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June 21, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 122 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
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Officials prep for severe weather
Sun Festival Band Battle lineup set Six bands, four with local ties to compete for cash and gig By MITCH SNEED Editor
The Alexander City Chamber of Commerce has selected the six bands who will compete in this year’s Sun Festival Band Battle July 21 at Strand Park. Bands from musical genres all across the board will be featured as they battle for cash and a chance to be the opening act for Saturday June 22’s finale featuring Moon Taxi. Bands participating in Band Battle are: Airside, Duece’s Wild, Madwind, The Common Phenomenon, The Talismen and the The Rachel Wilson Band. Here’s what you can expect: • The Rachel Wilson Band, is a group with Alexander City ties and features a blend of rock, blues and country. • Airside hails from the Memphis area and has an Indie or Alternative Rock sound, but will play some funk and classic rock as well. • The Talismen are a Montgomery based rock/jam band made up of one college freshman and recent high school graduates from Montgomery Academy and Park Crossing High School. They put on a show containing soulful and funk-filled originals along with some music of their favorite artists like Widespread Panic, Phish and The Dirty Guv’nahs. • Alex City’s own Madwind bills itself as a party band that plays “the oldies but goodies, classic rock and classic country.” See BATTLE • Page 9
LESSON IN LIFE
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Benjamin Russell High School valedictorian Mason Sake delivers an emotional graduation speech May 26 that he hoped would not only help graduates, but anyone struggling with life issues.
Bus driver, mentor a lifesaver for BRHS valedictorian By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
READ SAKE’S SPEECH
M
ason Sake was the valedictorian of the Benjamin Russell High School Class of 2017 and had to give a speech. But he didn’t want to give just any speech. “I didn’t want to give just a commencement speech,” Sake said. “I wanted to tell part of my story in hopes that it would help someone else. I wanted to reach not just my peers, but the community.” Sake’s commencement address told the story of a boy almost taking his life and how he overcame it. “I felt isolated,” said Sake of his feelings as a young student who just moved to the area from California. “I was having problems with bullying and other things.” Sake explained that many in the
Read the speech delivered by Mason Sake at the Benjamin High School graduation May 26 that started a conversation on teen suicide and how people can make a difference in the lives of others. PAGE 4.
community helped him with his problem without knowing but it was a school bus driver, Arthur Hicks, who provided the most. “The gifted program was a relief but it was only a half a day at the end of the week,” Sake said. “Mr. Hicks was there everyday and helped me before I got home. If it were not for him, I would not be here today.” Sake said his parents helped him with coping with the issues too and helped explain the situation to school officials at See SPEECH • Page 9
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Summer is a time of fun and excitement, but it also signals the beginning period of the Atlantic hurricane season. Traditionally running from June 1 to Nov. 30, this season marks a time when the conditions are just right for these severe storms to form and wreak havoc on the Caribbean and the East Coast of the United States. Today is the first officially day of summer, and both government and weather officials are marking it by tracking the potential of severe weather brought on by a storm brewing in the Gulf of Mexico. Upgraded from a potential tropical storm to a tropical storm at 1 p.m. Tuesday afternoon, Tropical Storm Cindy is making its presence known in the northern Gulf of Mexico. Latest projections from the National Weather Service show that Cindy is on track to make landfall in western Louisiana or far eastern Texas. Despite the central portion of the storm being far from Tallapoosa County, the storm still has the potential to create problems in the area. “We are estimating moderate rainfall in the forecast throughout the rest of the week, ranging from two to four inches falling across central Alabama, though there are localized areas that could see more than that,” said meteorologist Holly Allen with the National Weather Service in Birmingham. “We are also watching for the possibility of localized flash flooding. See WEATHER • Page 11
Lake Martin
Lake Levels Natural gas now flowing through Sabal Trail Pipeline 490.51
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
The Sabal Trail Pipeline is pumping gas. The pipeline is not yet at full capacity as only one of two units are currently online. The second unit should be online by the end of the month bringing the pipeline to full capacity.
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer Natural gas is flowing through the Sabal Trail Pipeline. “Gas started to flow last week,” Sabal Trail spokesperson Andrea Grover said Monday. “There is gas in the pipeline.” Earlier this month Grover explained that the pipeline would be supplying gas to Florida Power and Light to help meet summer demand and would go fully operational late in the month. “We have one unit operational at the Alexander City station,” Grover said. “The second unit will be operational late this month.” Grover said there is still
work being done in Alexander City. “They are still working on the second unit,” Grover said. “The pipeline will not be at full capacity until the second unit is operational.” The Sabal Trail pipeline travels through Tallapoosa, Chambers, Lee and Russell counties in Alabama on its 515mile path to Orlando, Florida. According to Sabal Trail, $3.2 million will be paid in property taxes in Alabama annually with $1.1 million of that being paid in Tallapoosa County. Sabal Trail also says the pipeline has created 94 jobs in Alabama. The pipeline is owned by Spectra Energy, NextEra Energy and Duke Energy.
Reported on 6/21/17 @ 7 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
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