March 17, 2017 Alex City Outlook

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March 17, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 54 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢

Scaled down prison bill passes Senate Bill 302 headed to the House of Representatives for further review, cuts bond to $325 million STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

The Alabama Senate took a step Thursday aimed at solving the longstanding crisis in Alabama’s prisons by passing a measure to build up to three new prisons. Under Senate Bill 302, Alabama would

get three new prisons, two built by local governments and one built by the state. The Senate passed the bill by a vote of 230-11 Thursday. Sen. Cam Ward (R-Alabaster) said that the Senate plan protects against waste or cost overruns by requiring Corrections to hire an outside project manager to oversee construction of the facilities, and limits the bond authority to $325 million.

Gov. Robert Bentley’s original prison construction plan from earlier in the year called for the building of four new prisons at a cost of $800 million. Currently, Alabama’s prisons house far more inmates than originally intended, with the prisons bursting to more than 170 percent of capacity. The current facilities were built for 13,000 and house 23,000 inmates currently.

The proposal, sponsored by Ward, authorizes the Department of Corrections to enter lease agreements with counties to finance and construct the facilities, and establishes clear criteria for how Corrections will award the lease agreements. As the second-largest expenditure in the state’s General Fund, the budget

Alabama Power begins to raise lake levels

Local businesses among few celebrating St. Patty’s Day By ALETHIA RUSSELL Staff Writer

St. Patrick’s Day is today and people across the country are joining in the fanfare to celebrate the holiday and the religious leader said to inspire it. After escaping captivity in Ireland, St. Patrick returned to spread the gospel of Christ and is said to have converted much of Ireland to Christianity, which is where he gets Irish claim to notoriety. Interestingly enough, a survey conducted by Offers.com revealed Alabama is 43rd most likely to celebrate St. Patrick’s Day. In fact, the largest St. Patrick’s Day in the country is held in New York City, while Alabamians hardly celebrate it at all. More than half of Alabamians say the most common way of acknowledging the holiday is by dawning the Irish color green, a tradition that isn’t original to St. Patrick’s Day but started growing as the Irish adopted the color while seeking independence in the 18th century as a symbol of the cause. Residents who are in the festive spirit can celebrate the holiday at a few local venues. See ST. PATRICK • Page 3

See BILL • Page 3

STAFF REPORT TPI Staff

Cliff Williams / The Outlook

Cahaba Valley Firefighter Kelly Morris repels at Patriot’s Point Thursday afternoon while taking part in the High Angle Ropes Rescue Course offered by the Alexander City Fire Department through the Alabama Fire College.

NEW HEIGHTS Firefighters conduct training at Patriot’s Point By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

If you drove by Patriot’s Point Thursday, you more than likely saw something that resembled ‘Spider Man,’ but instead of super heroes of the comic kind, Alexander City Fire Department Captain Jeff Brewer was conducting a rope rescue course.

Brewer was leading a group of 16 firefighters from across the state through the Alabama Fire College High Angle Ropes Rescue course. “We do most all of the rope trainings for the region here,” Brewer said. “This course is required for any of the rescue courses.” Thursday afternoon students played the See TRAINING • Page 3

Alabama Power announced Thursday that Lake Martin and several other Alabama lakes will be ahead of schedule in reaching summer levels due to warmer temperatures and the lingering impact of last fall’s drought. Alabama Power said that Lake Martin will be raised to 489 feet until April 1, then fill normally to reach the summer pool by the April 28. Higher-than-normal temperatures have led to plants blooming early, reducing the amount of rain flowing into streams and lakes. And weather experts haven’t forecast the above-average rainfall needed for river basins to fully recover from the ongoing drought. According to a release, Alabama Power relies on winter and spring rains to refill its storage reservoirs to summer levels. Because of the challenging conditions, Alabama Power has worked closely See LAKE • Page 3

Elderly hunter dies after opening day turkey hunt By MITCH SNEED Editor

A hunter who had spent the opening day of turkey season hunting in woods near New Site died Wednesday of an apparent heart attack. New Site Police Department’s Philip Weddle said he and the New Site Ambulance Service was called to a wooded area near the river where 79-year-old Sammy Joe Willoughby of Attalla had been hunting with friend on land the group leased each year. “He had come down to hunt with his friends and went

See HUNTER • Page 3

Lake Martin

Today’s

Lake Levels

Weather

487.75

67 50 High

on the morning hunt and actually killed a turkey,” Weddle said. “He came back to camp as lunch and went back out for the afternoon hunt. A short time later he returned to the camp and told his buddies to take him to the hospital because he felt bad. He collapsed and lost consciousness as they were getting into a vehicle.” Weddle said others in the group dialed 9-1-1 and started CPR before first-responders arrived. Weddle said they were not able to revive Willoughby. “It’s a sad ending for

Low

Reported on 3/16/17 @ 5 p.m.

LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443 6

54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080

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laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL

Mitch Sneed / The Outlook

Firefighters douse vehicle blaze The Alexander City Fire Department was called Thursday to Service Printing on Church Street after a fire started under the hood of a Chevrolet S10 pickup that the business used for deliveries. Firefighters were able to quickly extinguish the blaze, but not before it did extensive damage to the vehicle. Firefighters said it appeared that the fire may have been sparked by fuel that leaked onto a hot engine.

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