, I did. He’s my first cousin, once removed. I think we’re cousins on both sides of the family. That’s country.

Terry put in the well pump at the home place years ago, so he knew what I was dealing with. He and Steve, another cousin, were already working when I got there. There were no busted pipes under the house, and the pump was pumping. We found ourselves perplexed until Steve noticed the water coming out of another shed. He found the busted pipe, and it was a muddy mess.

They repaired that pipe, so we thought we were good to go, but after flipping the switch, water began to flow from underneath the house.

It was coming from the pipe connected to the hose going to the sink. The pipe didn’t bust, but it popped off the piece it was connected to. Steve got the job done, but there was no joy in Mudville.

We thought we were good to go, but we were wrong once again. It was literally freezing in the kitchen during the hard freeze. A bottle of water on the counter had frozen. This time, the hose to the dishwasher popped off, so there was water flowing all over the floor. It was a mess, but Terry and Steve got the job done. I keep a heater on in another room but keep that door closed when I’m not there. The kitchen needs heat, too. Lesson learned.

I learned a lot and think I can likely do basic repairs myself next time, if and when that day comes.

This isn’t an advertisement for Terry. It’s just a testimony for the good work he does and the way he does it. It seems that most folks these days just want to rip people off and make all the money they can. He does the job and does it well. Most importantly, he does it with integrity.

The next day, it was 69 degrees. You have to love this Alabama weather.

Jody Fuller is a comic, speaker, writer and soldier with three tours of duty in Iraq. He is also a lifetime stutterer. He can be reached at jody@jodyfuller.com. For more information, please visit www.jodyfuller.com

Wednesday,January 31, 2018

Today’s

Quote

“People don’t notice wheter it’s winter or summer when they’re happy.”

– Anton Chekhov

Today’s

Scripture

“Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love.”

– Ephesians 4:2

alexcityoutlook.com

Daily Poll Tuesday Question: Have you ever attended a Lake Martin Young Professionals event?

Yes – 0 No – 18

Wednesday’s question: Are you ready for spring?

To participate in this daily poll, log on each day to www.alexcityoutlook.com and vote. Find out the vote totals in the next edition of The Outlook and see if your vote swayed the results.

Our

Mission

The Outlook strives to report the news honestly, fairly and with integrity, to take a leadership role and act as a positive influence in our community, to promote business, to provide for the welfare of our employees, to strive for excellence in everything we do and above all, to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves.

Subscribe 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.

What’s your

Opinion?

We’d like to share your thoughts and opinions with the greater Lake Martin community. It’s free and it only takes a few moments of your time. We have two ways to get your opinion in print: letters to the editor and guest columns. The main difference is length. Letters to the editor are up to 250 words, while guest columns can be up to 500 words. Letters and columns may be sent to P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011, faxed to (256) 2346550 or e-mailed to editor@alexcityoutlook.com. Please include your name, address and phone number.

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There you will be able to view stories and multimedia posted by The Outlook. You can also click on the Facebook link to join The Outlook’s fan club or click on the Twitter link to start receiving tweets on your phone as we post updates. You can also subscribe to our RSS (Rich Site Summary) feed on the Outlook’s home page. Check it out today.

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Outlook

CommunityCalendar Need Insurance?

Call me.

Today is January 31, 2018 Today’s Events

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

Page 5

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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/. start Jan. 31 and continue each Wednesday through April 25.

The facilitators are Dr. Tomeka McGhee and Patsy Coe Densmore. For more information call 256-234-2455 or 256749-9354.

Today’s Birthdays

Barbara Young, Jim Ed Abernathy, Patrick Bryan Moody, Kercelia Watts, Huey Wayrynen, Eddie Johnson Jr., and L.C. Russell are celebrating their birthdays today.

–Since 1978–

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Coosa Kitchen & Bath Cabinetry Designing & Selling Quality Cabinetry since 1991 • Granite • Quartz • Cultured Marble • Laminate Counter Tops

25 Years and still going, Selling quality kitchen & bath cabinetry at reasonable prices.

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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.

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.

CA RLISLE AC.COM

Friday, February 2

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

Need your business to

STAND OUT

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

from the crowd?

Call us, we can help!

256.234.4281

• • • • •

Alexander City Outlook Dadeville Record Wetumpka Herald Eclectic Observer Tallassee Tribune

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

dB

Lawn Care Darrell Brooks, Owner Cutting •Edging Weed Eating •Mulch Weed Control

HORIZONS UNLIMITED: Glenn 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.

256.267.0518

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.

Saturday, February 10

REUNION MEETING: The Laurel High School Class of 1969 is holding an organizational meeting Feb. 10 at 10 a.m. at the Cooper Recreation Center.

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.

EVANGELIST: Passion Church on Highway 63 North is hosting Evangelist Danny Johnston Feb. 11 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. Everyone is welcome.

Monday, February 12

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.

Monday, February 26

Harold Cochran 256.234.2700 haroldcochran.b2cn@statefarm.com

Tony Guy, Owner Over 40 Years Experience

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.

