PAGE 3: OFFICIALS URGE RESIDENTS TO BE MINDFUL, SAFE WITH FIREWORKS
THE
TUESDAY SPORTS, PAGE 10
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
Fourth of July Holiday Edition Vol. 125, No. 131 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Summer starting to heat up for area football teams
City paving projects set to begin By MITCH SNEED Editor
While the long Independence Day holiday is a time for residents to celebrate freedom and spend time with family and friends, paving contractors are hopefully using it to rest up. It’s about to get busy on the paving front around Alexander City. Alexander City began collecting
HOLIDAY CLOSURES Due to the Independence Day Holiday on July 4, many area governmental offices and business will have special hours. Here is a list of all the closures and hour adjustments that were reported to the Outlook: • All offices in the city of Alexander City will be closed through Wednesday. The city council recently passed a resolution awarding city workers a day off. The city offices will reopen at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5. • All offices in the city of Dadeville will be closed through Wednesday. The city council recently passed a resolution awarding city workers a day off. The city offices will reopen at 8 a.m. on Wednesday, July 5. • The Tallapoosa County Courthouse, with the exception of the Probate Court offices, in Dadeville will be open Monday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., but will be closed all day Tuesday, July 4. The building will reopen Wednesday July 5 at 8 a.m. • The Probate Office in Alexander City, Dadeville and Tallassee will be closed Monday and Tuesday for the holiday. The offices will reopen Wednesday morning, July 5 at 8 a.m. Gov. Kay Ivey has declared Monday a holiday as well because much of the probate office business is linked to state databases. The local offices followed suit. • Most area banks reported that they will have regular hours on Monday, but will be closed to observe Independence Day on Tuesday July 4, and reopen at regular time on Wednesday, July 5. • The Outlook will be open Monday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but will be closed Tuesday. Your Tuesday paper will arrive at your home on Monday with the regular mail delivery.
an extra half-cent sales tax in 2014 to help fund road projects, officials immediately began setting a plan in place to prepare and used a program called MicroPaver to evaluate roads and plan where the city could get the most bang for its paving buck. The half-cent sales tax has been named the Alexander City Road Improvement Project or ACRIP and all
the money is earmarked for road paving and road improvement projects. The tax generates about $1.15 million each year. It has given the city the ability to get some asphalt work done without having to go in debt. Earlier this week City Engineer and Public Works Director Gerard Brewer issues a release reminding residents of the streets slated for paving so that they
will be aware of potential delays and disruptions to the regular traffic flow. “Traditionally the contractors take the week after July 4th off, but really crank it up the week after,â€? Brewer said. “We anticipate them getting started on the streets that we have planned and it’s a pretty long list this year. We just want people to be aware that they will be out See ROADS • Page 3
WEEKEND STARTS WITH A BANG Highway 22
speed limit: what’s next?
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
During the June 26 meeting of the New Site Town Council, the council officially approved a resolution, requesting that a portion of Alabama Highway 22 through New Site have the speed limit raised from 35 miles per hour to 45 mph. With the resolution passed, their request can move forward with the proper authorities. State Representative Mark Tuggle said that the town council had come to him to see if he could help them in any way. He responded that he would like a resolution from them in order to proceed. See SPEED • Page 3
Remembering the Fourth 50 years ago By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Fireworks exploded in the sky over Hackneyville Saturday night as about 2,500 people gathered to take part in a day of fun at the Hackneyville Volunteer Fire Department Fireworks Bash. The event is the largest fundraiser for the department and despite dodging an early evening shower, officials were able to get the fireworks off before a second thunderstorm hit the area by starting the show at about 8:15 p.m. There is plenty still planned in the area. Two July 4 traditions will live on as The Russell Marine Annual Boat Parade is Tuesday, July 4 from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. The parade will start at Kowaliga Marina and go to Children’s Harbor. The annual Russell Land 4th of July Fireworks on Lake Martin will start Tuesday with a concert at The AMP with the Bank Walkers and the Sweet Tea Trio starting at 6 p.m. and fireworks set to start around 9 p.m. Cost of the concert is $10. For more pictures from Hackneyville and the Arti Gras event at Russell Crossroads, see page 9 inside.
July 4 fell on a Tuesday 50 years ago in 1967, just like this year. Can you imagine 12,000 people in Wind Creek State Park? Omer McGhee said over that many people poured into the park with 6,000 people camped out representing more than 1,200 families. “All the picnic tables were taken See FOURTH • Page 3
Benjamin Russell NJROTC celebrates 15 years By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
During the 2016-2017 school year at Benjamin Russell, the Naval JROTC unit celebrated its 15th year of existence. When the unit was formed, it became the first JROTC program of any kind at Benjamin Russell, and is also one of only eight NJROTC units in the state of Alabama. “The activation ceremony was held on September 11, 2002,� NJROTC supervisor Captain Matthew Leahey said. Current Alexander City Mayor and then school superintendent Jim Nabors helped to bring the program to Benjamin Russell, said NJROTC advisor Petty Officer Ron Rowe. He believed that the reason the high school obtained an NJROTC unit was that the U.S. Navy was attempting to expand their JROTC units in Alabama
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at the time. “It’s a discipline our children don’t have,� Nabors said. “It teaches the kids something they don’t get elsewhere.� Approximately 90 students take part in the program each year, Leahey said. One of the benefits to joining the NJROTC unit is that, not only does the course count as an elective credit, but it also helps to meet the career prep requirement. Other positives to the program include having a peer-led curriculum, giving the students the empowerment to lead while Leahey and Rowe help guide them. During the school year, cadets in the program take part in a wide variety of activities and events, both during and after school hours. “On a weekly basis, they have one day of physical education; one day of drill, including marching; and
Lake Martin
Weather Lake Levels
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Low
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Reported on 07/02/17 @ 10 a.m.
See NJROTC • Page 3
Submitted / The Outlook
Benjamin Russell NJROTC cadets drill in preparation for a competition earlier this year.
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