THE SPORTS, PAGE 11
TUESDAY LOCAL NEWS, PAGE 10
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
Pell City takes down Wildcat soccer teams in 1-goal games
Charity ride, benefit singing Saturday for family in crash
March 20, 2018 Vol. 126, No. 56 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Officials play waiting game with severe weather By MITCH SNEED Editor
Severe weather that threatened Tallapoosa County and most of Alabama played a waiting game with local residents Monday. After forecasts and storm models predicted heavy rain, high winds, hail and the potential for tornadic activity arriving in the late afternoon hours, it was sunny and 74 degrees at 6 p.m. Throughout the day, the timing of the weather’s arrival kept being pushed back by the National Weather Service. After initially forecasting a late afternoon arrival, the
front slowed and the leading edge wasn’t expected to move into the area until deep into the night. “When we got our advisory at 4 p.m., the information I was given was sometime between 9 p.m. and midnight,â€? Tallapoosa County EMA Director Jason Moran said. “We prepared for the worst and were hoping for the best.â€? For local officials the day was spent watching the radar, preparing and waiting. School officials opted to err on the side of caution. After starting the school day with the intention of keeping a normal schedule, See WEATHER • Page 9
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Disruption Local group locates missing at Great fisherman on Bethel Logan Martin
City approves settlement of paving lawsuit By MITCH SNEED Editor
A lawsuit that has lingered for nearly four years was finally put to bed Monday night as the Alexander City City Council voted to approve a settlement with a paving contractor. After an 15-minute executive session, the council approved a settlement that will bring the city $60,000 from paving contractor Charles Watts of Gadsden. The city had filed suit after a 2012 road project where tar and gravel was improperly applied to area roads. After several legal delays, the city and MidSouth Paving reached a $175,000 settlement last year after arbitration. After going to arbitration, a preliminary settlement of $175,000 was reached with Mid-South Paving who provided the materials. Watts was paid $1,102,315.86 for the work, which was supposed to prolong the life of several city streets with a layer of See COUNCIL • Page 9
A school bus travels near BRHS following Monday’s early dismissal of students due to the threat of severe weather. City and county schools were both dismissed at noon as a safety precaution.
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Alexander City Police Department officers respond to a disruption by a former deacon at Great Bethel Baptist Church Sunday as some members of the congregation look on. The disruption happened near the end of the service and the gentleman was asked to leave to which he complied, according to police. Police stayed on site until the property was cleared.
Police called after former deacon disrupts church service By MITCH SNEED Editor
Alexander City Police Department officers were called to Great Bethel Baptist Church Sunday after a call reported that a former deacon was disrupting
the service. The initial call came in at about 11:15 Sunday morning and two units responded, with a third unit and a total of four officers eventually responding to the incident. See BETHEL • Page 3
New efforts planned to combat trash
NJROTC learns to sail with Dixie Sailing Club By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Seventeen cadets from the Benjamin Russell Navy JROTC unit took part in a thrilling experience Friday, learning all about sailing with several captains from the Dixie Sailing Club. “This was a good finish to some in-class instruction the cadets received this week,â€? Navy JROTC Instructor Capt. Matthew Leahey said. “This was a fantastic opportunity with the Dixie Sailing Club.â€? Over the course of the past week, Leahey said the cadets have gone over some of the basics of sailing, including proper sailboat terminology, sailing theory, boating safety and some of the rope knots used on boats, among other things. The instruction culminated Friday with the cadets being split off into groups of three or four, with each group being assigned See SAILING • Page 9
Today’s
Weather
58 36 High
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Cadets from the Benjamin Russell Navy JROTC cruise the waters of Lake Martin Friday morning with a captain from the Dixie Sailing Club as part of some hands-on experience in sailing.
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
487.67
Reported on 03/19/18 @ 5 p.m.
Low
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443 6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
8
The body of a missing fisherman from Georgia has been found on Logan Martin Lake by the Alexander City Rescue Squad. The Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Police confirmed the body of James Lewis Lowery, Sr., 68, of Mableton, Georgia, was found at 10:16 a.m. Sunday. The Alexander City Rescue Squad discovered Mr. Lowery’s body about eight miles south of Logan Martin Dam. Lowery was last seen fishing in a small, motorized vessel, similar to a kayak, March 9, 2018. Search teams had located the kayak earlier, but until Sunday only the vessel was found, but no signs of Lowery. The body was taken to Huntsville for an autopsy.
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
Alexander City and Tallapoosa County are blessed with beautiful natural resources. Thompson From the waters and shorelines of Lake Martin to the timber and hills of Goldville and plains of Reeltown, the area is blessed with water and areas to live and play. But something keeps showing See TRASH • Page 3
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