FREE Estimates on NEW installations

Saturday, March 10

Service a 30 mile radius of Alexander City

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-vietnam-veterans-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.

H&A Installation, Charge Outs and Repair Sheet Metal Work

Licensed and Bonded #:84887 guysheating@live.com 256–234–4198 196 Thompson Ridge Road Alexander City, AL

Page 6

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Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Outlook

Coach the playing field and how to navigate their way through life.

“When you say it all in one breath like that I guess it does sound pretty unbelievable,” Bishop said. “I guess you could say I kind of Forest Gump-ed my way through a pretty neat life – just being in the right place at the right time a couple of hundred times. I’ve been blessed and very fortunate, but looking back it’s sure been a lot of fun.”

Now retired, you can find him helping others, including monthly stops by the fire department for the last four years spreading words of thanks and encouragement.

“One day he stopped by and he had four cases of Powerade and some snacks and just came in and put them on the table and shook hands and told us ‘thank you,’” Alexander City Fire Department Chief McAlister said. “We tried to thank him, but he wouldn’t have that. He said he was thanking us for what we do for the community. He’s been doing the same thing ever since.”

Bishop didn’t want a story and sure didn’t want the attention, but after a little arm-twisting he finally opened up and talked about where the giving started, his remarkable life and why he thinks we should all take time to help others and enjoy life any way possible.

He credits a lot of his good fortune to his parents and people who helped him along the way.

Bishop said his giving ways came straight from his mother.

“When I went off to Vietnam and finally got home my Dad told me that one of the ways that my mother got through me being over there without going crazy was helping others,” Bishop said.

“She’d take clothes, meals or sit with folks who needed it. It may have been another service family or someone she heard was having a bad time – but she just found the time and a way to help them out in some small way.

“Every since I heard that I figured that I needed to learn from that and do something for others in my own way. That’s where it started and I’ve been doing it ever since.”

Whether it was leaving lunch money on an account for kids at his school who may not have had lunch money, taking a bag of groceries to a neighbor family or visiting with local public servants and leaving them a little treat of some kind – he found a way to brighten their days. He started visiting the firefighters after he took a tumble back shortly after moving here in 2012. He said the men treated him so well, that he wanted to thank them in some small way.

That’s when his trips to the firehouse began and it’s been a regular stop ever since.

After getting home from Vietnam, he signed on as a bus driver for Trailways and that’s where he ran a regular run and was one of the preferred charter drivers for the company in the Southeast. He said that’s where his path crossed with the likes of many great people, including Elvis and Dylan.

In September of 1976 he was called on to be a charter driver for a group in Huntsville. It wasn’t until he got there that he was told he’d be picking up the King and his entourage at the

continued from page 1

Submitted / The Outlook

Bishop poses with Bob Dylan, above, for a photograph while driving him around from Muscle Shoals to Knoxville. Below, Bishop, left, poses for a photograph in Vietnam.

airport and then shuttling them around while they were in town for concerts.

“I had no idea what I’d be doing or who it was until just before I got there,” Bishop recalled. “That’s when they told me I’d have Elvis for the few days he was there. Naturally you are a little nervous, but he was just as genuine a person as I’ve ever met. He asked you about your family and if you didn’t know better, you’d have never known he was probably the most famous person to ever live.”

The dates were Sept. 4-6 and it turned out to be the last time that The King did two shows in one day. Bishop picked the group up as they unloaded his plane named “Lisa Marie” and drove the likes of Presley inner circle members Linda Thompson, Joe Esposito and Al Strada for the duration of their stay.

“I saw him give a fan a massive gold belt buckle right off his waist,” Bishop said. “It was probably a $5,000 item, but he did it like it was nothing at all to him. I remember at one of the shows there was an elderly man in the second or third row and Elvis stopped and asked if he was having a good time. He shook his head ‘yes’. Before the exchange was over he had given the man a ring he had on his little finger. That’s the man I met.”

Bishop said he was supposed to have the Elvis group again in September of 1977, but Elvis died in August of that year.

In February 1980 he had Bob Dylan on a run from Muscle Shoals to his show in Knoxville and recalled going out to eat at Krystal with him and the band.

“I tell people that and they just refuse to believe it,” Bishop said.

“But I was there. It happened.”

As the bus industry was going through some changes, Bishop decided it was time to retire and

try something new. He’d been taking college courses for a long time and a chance meeting with Jefferson County Schools Superintendent Dr. Rafael McDaniel opened his eyes to teaching and coaching. It took a year or two and some help from the experience he gained in the military, but he was teaching history and coaching football and softball in short order.

“That was one of the most rewarding things that I ever did,” Bishop said. “I was 6-6 when I graduated from Woodlawn and played basketball and football in high school. So the fact that I was studying history and could coach was something they liked. It was just crazy how it happened, but I really loved what I did. To be able to work with young people and think that maybe you made a difference to

some of them, I’d still be doing it if my health would have let me. Over the years I coached at Hewitt, St. Clair, Parker and Erwin and made a lot of good friends and made a lot of memories.”

