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INSIDE: Calendar, page 5 Religion, page 6 Classifieds, page 7 Sports, page 12
The Outlook
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
June 17-18, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 120 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
County’s jobless rate falls to 3.8 percent goes back to everyone working together to provide a climate for businesses to continue to thrive,” Lake Martin Area Economic Alliance Director Don McClellan said. “It’s not just one thing, it’s just a lot of folks and agencies working hard to provide the tools to find a workforce that fits the needs of the businesses and industries that we have here.” Tallapoosa’s jobless rate was better than May’s state average which Gov. Kay Ivey and Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington announced Friday as being 4.9 percent, down from April’s rate of 5.4 percent,
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Tallapoosa County’s unemployment fell below 4 percent for the first time in 12 years, as May’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate in the county was just 3.8 percent, according to the Alabama Department of Labor. That is the lowest rate recorded in Tallapoosa County since Sept. 2005. That rate is down from the 4.0 percent that the county had in April and the 5.1 percent jobless rate that Tallapoosa County had in May 2016. “That is good news and I think it all
United Way to help schools during annual Day of Action
and significantly lower than May 2016’s rate of 5.8 percent. May’s rate represents 107,364 unemployed persons, compared to 119,113 in April and 125,153 in May 2016. May’s rate represents 2,089,217 employed Alabamians, compared to 2,088,764 in April and 2,038,912 in May 2016. “Over the past three months, our unemployment rate has fallen by an impressive 1.3 percentage points. May’s figures represent the lowest unemployment rate in more than nine years and more people working now than in the last ten years,” Ivey said
CACC SANCTIONED
in a released statement. “It is a team effort, and I sure am proud this rate decrease occurred during my first full month in office. We will continue to exhaust every effort and explore every opportunity until every Alabamian who wants a job, has a job.” The last time Alabama’s unemployment rate was at or below 4.9 percent was March 2008 when it measured 4.8 percent. The last time Current Population Survey (CPS) employment measured at or above 2,089,217 was March 2007, when it See JOBLESS • Page 3
Council faces big decisions in Alex City Landfill expansion, weeds, funds for bass tourney on agenda
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Volunteers from the Lake Martin Area United Way will be out in force across Tallapoosa and Coosa counties on Thursday, June 22 as they participate in the annual United Way Day of Action. This year, the volunteers will be working at Stephens Elementary School, Alexander City Middle School, Horseshoe Bend School and Central Middle School in Coosa County. “Dadeville Elementary School was originally on the list, but due to the construction on the new roof, we had to bump them this year,” United Way Marketing Director Courtney Layfield said. During Thursday’s work session, volunteers will be taking on a variety of tasks, including painting, landscaping and general cleaning, though the specifics may vary some, depending on the school in question. “Over the past few years, we’ve worked at every school in Tallapoosa and Coosa counties,” Layfield said. “Before we go, the schools give us a list of things they See ACTION • Page 3
Several hot-button issues are featured on the agenda for Monday night’s meeting of the Alexander City City Council, including expansion of the city’s inert landfill facility. The council will hold a public hearing on the proposed expansion of the city’s inert landfill facility Monday night beginning at 5:30 p.m. The city is facing a situation where its current facility, located off North Central Avenue, will reach full capacity in less four years, according to city estimates. The Council voted 6-0 on May 15 to approve two separate items that would start the ball rolling on acquisition and testing about 140 acres adjacent to the current facility. If approved, the land will cost the city $1,400 per acre under the agreement. The owners of the property are McGill Timber Company who holds 40 acres, while Clay Service Corporation owns about 100 acres that was planned to be another phase of the Westfield subdivision. Residents who live in areas bordering
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Central Alabama Community College has been placed on a one-year probation by SACS. It was announced Friday.
Despite financial progress, CACC placed on probation By MITCH SNEED Editor
Central Alabama Community College has been placed on probation by the Southern Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Colleges – the agency responsible for the school’s accreditation. Financial issues was the cited reason for the sanction from SACSCOC and CACC President Dr. Susan Burrow said that they had hoped that the significant progress the school had made to address past issues would be enough to avoid
this action. The SACSCOC reports showed that the college had addressed four of six areas of concerns, and will be required to submit a third monitoring report in April 2018. “Since my arrival in 2013, CACC has taken significant steps to improve financial practices to put this chapter behind us,” Burrow said. “We are committed to continuing our work to address every lingering issue and put to rest any concerns on the part of our See CACC • Page 3
See COUNCIL • Page 3
City officials say court may be best way to end dispute over limbs By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
For the second time since 2015, a limb has fallen onto the Hillabee Street home of Gary Stone. The issue for Stone is that the limbs come from a tree that is not on his property. Stone has sought the help of city officials to help with the matter but has been told it is a civil matter. With the storms that have passed through the area in recent weeks, more limbs have broken loose according to Stone. “It broke off a week ago and hung up there and fell onto the house last night,” Stone said while pointing out the 6-inch diameter limb. In fact Stone has no trees on his property and he says the issue has been going on for a while. “The limbs have been falling off and on for 15 years,” Stone said. “One punched a hole in the fence. Two years ago, one fell and did $9,000 worth of damage that State
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Farm paid for.” Stone says the limbs are not the only problem as the neighbor has planted shrubs that are pushing over his eight-foot tall solid fence. Stone acknowledges one of the issues is how close the homes are to the property lines in the area. Stone’s home is just a couple feet from the property line. “The problem is the houses are too close to the property lines,” Stone said. “We have been through that with the city and they are grandfathered in on the setbacks.” Stone explained that he has tried to approach the neighbor about the issue. “10 or 12 years ago, I asked the neighbor to cut the limbs back but he didn’t,” Stone said. Stone says he approached the neighbor a second time about the issue but was sent a letter by a lawyer not do so again. Cliff Williams / The Outlook The neighboring property owner explained that the letter sent to Stone A limb has fall on the home of Gary Stone from a neighboring property. Stone has asked See TREES • Page 3 city officials to do something about it but officials say it is a neighbor dispute.
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
490.66
Reported on 06/16//17 @ 1:00 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com
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54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
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5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL