OPINION, PAGE 4: AREA WAS PREPARED FOR POTENTIAL BAD WEATHER
THE
FRIDAY
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
June 23, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 124 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
McMichael discusses new communication methods
DAY OF ACTION
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
SPORTS, PAGE 9: New Site 12U makes history
County escapes damage, sees heavy rain By MITCH SNEED and CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writers
The weekly meeting of the Dadeville Kiwanis Club featured Chief Deputy David McMichael of the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department talking about new law enforcement methods being implemented by the department, as well as other issues facing the county. He began his presentation with a brief history of how law enforcement tactics have changed over the last century, from one of the first cases where fingerprints were used as evidence in Chicago in 1910 to the Sheriff’s Department getting their first bodycams in 2009. Most recently, McMichael attended a seminar teaching a method of dealing with the public, the Verbal Defense and Influence for Contact Professionals. Begun in the 1970s as Verbal Judo, the system was created by an English professor turned police officer as a way to improve communications between officers and the general public. “Many complaints against the police come from communication issues,” McMichael said. “With this, we want to talk to people, treating them with dignity and respect.” Since McMichael attended the seminar, two classes of law enforcement agents from the Sheriff’s Department have gone through mandatory classes to See KIWANIS • Page 10
Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Chief Deputy David McMichael from the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department talks to the Dadeville Kiwanis Club Thursday afternoon about the department’s Verbal Defense and Influence training.
Alexander City had received 3.38 inches of rain from Sunday through 4 p.m. Thursday afternoon. A total of 1.46 inches fell on Thursday alone as the heaviest of the rain rolled through the Lake Martin area. The area was under tornado watch for a good portion of the day and tornado warning was issued for a 53-minute period that expired that expired at 3:45 p.m. A second warning was issued a short time later for an area between Jacksons Gap and Dadeville. It expired at 4:30 p.m. While rotation was spotted on radar in See STORM • Page 10
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
A tree at a home along Washington Street in Alexander City fell over roots and all with the winds and saturated ground. The tree reached on to neighboring property, but other than a flattened fence, the damage didn’t appear to be too severe. Donald Campbell / The Outlook
MillieAnn Harrell, Blair Dunn and Lillian Parker paint part of the front hallway of Alexander City Middle School during the Day of Action.
Firefighters hope United Way event has successful turnout to fill boot for MDA
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Despite the recent inclement weather Tropical Storm Cindy has brought to the Lake Martin area, Thursday’s Day of Action was one of the largest the United Way had ever held. Between Alexander City Middle School, Stephens Elementary School, Horseshoe Bend School and Central Middle School in Coosa County, 194 volunteers stood, ready to take on whatever tasks needed to be accomplished. “It is truly amazing what a wonderful community we live in. Our businesses allowed their employees to come out in awful weather to help our schools and our United Way,” Lake Martin Area United Way Executive Director Sharon Fuller said. Over 50 volunteers at Horseshoe
Bend painted and cleaned throughout the school, adding a sense of newness to the hallways in preparation for the upcoming school year. “This has just been an amazing turnout,” Volunteer Coordinator Sandra Fuller said. “We have students and parents, people from Russell Medical, USAmeriBank, some of my majorettes, people from the volleyball team and the cross-country team.” Similar scenes could be found at Stephens Elementary School and Alexander City Middle School, where another 57 and 28 volunteers, respectively, could be found sprucing up the buildings. In addition to cleaning and painting indoors, volunteers from the Boys & Girls Club were hauling away old unused wooden tables from behind Stephens Elementary School so new equipment could be put in, while another See UNITED • Page 3
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Members of the Alexander City Fire Department will be in front of Walmart between June 29 and July 1, collecting money in partnership with the Muscular Dystrophy Association. For over six decades, the MDA has worked in tandem with fire departments across the country to raise funds to conduct medical research and provide for other key programs offered by the organization. “Over the last 20 years, more than 100 fire departments in Alabama have taken part in ‘Fill the Boot,’” State MDA Fundraising Coordinator Allison McNiell said. In 2016, the Alexander City Fire Department and 24 other fire departments See BOOT • Page 10
Fire Dept. teaches CPR to area residents valuable tool to helping save lives especially if it can be started before first responders More than 30 area arrive. residents filled the Adelia M. “It helps greatly,” Russell Library Thursday to McAlister told the group. learn CPR. “That initial response is While some were looking crucial. By giving CPR early to get the certification card to helps save lives.” meet requirements for a job, McAlister explained that all wanted to learn something early treatment while waiting that might help save a life. for first responders to arrive The Alexander City Fire helps prevent more damage Department taught the from heart attacks and might class and Fire Chief Reese be the difference in saving a McAlister said CPR is a life.
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Lake Martin
Today’s
Lake Levels
Weather
490.57
87 73 High
Low
Reported on 6/22/17 @ 8:00 a.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443 6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
8
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
Most of the material was presented via video that explained the various types of CPR. McAlister responded to questions to how 911 works and explained that the department responds to all types of calls in the jurisdiction. He also explained the department responds to calls on the lake and that the Marine Patrol will often transfer the victim to them at known locations around the lake.
Starting Friday: Transformers: The Last Knight– PG-13 Wonder Woman – PG-13 Cars 3– G
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
The Alexander City Fire Department gathered at the Adelia M. Russell Library to teach a CPR class for area residents.