Bishop said in the end the changing education climate, hip replacement surgeries and other factors made it time for retirement in 2012.

The man who called Birmingham home most of his life moved to the Alexander City area in 2012, but his reason for making this his new home had nothing to do with the waves on the lake – it was the wave of the hands from area residents.

“I drove a bus all over the country,” Bishop said. “But there were some places that you just knew were a little different.

I remember the times when I

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came through Alexander City that it didn’t matter if people were walking down the road in the middle of downtown or you passed them while they were driving down the road, people would take the time to wave at you. How many places do you know of where that happens?

Not many. I just figured if people cared enough about you to do that they had to be friendly.

I remembered that and when the time came, this is where I settled.”

McAlister said the firefighters are certainly glad he did pick Alexander City to call home.

“He’s exactly the kind of person this world needs more of today,” McAlister said. “He’s something else. Just think of the places he’s gone, the things he’s seen and the people he’s met. We should all be so lucky.”

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Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Outlook

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The Outlook

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

50+ calendars have been mailed

T

he Alexander City Parks and Recreation 50+ mailed out the February and March activity calendars this past week.

If you have not updated your yearly waver form you were not mailed a calendar. Stop by the center to renew yours or call 256-3292910 and we will be glad to mail you a 2018 form.

On our group outing last Wednesday, we discovered a hidden talent from one of our members. Wynema Sprayberry has a very unique way of spotting sites that we were so unaware of on country backroads that we have traveled on so many times. We do believe that she has the talent of finding the best places of unique viewings.

Wynema Sprayberry will be happy to take you on a site seeing field tour of little lambs or blooming flowers. We got to experience an amazing field that she spotted up close and personal. She definitely opened up our imagination that day and can do the same for you!

Men’s Outing will be on the 13th of February.

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The Outlook

CORLEY HOLT Columnist Don’t won’t to miss out on those half priced meal deals.

The Sportplex will be hosting a Valentine’s Day event for Tallapoosa County Senior Citizens.

Our emcee for the event will be Ronney Betts!

Make plans to attend on Wednesday, Feb. 14 at the Sportplex Gymnasium starting at 11:30 a.m. Lunch with be provided during the event, please RSVP as soon as possible. Contact Frank Tapley or the Activity Center 256-3292910.

Overnight Trips: The Ark Encounter in May, Alaskan Cruise in August and Nashville for Christmas!

Until next time keep a smile on your face and love in your heart.

Holt writes about the events and people of the Alexander City Parks and Recreation Department’s 50+ program.

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Start planning that Valentines Day treat

A

nd then came the rains, but we were prepared, and the land was thirsty.

I did hear that we are to expect some colder and possibly snowy days and nights again by the end of the week. So changeable, and predictably more like British weather when one should take the umbrella, just in case.

The Chit-Chatters Ladies lunching group met last Thursday at Triple RRR in Rockford, such a warm welcoming place.

I think all of us got the featured special of the day plates from the hot bar. Everyone agreed that the fried chicken was delicious. Quite a few of our regulars were unable to meet with us. Some were out-of-town, some keeping grandchildren or were not feeling so good from this bad strain of the flu that seems to be everywhere.

The Ladies enjoying lunch were: Janice Moses, Lynda Moseley, Robbie Martin, Jean Sims, Leader Jackie Dean, Jean Baker, Rachel Fuller and Rosie Morgan. It was so good to see Ms. Robbie Martin

ROSIE MORGAN Columnist and Jean Sims. Even though there was less of us this time, we still had a good lunch and each others’ company. Three vehicles drove home via Coosa # 18, in order to get a glimpse of the standing monster ‘BigFoot’ that Steve Baker has allowed to be in his front yard. What a great piece of magic to spark conversation among those who see him.

Janice Moses has plans to enjoy a special dinner at Fantails in the Millbrook/ Prattville area to celebrate her birthday, which is Jan. 31.

Bad things happen in so many larger towns.

In this area we are quite lucky to be so safe. On Wednesday, Jan. 24, a lovely young woman of Equality, together with a friend who is a male nurse, made a trip to Autauga County, as he wanted to purchase a gun for his own safety.

Shopping began with ‘looking’ at The Minnow Bucket store. The couple had barely gotten inside to the counter, when a man rushed in, attacking the nurse by stabbing him nine times. Such an awful event, but luckily no strike hit any main organs that could have caused him to bleed out. Our Equality lady had removed the bullets from her gun, required by the store not to have your loaded gun inside. The lady did try to shoot her gun at the intruder, even though it was not loaded. Then she got the stores ‘protection’ gun, shot at the assailant and the gun jammed then misfired but the victim fell backwards. She was very brave to take charge like that. The victim was taken to Baptist South, where his condition was stable. Autauga Sheriff Joe Sedinger detailed that the attacker, Preston Howard, 40, who was known to Autauga Law enforcement and from Montgomery, was arrested and charged with two counts of attempted murder. Howard was unknown to the couple that he tried to kill.

