PAGE 9: LOCALS COMMENT ON CLOSING OF RUSSELL RETAIL
THE
FRIDAY
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
July 28, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 149 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
SPORTS, PAGE 10: Reeltown hosts OTA
Firefighters battle area blazes
glass had been broken by the flames, as well as through the front door of the structure. “We were lucky that we were able to get in Several residents were displaced but only and get water on it pretty quickly,” said ACFD one minor injury was reported after a fire Capt. Wayne Windsor. “The damage from the damaged an apartment building at Sherwood flames was pretty much limited to that one Forest Apartments on Trussell Road Wednesday downstairs unit. There is some damage to the evening. one above it, but we could have been looking Those who lived at the complex credited at four units and the entire building had we not the quick response by the Alexander City gotten the breaks that we did.” Fire Department for limiting damage to the The only injury that was reported was a cut structure. on the hand of one of the men who lived in the At about 8 p.m., a 911 call reported a fire apartment where the fire began. in a downstairs unit of the B building at the Chief Reese McAlister said grease left apartment complex. The first unit arrived on unattended on a stove in the unit was the likely the scene just seven minutes after the call was cause of the blaze. completed. “The guys did a great job and it’s great news Mitch Sneed / The Outlook In all four large trucks, several other vehicles when they are able to minimize the damage and an ambulance responded. Firefighters got like they did in this case,” McAlister said. “All A structure fire at Sherwood Forest Apartments left one unit badly damaged hoses run from a nearby hydrant and got water Wednesday evening. Firefighters were quick to respond to limit damage to See FIRES • Page 3 on the flames through a window where the other units. By MITCH SNEED Editor
Camp HIll mayor names new chief of police
FUN with READING
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Camp Hill Mayor Ezell Smith informed members of the town council and a room full of residents she has hired Danny Williams as interim chief police chief, demoted Chief Johnny Potts to sergeant and terminated police Lt. Derrick Coley. “I fired officer Coley for continued insubordination and conduct unbecoming an officer,” Smith said. “I demoted Officer Johnny Potts for the same thing.” Potts and Coley said they were informed of the moves Monday. The demotion of Potts left the town without a police chief, something that is required for by the CJIS, the FBI’s information network. “By law we have to have an interim chief,” Smith explained. “I hired Officer Danny Williams as our interim chief. I also hired another officer.” Williams is currently in law enforcement in LaFayette and has previously worked as See POLICE • Page 7
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
BRHS rising senior Lamarious Howard flavors up his snow cone at Thursday’s Summer Reading Program Finale.
Library summer program draws to a close rewarding them for reading throughout the summer. This included a coupon for a free Kona Ice, as well as one for a ride on a train A crowd of more than 200 children gathered from Ballard Party Rental. at the Sportplex Gymnasium Thursday morning The rest of the gym was filled with fun at the annual summer reading program finale, activities, including a bounce house, an hosted by the Adelia Russell Library and inflatable slide, an inflatable bowling set, a ring Mamie’s Place Children’s Library. toss and a kid-sized cornhole board set. Inside the gym, library staff had a table Outside, lines were constantly queuing up lined with bags full of prizes for participants, By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
See LIBRARY • Page 3
Weather
90 73
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Low
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
490.52
Reported on 07/27/17 @ 10 a.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
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54708 90050
With the approval of four new hires at three schools within the system, all of the personnel openings within the Alexander City School System have been filled for the upcoming school year. “Barring anything major, we should be set,” Superintendent Dr. Darrell Cooper said at the end of Thursday morning’s special called meeting. The board approved hiring Alan Lane as a social sciences teacher at Benjamin Russell, Nancy Holley as a Pre-K auxiliary teacher at Jim Pearson, and Stephanie Hanks and Stacey Dixon to teach math, science and social studies at Stephens Elementary School. Hanks and Dixon were present at the meeting and were officially introduced by Stephens Principal April Neese. The board also approved the resignation of Stephens teacher Kaley Stewart. Following the personnel approvals, Cooper reminded the board and school faculty in attendance that the teacher’s breakfast and convocation would be held on Aug. 1 at Benjamin Russell and that students would return to school on Aug. 7. The next scheduled meeting of the Alexander City Board of Education will be Aug. 15 at 5 p.m. in the meeting room of the Alexander City Board of Education building.
Painted rock phenomenon makes it to Alexander City
Today’s
High
City Board of Ed. fills remaining personnel openings
8
USPS Permit # 013-080
These three painted rocks have recently turned up outside the Outlook offices, just a few examples of the many different kinds of painted rocks being hidden all around the Lake Martin area.
Starting Friday: Dunkirk – PG-13
Planet of the Apes – PG-13 The Emoji Movie– PG
For those spending time outdoors in recent days, there is a fairly good chance they have run across a brightly painted rock with an inspirational message written on it. Taking the time to find a good rock to use, painting it up and hiding it for someone else to find has become the new big thing to do, and it seems like it’s spreading everywhere. The Lake Martin area is one of the newest places in Alabama where these rocks have been found, joining
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locations like Camden, Andalusia, Prattville and Monroeville. Three groups on Facebook have sprung up for locals to share photos of the rocks they’ve found before turning around and re-hiding them: “Lake Martin Rocks AL!” “Alex City Rocks!” and “New Site Rocks!!” Local real estate agent Toni Adcock, who is one of the administrators of the Lake Martin Rocks page, described how she and her husband were inspired to create the group following a visit to family members in Brevard County, Florida and finding painted See ROCKS • Page 3