OPINION: CHAMBLISS DISHES ON 10 HIGHLIGHTS FROM LEGISLATIVE SESSION. PAGE 4.
HOUSTON BOUND
THURSDAY
THE
Marbury picked for softball showcase.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 June 9, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 115
Sports, Page 8
www.alexcityoutlook.com
Benoit to headline Friday night Jazz Fest lineup By MITCH SNEED Editor
Submitted / The Outlook
New Orleans native Tab Benoit will bring his Swamp Blues sound to Strand park Friday.
Ready for some cool Jazz on a hot Alexander City night? Relax – Jazz Fest is upon us. One of the state’s most decorated music festivals will kickoff at 6 p.m. Friday night at Strand Park with local favorites Hinton Bloom, also known as the Jonathan Bloom band. Band mates Jonathan Bloom, Brian Hinton, Wade Allen and Andre Sumbry have been performing across Alabama for years. They have shared stages with the
likes of Willie Nelson, the Allman Brothers and Charlie Daniels. They are excited to bring their sound described simply on their Facebook page as “really good music” – to the Strand Park stage. Following Bloom at 7:30 p.m. will be Mobile-based instrumental band Roman Street. Brothers Noah and Josh Thompson head up the group, which grew from casual college jam sessions into a full band. Roman Street fuses jazz, Latin and flamenco styles into a unique musical experience that’s not to be missed.
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Memorial service for Thomas ‘Toot Toot’ Marbury today at 3 p.m. Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Below, Alexander City TV personality Kenny Dean reads Lily Brown’s Paintings to area children at Stephens Elementary School who are taking part in the United Way Reading Program. Above, Carter Lashely, left, 9, Ryder Mobley, 9, and Lathan Simmons, 7, who attend the Harbor Learning Academy, read from the book that Mobley checked out during the United Way Reading Program Wednesday.
By MITCH SNEED Editor
The United Way’s Build a Better Reader program is off to a great start with area children building bird houses and other small projects from Home Depot. But just what do hammer and nails
Alexander City will say goodbye to one of its favorite sons today. A memorial service for Thomas “Toot Toot” Marbury Jr. will be held at 3 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Alexander City. Following a procession to the Great Bethel Baptist Church Cemetery through the streets of Alexander City, the family will welcome visitors to a special Marbury repast at the Cooper Recreation Center following the service. Marbury had been hospitalized for serious injuries that he received on May 22 when he was struck by a vehicle as he crossed Tallapoosa Street in downtown Alexander City. Officials said it appeared that Toot Toot had walked in front an approaching Nissan Pathfinder as he made his way from a baccalaureate service
See READING • Page 3
See MARBURY • Page 3
READ ACROSS THE CITY Build a Better Reader program gets hands on
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Lanier and volunteers make trails better for hikers long time,” Steve Missildine said. “I am retired and like to have something to do. It gets me out and moving.” Some might mistake him for a prison The friendly crew had gathered to guard watching the chain gang on the help make the trails more accessible by side of the road by the way he leads a cutting some of the spring growth. trail maintenance crew. “We work on the trails about once a “You will need to use a regular weed year,” Lanier said. “Usually, in June we eater here,” Jimmy Lanier told his crew will go through and cut back bushes and Wednesday morning at the base of things that have grown up. We cut them Smith Mountain. “There are too many back then and it usually works out so rocks to use that one.” that you do not have to cut again until Harold Banks, who is more known the next year.” for paddling the waters beneath the trail When Lanier gives instructions, system, made a joke about Lanier before everyone listens and the results are the work crew set off to clear some of trails that many enjoy. Experience has the trails on Smith Mountain Wednesday taught Lanier how to do things on the morning. trails of the Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail “He is such a slave driver,” Banks Association, a group Lanier founded. said with a smile. “I don’t know, I guess I have a Lanier is able to recruit for his crew. knack for laying out trails,” Lanier Getting them to the work site and to said. “I don’t want just an easy trail, I bring along weed eaters and loppers. want a some easy parts and some with “I have been knowing Jimmy for a See TRAILS • Page 3 By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
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See JAZZ • Page 3
Community to say goodbye to ‘Toot Toot’
MainStreet Farmer’s Market kicks off Saturday Alexander City’s MainStreet Farmer’s Market will kick off its 13th year on Saturday, June 11, from 7 a.m. until 11 a.m. on Broad Street in downtown Alexander City. “It’s that time of year again,” said Richard Wagoner, noting that many of the same vendors from the farmer’s market’s past will be on hand this year to sell their produce and other items. “There will be a lot of familiar faces,” Wagoner said. “Funny thing is, the farmers look forward to it almost as much as the customers do. Farming can be a lonely life. There’s a lot of work involved and not a lot of time for a social life. So you’ll see the vendors shaking hands and exchanging hugs, just generally glad to see each other again.” Wagoner said that among the vendors expected on Saturday and their wares are: See FARMERS • Page 3
The Friday night headliner will be blues musician Tab Benoit, who will take to the Strand Park stage at 9 p.m. A native of Louisiana, Benoit’s love of his home state is present in every aspect of his swamp blues sound. In 2003, he founded the charity group Voice of the Wetlands, which is dedicated to the preservation of Louisiana’s receding coastline. Benoit has released 18 albums, and in 2007, he was named Best Contemporary Male Performer and B.B. King
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Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Jimmy Lanier uses a gas-powered trimmer to cut back growth along a trail near Smith Mountain Wednesday morning. He and other volunteers take on the project a couple times a year to make sure hikers have a clear path along the network of trails.
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