Don’t forget to make your plans to attend EPAC in Equality. Senior Ms. and the current reigning Queen for 2017 will be performing for your delight at EPAC on Friday, Feb. 9. I understand one of these special ladies does a fantastic tap-dancing number that requires complete concentration and excellent training. I hope to make it to this show, I love to see tap dancing.

Thank-you for all the prayers and good wishes, Ron is feeling much better after his second cervical steroid block last week, and he looks forward to even better days.

Valentines’ Day is just two weeks hence. Be sure to treat that special man or lady in your life to something nice. Forget the candy, makes plans for an outing, a picnic, a show or just make a special dinner.

Until next week, keep smiling, warm and happy.

Rosie Morgan is a community columnist for The Outlook. She is a resident of Nixburg and writes about the people of Equality and Nixburg.

Ongoing Events ALCOHOLICS ANONYMOUS: Red Ridge United Methodist Church in Dadeville hosts an Alcoholics Anonymous meeting every Sunday at 6 p.m.

DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS: The Bill Nichols Chapter 13 meets every third Monday at 5:30 p.m. at the Charles T. “Bud” Porch Center in Alexander City. Chapter Service Officers are available every second and fourth Wednesday from noon to 5 p.m. for claims assistance.

TOPS MEETING: Take Off Pounds Sensibly is the short name for TOPS Club, Inc., the original nonprofit, noncommercial network of weight-loss support groups throughout the U.S. and Canada. TOPS offers tools and programs for healthy living and weight management, with

exceptional group fellowship and recognition. Established in 1948 to champion weight-loss support and success, we’ve helped millions of people live healthier lives. Come out and visit us. Your first meeting is free. Meetings are held every Thursday at 6 p.m. at Comer Baptist Church, 341 E. Church St., Alexander City, AL. Call (256) 496-4210 for more information.

READY TO WORK: CACC can prepare you to be Career Ready with a FREE 6 to 8 week Workforce Development Course called Ready to Work. It includes computer self-paced instruction financial planning, reading and math skills, and computer basic skills as well as instructor-led module presentations on communication, problem-solving, job acquisition, operation skills,

and workplace behavior. Earn a Career Readiness Certificate and an AIDT Alabama Certified Worker Certificate. The class meets Monday-Thursday 12:30 p.m. - 4:30 p.m. at the Alexander City Career Center located at 1375 Junior College Drive. For more information, call Melanie Veazey at 256-215-4499 or email at mveazey@cacc.edu.

OFFICE CAREERS: The Office Careers Technology program is funded by the Workforce Investment Act (WIA) and was created to help dislocated workers learn new employable skills.

To qualify for the programs be a dislocated worker (layoff) or a low-income family. Anyone interested in the classes should contact the Alexander City Career Center @ 256-215-4494 and ask about the WIA program.

Most all dislocated workers automatically qualify for financial assistance. The program is 52 weeks and is open entry/ open exit. Students learn at their own pace in a non-traditional classroom setting. Classes begin when students are approved and they may leave when they receive any or all of the certificates offered. Classes are Monday--Thursday, 8:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. (with a lunch break). All textbooks and class materials are supplied. Certificates available are receptionist, inventory clerk, data entry clerk, administrative assistant, accounting office clerk, medical office clerk, legal office clerk.

COMPUTER LAB: The new and improved computer lab at Cooper Community Center is now open to the community

Monday thru Thursday from 5 to 8 p.m. LaBrawnski Salter is the new lab facilitator. You can check email, browse the internet, build a resume, complete a project or homework, research, job search and some social media.

CELEBRATE RECOVERY: Celebrate Recovery is a Christ-centered ministry designed to help hurting people. It is made up of regular folks who are on a journey toward wholeness; seeking recovery from life’s hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We meet every Monday at Vertical Point Church, 860 Airport Drive, Alex City. We begin with dinner at 5:45, followed by large group at 6:15 & small groups at 7:15. Childcare is provided. Everyone is welcome. For more info, call Mike at 256-496-4664.

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

Page 10

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Sports Outlook The

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

ON THE WAY OUT Horn approved as coach at Clay Central

By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor

Legendary high school football coach Danny Horn is headed home.

After being unanimously approved by the Clay County Board of Education as the next head football coach of Clay Central on Tuesday, Horn is on his way out of Benjamin Russell.

“Wow, no way,” said Daniel Bland, a former Benjamin Russell All-Star offensive lineman Daniel Bland is now a sophomore wrestling at Limestone State. “I can’t believe that. He has meant so much to that program. I don’t think that Benjamin Russell’s football program would be where it is today and wouldn’t have had the level of success that it has if it hadn’t been for him. It’s hard to think of football there without him.”

Over the course of nine seasons, Horn has become the soul of the Wildcat football program, as both he, his wife and his sons have poured their hearts into the team. It’s also not uncommon to see Horn’s grandchildren running around football practice.

That love for his community is one of reasons Clay Central wanted him back.

