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June 14, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 117 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Murder case to go to grand jury Evidence presented at hearing included statement that Parker may have shot at car on a bet, resulting in death of Quen Reese By MITCH SNEED Editor
Judge Kim Taylor ruled Tuesday that there was sufficient evidence to present the murder case against 18-year-old
Anthony Davon Parker to the Tallapoosa County Grand Jury. Taylor’s ruling came at the conclusion of a preliminary hearing Tuesday in the main courtroom at the Tallapoosa County Courthouse Annex in Alexander
City. District Attorney Jeremy Duerr called just one witness, Alexander City Police Department Det. Riley Foshee who laid out the case against Parker in the March 28 shooting that led to the death of 18-year-old Quentavious Arrion
‘Smile For A Brighter Future’ set for Saturday
New hires introduced at Alex City Board of Ed meeting
By MITCH SNEED Editor
If there is anyone who knows the power of a smile it’s Charmika Reynolds. Reynolds, the founder and director of Heavenly Missions Outreach, is hoping to help people keep their pearly whites in smile-perfect shape. Heavenly Missions first-ever “Smile For A Brighter Future” event will be held Saturday from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Quality Inn in Alexander City. The hotel is located at 2945 Highway 280. One of the things that we have realized the importance of in all that we have done is the importance of appearance when you are trying to get a leg up,” Reynolds said. See SMILE • Page 2
Reese. The bulk of Foshee’s testimony was the reading on a number of witness statements, including one from Demarcus “DJ” Young who said that See HEARING • Page 11
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Martin Speight and Johnny Cunningham stand in Speight’s yard on Fish Pond Road in Alexander City and watch as cars speed by. This was on of only a few vehicles that seemed to be doing the speed limit,
SPEEDING TO ACCIDENTS
Fish Pond Road residents seek relief from high-speed traffic By MITCH SNEED Editor
Martin Speight has lived on Fish Pond Road, also know as Alabama Highway 259, in Alexander City almost four decades. He’s seen traffic increase exponentially on the curvy two-lane road in front of his house. The road’s layout and the excessive speed at which many motorists navigate the highway has proven to be a dangerous combination.
“The speed limit is 55, even coming out of the curve,” Speight said. “It’s hard enough to make it at that speed in good conditions. When they run up to 70 like most of them do and if you throw in rain or gravel on the road and you have a mess.” Speight walked along fresh tire tracks through his yard where the latest serous accident occurred. He said it was one of five over the last three years. See SPEED • Page 3
With two in-system transfers and four new hires approved during a special call meeting of the Alexander City Board of Education Tuesday morning, the faculty and staff for the 2017-2018 school year is rapidly falling into place. The board approved the transfer of special needs teacher Jeremy Phillips from Benjamin Russell High School to Alexander City Middle School and Benjamin Russell Social Sciences Teacher Shannon Benefield to become the new assistant principal at Alexander City Middle School. The board also approved hiring Dr. Mary Holloway to fill the position of assistant principal at Radney Elementary School, Whitney White as a science teacher at Benjamin Russell, Justin McCollum to teach history at Benjamin Russell and Jason Coleman as a math teacher at Benjamin Russell. See SCHOOLS • Page 11
Lake Martin
Tallapoosa County 4-H receives ‘Centennial’ designation 490.63
Lake Levels
By MITCH SNEED Editor
In less than four years, the Tallapoosa County 4-H Program has grown from just 500 members to 1,500 strong. The growth isn’t by accident. Led by Shane Harris, Deborah Stewart, Trent Carboni and Sallie Mason, the program embraced Alabama’s 4-H Centennial Initiative. That meant they went all out to develop programs and activities that were more relevant to the youth that call Tallapoosa County home today. At Monday’s meeting
of the Tallapoosa County Commissioners, the program was honored by Alabama 4-H and its Director Dr. Paul Brown and was given the Alabama 4-H Centennial Initiative designation, an acknowledgement of the hard work and progress in taking the club to places where it will be relevant for the next 100 years. “This is really a day of celebration for the Tallapoosa County 4-H program,” Harris said. “We have worked very hard for the last two or Mitch Sneed / The Outlook three years. Over that time, it has been one of Commissioner John McKelvey, George Carleton, Steve Robinson, Emma Jean Thweatt and T.C. Coley receive an award for their support of 4-H from State Director Dr. Paul Brown and See 4-H • Page 3 Agent Shane Harris Monday.
Reported on 6/13/17 @ 3 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
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