OPINION: DO YOUR PART TO PREVENT TRAGIC ACCIDENTS, PAGE 4
THURSDAY
THE COMMUNITY CALENDAR
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
Inside, page 6
March 9, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 48 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
SPORTS, PAGE 10 Wildcats and Bulldogs battle on the field
Social media post dooms theft suspect a tractor and attachments from a storage container off Highway 63 North Sunday after the equipment Note to criminals: The Alexander was found listed for sale on social City Police Department does have media. internet service and isn’t afraid to Jeffery Wesley Tucker, 28, use it to hunt you down. of Goodwater was arrested and If you don’t believe it, one suscharged with third-degree burglary pected thief can vouch for it. and first-degree theft after police Investigators arrested a man took him into custody after another Tuesday who they believe took online sale and meeting was set up. By MITCH SNEED Editor
“The tractor was located in a storage container on some hunting property up towards Hackneyville,” Alexander City Police Detective Commander Capt. James Easterwood said. “A neighbor heard some noise and saw a truck on the property and called the caretaker of the place. When they got there, the suspect was gone, but they saw that the lock on the gate
was missing and the lock on the container had also been removed. “That’s when they found that the tractor and other items were missing.” Investigator Cpl. Michael Howell began the investigation and started on social media sales sites and located a tractor that resembled the stolen item. But a closer look See ARREST • Page 3 Tucker
Police chief finalists to interview on Monday
County schools focus on finances, expanding
By MITCH SNEED Editor
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Alexander City will take one of the final steps towards hiring a permanent police chief Monday night as the finalists for the position will meet with the entire council. While the name of those who will meet with the council have not been released, the meeting has been set for 5 p.m. Monday night in the upstairs conference room at the Alexander City Public Safety Building. The need for a new leader became necessary Jan. 9 when the council voted not to reappoint ACPD Chief Willie George Robinson. Two days later, Jerry W. “Jay” Turner, who had been deputy chief under Robinson, was selected as interim chief and the job was posted encouraging applicants. Interviews between a pool of five semifinalists and a selection committee were held Tuesday evening. The council had previously approved a committee recommended by Human Resources Director Tammy Walker that includes council members Bobby Tapley and Scott Hardy, Mayor Jim Nabors, Walker, Mack Daugherty and Darrell Armour. The five candidates included Turner, another applicant from within the department and three veteran lawmen from across the state. Hardy said all of the candidates were impressive.
Friday held in downtown, but due to a combination of factors, it just died off,” Wagoner said. However, with the area resurging, the local promotions committee sold the idea of Downtown After Dark to local businesses, with great success. “It gives people a chance to walk around downtown, visit the stores, maybe eat dinner, and simply enjoy the evening,” said Richard Wagoner.
Growth and finances will be on the agenda for the Tallapoosa County Board of Education at its March 20 meeting. At a work session Tuesday, board members heard from Reeltown School principal Tom Cochran about splitting the school into a high school and elementary school. “This discussion started about two years because of the projections of student growth,” Cochran said. “This last year we grew by 10 percent. That is huge.” The growth in student population is prompting discussion of what to do to accommodate new students especially with more students moving into the district. “We are growing in the south end of the county,” Tallapoosa County School Superintendent Joe Windle explained. “We think we
See DOWNTOWN • Page 9
See SCHOOLS • Page 3
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
The East Glenn Band plays in front of The Coffee Corner in downtown Alexander City during last week’s Downtown After Dark event. MainStreet Alexander City, the Lake Martin Young Professionals and local businesses are all teaming to bring people to see what the area has to offer.
See INTERVIEW • Page 3
HAPPY HOUR City brings back Downtown After Dark By DONALD CAMPBELL Special to the Outlook
A thriving downtown area starts with bringing people reasons to come to the area. MainStreet Alexander City has turned to some tried-and-true ideas to make that happen here. Downtown After Dark has big plans to carry on this tradition after last week’s successful outing. “Several years ago, there was a First
Dadeville High’s Talton named County Teacher of the Year By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
It is all in the family for Tallapoosa County Board of Education Teacher of the Year Wes Talton. You see, Wes is following in the steps of a retired Dadeville High School History Carla Talton – his mother and current Board of Education member. “I had the best role model every,” Wes said of his mother. “You are what you grow up around. “I had the best role model ever. She was the best teacher ever.”
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Hunting over bait progresses in legislature
Wes not only had his mother as a role model, but as a teacher too. “I had her as a student,” Wes said. “It was weird and cool at the same time. She was tough.” The 2005 Dadeville High School graduate went on to Central Alabama Community College and then transferred to Auburn University getting a degree in Social Science Education. “I started teaching at Dadeville High School in 2012,” Wes said. “I started teachSubmitted / The Outlook ing 10th grade early American History and I have always taught Tallapoosa County Schools Superintendent Joe Windle poses for a photograph See TEACHER • Page 3 with Wes Talton at last week’s luncheon.
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
486.13 Reported on 3/8/17 @ 2:30 p.m.
By MITCH SNEED Editor
A house bill that is the companion to a Alabama Senate measure that would legalize hunting deer and wild hogs over bait has passed and Sen. Tom Whatley (R- Auburn) said he is optimistic that the differences can be worked out and a compromise bill can be passed this session. Rep. Jack Williams’ (R-Montgomery) house bill passed the House by a See BILL • Page 9
“PROVIDING QUALITY ELECTRICAL CONSTRUCTION SINCE 1961” FIRMLY ROOTED IN LAKE MARTIN AND HERE TO STAY.
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