“Certainly, this community is very rural and there is

an emphasis of community involvement placed in athletics,” Clay County superintendent Billy Walker said. “He’s got a lot of friends in this county, and it’s probably not a secret that a lot of people would love to see him back. We had some great applications and the interviews were very outstanding. Certainly it’s a blessing to get a Hall of Fame coach, but we knew he was a Hall of Fame coach when he left.”

Horn was inducted into the Alabama High School Sports Hall of Fame after coaching the former Clay County, which has since merged with Lineville, to a staggering six state championships. During his time at Clay County, he racked up a record of 225-40 in 20 years and posted a state-record 55-game winning streak stretching from 1994 to 1997.

Since taking over at Benjamin Russell in 2009, Horn has taken the Wildcats to a 62-43 record.

He is the reigning Outlook Coach of the Year.

“It was an honor playing for coach Horn,” said Tyre Gray, a former Wildcat quarterback and current running back for Murray State. “Anytime you get to play for a coach that had the success coach Horn had is an honor. He’s going to get you to go out every weekend and play your all.”

ANDY GRAHAM Columnist

Auburn basketball is tournament bound

I

’ve been reluctant to truly buy in to this Auburn basketball team even though it seemed to be having a remarkable season.

There were times in the past when the Tigers had nice stretches, but they ultimately came crashing back down to earth. This is clearly different as they are now ranked No. 11 in the country and have already won as many SEC games this year as they did all of last season.

I’m ready to say this Auburn team is for real.

Of course, I’m having to write this not knowing the outcome of the game against Ole Miss on Tuesday night. To be honest, it really doesn’t matter.

There are going to be some losses along the way. That’s just the way it is in college basketball.

However, these Tigers have done enough so far to prove to me they deserve their lofty ranking. They lead the SEC in scoring with 86 points per game and margin of victory with 13.8 points per game.

Auburn has been able to score the last couple of years, but it actually plays defense this year. This is a complete team and that’s the difference than with years past.

There is so much more talent on this roster since Bruce Pearl took over it’s not even remotely close to the Lebo and Barbee years. The Tigers are no longer depending on one or two players to carry the load. There’s talent up and See GRAHAM • Page 11

File / The Outlook

Benjamin Russell football coach Danny Horn has been approved as the head coach at Clay Central.

The accolades for Horn go on and on.

His 1994 championship team outscored its opponents, 40822, on its way to an undefeated season. It posted 10 shutouts, and the defensive prowess continued in 1995 and 1996 games with 10 and 11 shutouts, respectively.

“The win streak he had was very special,” Walker said. “The first championship or two that I remember, the defense carried them. The offense wasn’t that high powered, but it developed into a more high-powered style and game.”

Horn will replace Kris Herron,

who was coach of the Volunteers for five seasons.

“It was unexpected when coach Herron decided to retire, but he put his 25 years in,” Walker said. “(When hiring a football coach), time is of the essence. Of course everybody See HORN • Page 11

Coach ‘O’ receives lifetime achievement award

By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer

Longtime Reeltown coach Jackie O’Neal, or Coach “O” as most students know him, was chosen as one of Alabama’s greatest high school football coaches Saturday evening during the Coaches Banquet at this year’s Alabama Football Coaches Association 13th Annual Convention in Montgomery.

O’Neal was honored along with Hoover’s Bob Finley and Deshler’s John Mothershed.

The winners were nominated by the ALFCA membership, recommended by the Lifetime committee and verified at the ALFCA board of directors during their Super 7 meeting last week.

“These men were not only highly successful,” ALFCA Director Jack Wood said, “they were some of the most respected coaches in the state during their tenures. All three of these great coaches were very loyal to their schools, staying at one place for many years. We are proud to honor their legacies.”

Born in Reeltown, O’Neal is the youngest of eight siblings, John Allen Jr., James Edward, Nelson, Tommie Leon, Bennie Earl, Earnest Walter and Janice Marie. He married Gloria Dayle Brooks on Aug. 20, 1977.

They have six children — Cory Deon O’Neal, Jacqueline Renae Brown, Tanyeka Green Boley, Lawrence Allen O’Neal, Shaina Marie O’Neal and Rodney Siran O’Neal. They have twelve grandchildren and two greatgrandchildren.

In 1973 O’Neal signed a football scholarship to Livingston University, now the University of West Alabama.

He is the fourth leading rusher in UWA history with 1,873 yards from 197376. An overwhelming blocker in the Tiger wishbone assault, O’Neal also scored 18 touchdowns in his career and

Submitted / The Outlook

Longtime Reeltown football Jackie O’Neal, right, was presented with the Lifetime Achieve Award at the Alabama Football Coaches Association’s 13th Annual Convention. Presenting the award is Decatur coach Jere Adcock.

still owns the record for the longest touchdown reception, 94 yards, against Southeastern Louisiana in 1974.

Before becoming a coach at Reeltown, O’Neal worked for the Tallassee Recreation Department in 1977. O’Neal was an assistant coach at Reeltown for 10 seasons prior to taking over as head coach.

“I coached junior football, junior basketball and B-team basketball,” O’Neal said. “I was the head coach for girls’ basketball and I was the varsity football assistant coach. In 1988, I became head coach.”

