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The Tallassee Tribune DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER TALLASSEE AREA
TALLASSEE, AL 36078
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March 1, 2017
TALLASSEETRIBUNE.COM
VOL. 118, NO. 9
City, state officials talk legislation
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Officials with the City of Tallassee along with Tallapoosa County Representatives Pebblin Warren and Mark Tuggle, members of the Alabama League of Municipalities and local business owners met Monday morning at the 1220 Cafe to discuss upcoming legislation and what effect those pieces of legislation could have. One topic discussed during the first-
of-its-kind meeting was the Alabama Minimum Wage Act. Brought forth by Rep. Juandalynn Givan of Birmingham, this act would provide that tipped employees’ wages may not fall below 30 percent of the minimum wage at any time; would provide for an increase commencing on Jan. 1, 2020, and every three years thereafter based on the Consumer Price Index for July 1 of the year preceding the year of the increase; would require the state finance director to notify the Alabama Department of Labor in
writing between Oct. 1 and Oct. 15 each year preceding a wage adjustment of the percentage to be used for the costof-living adjustment for the next three calendar years; and would require the Alabama Department of Labor to post any change in the state minimum wage on its website which shall serve as notice to each employer of this state. Local business owners explained that if minimum wage were to increase too rapidly, it would cause inflation to rise. According to these business owners, if
wages are raised they will have offset their cost burden by raising consumer prices, which ultimately would cause inflation to rise. Furthermore, most agreed that the current minimum wage is not meant to be a living wage. Rather, minimum wage is meant to be a starting point. Most high school or college students who obtain their first job should expect to make minimum wage. However, as that See REPS • Page 3
City declares March colon cancer awareness month
Tallassee celebrates Arbor Day By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
The rain stopped just in time for the recent annual Arbor Day tree giveaway in Tallassee. Members of the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce were on hand distributing free tree saplings. The group setup this year’s event behind the Chamber of Commerce office in downtown Tallassee to correspond with the Tallassee Heart Walk. Each year the Elmore County Forestry Commission donates the trees for Arbor Day. Those who attended this year’s event had several trees to choose from. “This year’s tree saplings included oak, crepe myrtle, bald cypress, yellow poplar, and river birch,” said Laurie Rygiel, with the Tallassee Chamber of Commerce. Typically Arbor Day is held in April. However, because weather plays an important factor in the success of young trees, Tallassee holds Arbor See ARBOR • Page 3
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune
Above, Coach Donna Funderburk and her class performed to “I’d Like to Teach the World to Sing” Tuesday morning during the multicultural assembly at Tallassee Elementary School.
INTallasseeTHE MELTING POT Elementary celebrates multiculturalism By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Teachers, students, parents, faculty and staff packed the cafeteria at Tallassee Elementary School on Tuesday morning to watch the annual Multicultural Assembly. During the program students shared their ideas for a better future, Coach Donna
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Funderburk and her class performed to “We are the World,” and the Tallassee High School Spanish Club brought a few multicultural dance moves to the stage. Those in attendance also viewed several short multicultural films and videos. “This year we celebrated the many cultures and diversity represented at our school. See CULTURE • Page 7
See CANCER • Page 3
THS Alumni induct third Hall of Pride class
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Colon cancer is a major public health problem. It is the second leading cause of cancer death in the United States, following lung cancer and affects both women and men equivalently. During February’s city council meeting, Mayor Hammock and the Tallassee City Council made a motion to declare March to be Colon Cancer Awareness Month and asked that everyone participate by wearing blue on the first Friday of March. “Everyone will be asked to wear blue on this day to celebrate colon cancer awareness,” Hammock said. Dr. Thomas Bianchi, gastroenterologist, was present for the meeting. According to Bianchi,
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The Tallassee High School Alumni Association is inducting its third class of the Tallassee High School Hall of Pride. The induction ceremony will be Thursday morning, March 2, at 9:30 a.m. in the auditorium at Tallassee High School. This year, five inductees will be honored: John L. Allbrittin, Class of 1981; Samuel Oscar Dunn, Class of 1938; Ernest Clayton Sonny Hornsby, Class of 1955; Jessee Willard (Bill) Pienezza, Class of 1934; and Marion Woodall Powell, Class of 1974.
Allbrittin graduated summa cum laude from Alabama State University in 1985, and earned his MBA from Wake Forest University while he was working for Proctor and Gamble. His career with Proctor and Gamble spanned 28 years and during his time in Greensboro, North Carolina, he was a member of P&G’s Plan Leadership Team, helping reduce capital spending and saving the company almost $200,000. Allbrittin’s last position with P&G was associate director in Cincinnati, Ohio, managing a staff of 116 people and a budget of $26 million. He currently works as Director of Whiz Kids Church
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Partnership for City Gospel Mission in Cincinnati, overseeing about 90 Whiz Kids partner churches. He also mentors a first-generation college student and was recently selected to participate in the DeVos Urban Youth Leadership Initiative, which selects just ten influential leaders from five cities across the nation. Samuel Oscar (Sam) Dunn was a gifted athlete, a U.S. Navy World War II veteran, a coach, and a city councilman for the city of Tallassee. Dunn played on legendary Coach J.E. “Hot” O’Brien’s first basketball team in 193637. That team was the District
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