VETERANS’ ADVOCATE BENNY MCLEOD PASSES , PAGE 2.
THE
CREAM OF THE CROP
TUESDAY
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
Five players to watch in 2015, page 12.
July 28, 2015
Vol. 123, No. 149
www.alexcityoutlook.com
Festival Finale Heather Glenn / The Outlook
Grammy nominated country star David Nail plays his hit ‘Let It Rain’ for the Sun Festival crowd at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex Saturday night. The concert and the Winn DIxie Fireworks Show capped a week filled with 59 events.
Sun Festival leaves people buzzing By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
The third annual Sun Festival is in the books. This year the festival spanned eight days filled with 59 events, including Saturday’s incredible finale. Regardless of who you ask, 2015 Sun Festival seems to have a big success by all accounts. After Saturday’s festivities wrapped up with a concert headlined by Grammy nominated David Nail, Sun Festival seems to be growing and reaching beyond Alexander City in drawing people to enjoy the summer fun, according to Chamber President and CEO Ann Rye “It’s hard to say how many people were here and from how far they traveled,” Rye said. “I do know that in the weeks leading up to the Festival and the concert, we were getting calls from all over the state and the Southeast with interest. That’s the goal. You want to grow a little year-by-year and getting that reach where it becomes a tourist event, that will be a major thing for the local economy.” As an indication of the reach, a walk around the parking lot of the Sportplex Friday night, found license plates from nine states, including an F-150 driven by Lance Patrick from Waco, Texas. “I have family who have a place on Lake Martin,” Patrick said. “They told me to come anytime this summer I wanted, but said if you can get here during Sun Festival, don’t miss it. So here I am.” Rye said the Chamber received a lot of positive response regarding events that occurred throughout the week and said attendance was up this year as See FESTIVAL, Page 3
FLASHBACK Take a look at images from a busy weekend, Page 8-9.
County crews work together Highway employees from 3 districts housed together as a trial run By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
Three county commissioners have embarked on a trial run involving their road crews that they believe will be more responsive, productive and save money at the same time. Commissioners T.C. Coley, Steve Robinson and John McKelvey have moved all of their employees and equipment to the shop on Highway 22 South, three miles south of New Site. The idea is to be able to pool resources, save on the cost of renting other shops and provide the ability to respond in force when big trouble hits. “It’s something we are trying on a trial basis, and See ROADS, Page 3
Local artist Greer has opening at Gallery 128 Staff Report Outlook Staff
Alexander City’s Gallery 128 is hosting a new art show featuring local artist Clay Greer. The show will open today at the gallery, which shares space with Café 128 and Emporium Wine at 128 Calhoun Street. This is Greer’s second exhibition at the downtown gallery. Since first showing his work there in 2013, Clay has become a full-time artist enhancing his abilities and expanding his career. After spending last summer in France as an apprentice to master artist Nall Hollis and exhibiting his work with Nall in the Henri Matisse Center in Venice, See GALLERY, Page 3
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Alexander City Chamber of Commerce President and CEO Ann Rye welcomes the crowd to the Sportplex Saturday night for more from Rye and photos from the final weekend of Sun Festival, see Chamber Pulse on pages 8 and 9 inside.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Gregg Griffin, left, speaks with artist Clay Greer, center as Gallery 128 owner Henry Foy looks on.
Air Force veteran gets gift of flight for 90th birthday By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
A man whose life’s work was spent in and around airplanes, got a 90th birthday gift that he hadn’t experienced since he retired from the military more than 40 years ago. Joe Shaw was treated to a return to the cockpit along with Fred Dobbs Saturday that brought back memories and gave breathtaking aerial views that created even more lasting images for Shaw. Shaw was a pilot and flight engineer of B16s in World War II and served during the Korea era and had one tour in Vietnam. But after a military career where there was rarely a day when aviation wasn’t on his mind, Shaw left that behind g. Pk d A ok t & utlo i K le e O Sa n Th d i r Ya ys $ ne 3-Da i at L r g 6 fo tin ar t S
when he left the Air Force and went on to another career with the U.S. Postal Service. That didn’t mean that he didn’t think about it constantly, but Saturday’s trip was the first ‘real’ flight he’s taken since he retired from the service on 1973. “I went to England in 2003 with my sister, but I don’t count that,” Joe said. “That’s like being in a big room with 300 people. That’s not flying. Not like this. I can’t believe they arranged this for me. It’s quite a treat.” With it being his 90th birthday, his sister Kaye Shaw and brother Eddie knew they had to Mitch Sneed / The Outlook do something special. Joe Shaw smiles as he listens to pilot Fred Dobbs go through a pre“We knew we had to do flight instruments check before a birthday flight Saturday. See FLIGHT, Page 5
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