Over the next 28 seasons, his teams won consistently and made the playoffs every season except three. O’Neal was

the coach of the year in 1991, 1992, 2000, 2001 and 2009. He also coached in the North/South Alabama Football Game, and he was head coach of the South Girls Basketball team in 2007.

After taking over in 1988, the Rebels won two state championships in 2001 and 2009, played for four others in 1991, 1992, 2000 and 2010, won 14 region/area titles and made the state playoffs 25 out of 28 years. He is the winningest coach at Reeltown.

During this process, O’Neal became the winningest African-American coach in the state of Alabama with a 28-year record of 241 wins and 110 losses. In 2012, he was inducted into the AHSAA See O’NEAL • Page 11

Wednesday, January 31, 2018

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The Outlook

BRHS post players overwhelm Indians

Wildcats eke out comeback victory, 60-57

By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor

By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor

With 0.5 seconds remaining in Monday’s boys basketball game, Wetumpka’s Alex Tunnell drained a 3-pointer to pull his team within one point of the Benjamin Russell Wildcats. The Indians quickly called a timeout, which ended up sealing their fate.

Wetumpka didn’t have any timeouts remaining, resulting in an automatic technical foul. Jaden Tuck sank the pair of free throws for the Wildcats, and instead of the Indians getting the ball back, the tech gave BRHS possession and ultimately the 60-57 victory.

The win wasn’t as easy as a couple free throws, though.

Wetumpka jumped out to a 16-6 lead at the end of the first and continued to build on it, leading 31-19 at the half.

But luckily for the Wildcats, they had just been in this situation Saturday and knew how to regroup and chip away at the deficit.

“I think it’s just that we lose focus early,” BRHS’ Alex Doss said. “We go into the game not knowing what to do, so we lose focus. But we come out of halftime prepared and have our minds set on what we’re supposed to do and just make the comeback to win the game.”

Benjamin Russell started to cut into the Indians’ lead, slicing its deficit to single digits several times.

But every time the Wildcats started to inch closer, Wetumpka seemed to have the answer, and it still led 45-33 heading into the final frame.

That’s when things started to go in Benjamin Russell’s favor.

Starting the fourth quarter on a

Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook

Benjamin Russell’s Nick McGhee, left, puts the pressure on Wetumpka’s Darren Nolen during Monday night’s game.

16-4 run, the Wildcats finally tied it up on a Quin Burroughs jumper with 3:33 left. “(Early), we just played organized basketball,” Wetumpka’s EJ Rogers said. “Then we started going too fast and we weren’t taking care of the ball. We were turning the ball over too much and they took the best of the turnovers.”

The game went back and forth from there until Benjamin Russell finally took a 54-52 lead on a Desmond Bishop putback. It looked like the Indians would answer with a layup of their own, but Tuck took a charge to give possession back to the Wildcats. From there, Za Stowes and Tuck remained perfect from the line to ensure the victory.

“Credit to my kids because like Saturday, they settled down,” BRHS coach Lewis Daniel said.

“We made a couple adjustments and talked about our character.

Our kids have bought into we’re going to play hard and we’re going to play to the last minute. We got great rebounding from Doss and

Graham

Tuck, Davede Herron came through with some great defensive plays, and Desmond had a good game, too.”

Wetumpka didn’t help itself with a slew of turnovers. After having just seven miscues in the first half, the Indians committed four in the third quarter and 12 in the fourth.

“I think the guys just gotta make a conscious decision that if it doesn’t feel right, don’t do it,” Wetumpka coach Derrick Powell said. “We played organized chaos ball. We get up and down the floor.

It’s chaotic at times, but you gotta also understand that every shot isn’t meant to be taken, every steal isn’t meant to go for, every pass not meant to be passed. We have to learn how to take care of the ball in a chaotic situation.”

For the Wildcats, Tuck led the way with 16 points and Stowes followed with 15. Bishop added 10 points for his second double-figure game in a row. Doss had seven points, six rebounds, three steals and a pair of blocks.

continued from page 10

down the roster and everyone is contributing.

They had the same talent last season and wound up with a 16-14 record. In fact, they played with even more talent on the floor. Austin Wiley and Danjel Purifoy have still not played a single minute this season due to eligibility issues.

This year’s team has something last year’s didn’t and that’s chemistry. They seem to be taking all the controversy surrounding the program and using it as motivation. There were just a lot of athletes on the floor last season. This year they’re playing as a team and that is making all the difference.

Junior Bryce Brown has been a backup player in recent years and the first one off the bench. He’s been forced into

the starting lineup this season and has risen to the challenge leading the team in scoring.

He’s still a streaky shooter, but he’s now taking the ball to the rim and scoring in a variety of ways.

Sophomore Mustafa Heron does a little bit of everything and has stepped up as a leader despite his youth. He has the size and ability to project to the next level and is beginning to show that on a consistent basis.

Sophomore Jared Harper is clearly embracing his role as point guard far better this season. He has been a much better facilitator and cut down on his turnovers at the same time. He’s also hit clutch three-pointers that were the difference between wins and losses.

