OPINION: MAKE THIS A SAFE HOLIDAY ON ROADS AND WATER, PAGE 4.
RETURNING TO HIS ROOTS
THURSDAY
THE
Former NFL player makes surprise appearance at summer reading program
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 June 30, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 131
Sports, Page 8
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Mayor found guilty of assault, wife acquitted Judge: ‘Put this behind you and move on for good of the city’ By MITCH SNEED and CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Alexander City Mayor Charles Shaw was found guilty of third-degree assault, while a judge acquitted his wife Lavern Shaw on the same charges stemming from a physical altercation with Councilman Tony Goss following a city council meeting on April 25. Randolph County Judge Clay Tinney had stern words for all involved Wednesday
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Mayor Charles Shaw, right, and his wife Lavern, left, walk from the Tallapoosa County Courthouse Annex talking with residents following their trial on assault charges Wednesday.
before handing down the ruling. “It’s obvious that you all have some serious issues going on here,” Tinney said. “No doubt about that. I think it’s terrible that we have two adults that are involved in the leadership of the city involved in an incident like this. … You all got to put this behind you and move on for the good of the city.” Tinney found Lavern Shaw not guilty, See SHAWS • Page 3
SUMMER SENSATIONS Spann visit closes out United Way Summer Reading Program
By MITCH SNEED Editor
By ALETHIA RUSSELL Staff Writer
Much like past years the Lake Martin Area United Way charted outstanding participation in the Build a Better Reader summer reading program and the finale at Stephens Elementary School on Wednesday morning. Special guest James Spann, the lead meteorologist with ABC 33/40 in Birmingham, made an exciting, interactive weather presentation with the summer readers. Spann went over the different weather conditions and safety information for each condition. Also on the roster for the finale kickoff were surprise guests Justin Tuck,a former NFL player with the New York Giants,and Alexander City’s Michael Goggins, a former Auburn University football player on the undefeated 2010 championship-winning season. The forCathy Higgins / The Outlook mer athletes spoke to the kids about eduABC 33/40 Chief Meteorologist James Spann asks 11-year-old Carleson Richardson to video the audience at United cation and how important it is to always Way’s Build-A-Better Reader Summer Reading fi nale Wednesday morning at Stephens Elementary School for keep learning. broadcast on the day’s 5 p.m. news. As part of the morning’s finale, Spann gave a presentation about the weather See READING • Page 3 and how his first-grade teacher influenced his career choice.
Summer nutrition program has record-breaking outreach By ALETHIA RUSSELL Staff Writer
The Alexander City community witnessed a record-breaking number of participants in its summer feeding program at Stephens Elementary Wednesday morning. More than 300 children were counted in attendance at the program, which ran alongside the finale of the Building Better Readers initiative promoted by the Lake Martin Area United Way. The summer feeding program, Break for a Plate, is a state-funded program administered by the Alabama State Department of Education. After recently being ranked the fourth poorest state in the country by Alabama Possible, officials with
Authorities issue lookout for missing work release inmate
ALSDE and local leaders involved in the area child nutrition programs say they are pleased with the growth of the local food initiatives. The director of elementary schools for the Alexander City School system, Ellen Martin, counted an all-summer high of 306 recipients. “Just on Wednesdays with the summer program we’ve had an average of just over 200 students, not counting our adult volunteers,” Martin said. “This is our fourth year we’ve had it at Stephens, and we had it two years at Mamie’s Place Library before we outgrew that space.” Martin said she believes it is a combination of community effort and strong publicity that has See NUTRITION • Page 3
Authorities have issued an alert for an inmate from the Alexander City Work Release Center that is believed to have gone missing Hunt from a job in Ashland. Shortly after 1:30 p.m. Wednesday, the Alabama Department of Corrections reported that Robert Alvin Hunt, 33, left from assigned job location at Koch Foods in Ashland at approximately about 10:40 p.m. Tuesday. Information broadcast over police radio indicated that Hunt had clocked into work, but then went missing. Hunt was convicted See ESCAPEE • Page 2
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
490.16 Reported on 6/29/16 @ 6 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
Today’s
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91 70 High
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Alethia Russell / The Outlook
Above, Crystal Langley, right, and Melissa Gardner pack lunches for the participants in the summer feeding program.
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