Junior Desean Murray has

been a huge difference maker this year with his presence down low. He rebounds like a much bigger man and seems to be what Auburn has been missing the last several years. Sophomore Anfernee McLemore leads the SEC in blocked shots and can also step out beyond the arc and make shots. Freshman Chuma Okeke has shown tremendous ability off the bench and is providing the depth a championship team needs.

Again, everyone is playing together and gaining more confidence with every win.

It’s no longer about just making the tournament. It’s now about how high they’re going to be seeded.

Who would have thought?

Andy Graham is a regular columnist for The Outlook.

Racking up 30 rebounds in the first half alone was the key to success for Benjamin Russell’s girls basketball in a Monday night area game against Wetumpka.

The Wildcats were getting chance after chance, allowing to build up a 17-point lead by halftime and eventually escaping with a 62-30 victory.

“I think that us having a second chance at it helped us out a lot,” BRHS coach Latreisha Moon said. “They tried to double our post, but a couple of our guards — even if they weren’t always hitting shots — they let them know they were shooters, so it did bring them out some. I was proud of the way our post played tonight because even though they weren’t giving us a lot, they still worked.”

Jaaliyah Caldwell had another offensive explosion with 26 points and capped off a double-double with 12 rebounds.

Wetumpka managed to spread the offensive wealth quite a bit with eight different Indians putting points on the scoreboard, but they were no match for Benjamin Russell’s height and aggressiveness on the inside.

O’Neal

Zariah Fannin led Wetumpka with six points, and Tiana Ferguson followed closely behind with five.

Ferguson grabbed eight rebounds, and Lacondra Paschal had six.

Benjamin Russell also got a doublefigure performance from Aaliyah Thomas, who scored 10 points.

Although Shay Johnson added only three points, she stuffed the stat sheet with 10 rebounds, nine assists and six steals.

“I think she did really well,” Moon said. “She handled the ball well, but the main thing was she stayed out of foul trouble. And she took a charge.”

Benjamin Russell and Wetumpka turned right around and played again Tuesday night, and Moon’s hope was to repeat Monday’s performance.

“We need to beat them pretty bad, at least beat them to where they won’t come to Opelika (for the area tournament) and think they have a chance,” Moon said. “I want them to be deflated when they get there, so I want to just go there and run the floor and do whatever we can do to try to get a running clock in the fourth quarter. That’s important because you don’t want to give them hope going into the area tournament.”

continued from page 10

Hall of Fame. That same year, he was the featured speaker for the class of 2012.

“In 2015, I had the great honor of retiring from Tallapoosa County, O’Neal Reeltown High School, after many years of service and success,” said O’Neal said.

O’Neal was selected to coach in the AL/MS All-Star Game in Mobile three times — twice as an assistant and once as head coach in 2009.

O’Neal’s basketball teams have played in four state tournaments — two in Decatur and two in Birmingham, where they finished as the Class 2A girls state runner up in 2007 and 2008.

O’Neal’s overall record is 241110 with a region record of 104-32 which ranks among the best in state

history.

O’Neal was inducted into the UWA Hall of Fame in 2007 and he is a founding brother of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity on UWA campus.

When O’Neal isn’t coaching students, he finds time so stay involved in the community. In 1984 he started the BBC “cobras” softball program, which lasted for over 15 years. He was also involved in the youth sports program and the senior citizens program.

He is also a member of the Wall Street Community Recreation, Wall Street Incorporated, Community Hospital Board of Directors, Alabama Football Coaches Association Incorporated, AHSAA Central Board of Control, the AHSAA Legislative Council and the AHSAA Football Sports Committee, NAACP, AHSAA Observer and a member of Wall Street AME Zion Church.

Horn

continued from page 10

knew coach Horn, he was here for a long time, his family and his wife’s family is here, so he is well-thought of. The county hated to lose him when he went to Benjamin Russell, but we understood it was a great opportunity

and great school system to go to.”

Now it’s Benjamin Russell’s turn to hate to see Horn leave, and the Wildcats will have big shoes to fill.

“He did a great job,” BRHS athletic director

MITCHELL & COMPANY

Pam Robinson said. “We’re going to really miss him.

He was not only a great coach, but he’s a really good man that teaches more than football.”

Alexander City School Superintendent Dr. Darrell Cooper said it was hard to

see Horn go, but wished him well.

“I was almost sick to my stomach the first time he talked to me about it,” Cooper said. “We just to hate to see him go, but we totally understand.

He’s been a tremendous

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asset to our students, our school, and the community.

Obviously, he’s a great coach, but he’s a good person and a good man.

While you are sad that he is leaving, we wish him well and thank him for what he has meant to Benjamin Russell.”

Cooper said while there will be a huge void to fill, he thinks the head football coach’s job at Benjamin Russell is one of the top jobs in the state.

“We will start first thing in the morning with our search, first posting the job and then sorting through the applicants,” Cooper said. “We have a lot to offer at Benjamin Russell. The tradition that our program has and the community support make it a very attractive situation for the right person. A high school football game here is a big deal. We would play teams like Spanish Fort that had won state championships and it wasn’t uncommon for us to have more fans in their stadium than they did. That means a lot to a coach. So we will take our time and leave no stone unturned to find the best possible coach who fits with our school

and our community.”

Cooper plans to leave the job posting up until Feb. 16 and hopes to have someone to recommend to the school board by March 1.

Torn up about the decision to say goodbye to the Wildcat family, according to Robinson, Horn will speak to his team this morning about his departure before officially turning in his resignation.

He wanted to wait until speaking to the team and the athletic department in person before commenting to the media.

“Being a Wildcat and obviously being somebody that played for him and watched how he moved and how serious he was about his work, you’re going to be a little upset,” Gray said. “But at the end of the day, it’s home for him. We thank coach Horn for everything he did for Wildcat nation, and I respect his decision.”

Editor’s Note: Horn was unavailable for comment Tuesday night, but The Outlook will continue to publish articles about this developing story throughout the week.

Page 12

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Wednesday, January 31, 2018

The Outlook

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6

SMOKED BACON................24-OZ. PKG.

12 PK., 12-OZ. CANS

8 PK PK, 12 12-OZ. OZ BTLS BTLS. S. S.

10

GOLDEN FLA FLAKE MILD D OR MEDIUM SALSA

2/$

15.5 OZ. JAR

BAG

2/$

5

4

ASSORTED A SSORTED

ASSORTED V VARIETIES

PROGR PROGRESSO OGRESS SO O SOUP SOUP SO

HORM HORMEL RMEL C CH CHILI H L WITH BEANS

LIL’ DUTCH MAID

SALTINE CRACKERS 1-LB. BOX

2/$ 18.5 - 19 OZ. CANS

¢

99

3

HORMEL CHILI NO BEANS

4/$

15 - 15.5 OZ. CAN

2/$

4

5

WHITE RICE

PREMI PREMIUM RE UM SUGAR SUGAR

$ 59 $ 88

GATORADE.....................................20-OZ. BTLS. ASSORTED

RO+TEL..............................................10-OZ. CAN ASSORTED VARIETIES WISHBONE

SALAD DRESSING.....................15 -OZ. BTL. ASSORTED HONEY BUNCHES O OATS

4 88¢ $ 99 1 2/$ 5

POST CEREAL..............................13 - 18 OZ. BOX ASSORTED VARIETIES

1

14-OZ. 14-

8 PK. ASSORTED

STRAWBERRIES (1-LB. PKG.) OR CANTALOUPES

2/$ EA.

FRESH FRES

LETTUCE .........................EA .........................EA. EA. C CUMBERS OR CUCUMBERS

BELL PEPPER...............EA ...............EA. EA.

BROCCOLI ROCCOL

$ 88 4-LB.

ASSORTED VELVEETA

COUSIN WILLIE’S MICROWAVE

CROWNS...................L ...................LB. ................ LB.

5 $ 29

1 ¢ 69 $ 99 1 $ 59 1

CH CHILEAN H LE EA

RED PLU PLUMS, UMS P PEACHES EA A CHES OR NECTARINES NEE C TAR R NES

$ 99

2 99¢ 2/$ 5 4/$ 10

SHELLS & CHEESE...............9.4 - 12 OZ. BOX

6 $ 79 4 $ 99 7

FRESH

MUSHROOMS...... ..

PIGGLY WIGGLY

$ 99

Produce

W OLE OR SLICED WHITE WHOLE

MINUTE OR SUCCESS

1

LLB. B.

$ 99

MARIAH REGULAR OR RIND ON SLICED

BEEF

2/$

4 2/$ 4

110-LB. -L -L BAG A

$ 19

2

DOWN HOME HOT WINGS 2-LB. BAG

BUTTER POPCORN.........................3 PACK

$ 39

2

LB. LB

ASSORTED DORITOS 7.75-10.25 OZ. 2/$ ............................................

BAG

ASSORTED XXL OR XL

LAY’S CHIPS

9.5-10 OZ. BAGS

5

GALLON 6 PK., 1/2-LTR. BTLS. LIPTON TEA..............................................

PEPSI & PEPSI PRODUCTS

4/$

10

ORIGINAL, L, MILD OR HO HOT

ASSORTED A SSORTED

ASSORTED A SSORTED

RE RED ED DD DIAMOND DIAMO IA AMOND TEA GORDOS DOS Q QUESO UEESO DIP BBLUE BELL ICE CREAM EGGO WAFFLES HALF F GALLON GALL

$ 29

1

16 16 O OZ. Z.

1/2 GALLON L

2/$

7

BLUE BELL ICE CREAM CUPS 12 PACK

$

4 48

$ 88

4

9.8 .8 - 16.4 OZ. PKG.

2/$

5

WE ACCEPT DISCOVER, MASTER CARD AND VISA. QUANTITY RIGHTS RESERVED. NONE SOLD TO DEALERS. WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO CORRECT TYPOGRAPHICAL & PICTORIAL ERRORS.