COMMUNITY COLUMNISTS INSIDE!
THE 4% Funds City Services
No votes expected today on college plan
WEDNESDAY SPORTS, PAGE 8.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 May 11, 2016 Vol. 124, No. 94 www.alexcityoutlook.com
BURGLARS HIT ‘BROWN BAG’ Price
See CACC • Page 7
By MITCH SNEED Editor Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
A store employee sweeps up broken glass insider Lynn’s Quick Stop Tuesday morning following a burglary that occurred at about 5 a.m. A $2,000 reward is being offered by store owners for information that puts the suspects behind bars.
Store owner offers reward as police begin search for suspects in smash and grab By MITCH SNEED Editor
REWARD OFFERED
Alexander City Police Department investigators are investigating an early Tuesday morning smash and grab burglary at a busy downtown convenience store. The Lynn’s Quick Stop, also known to many in Alexander City as the Brown Bag, on Jefferson Street had its front door smashed and the suspects entered the store taking items and cash. It was the third local convenience store burglary that happened in a similar fashion, but police officials are not sure the same suspects were involved in all three of the crimes. “The information that we have is that two suspects described as black males
Anyone with information on Tuesday morning’s burglary at Lynn’s Quick Stop can contact Alexander City Police Department Det. Riley Foshee at 256-234-3421.
broke the window in the front door of the store,” said Alexander City Police Lt. James Easterwood. “They entered the store and took cash and other items. They were in and out of the store pretty quickly.” Store employees could be seen Tuesday morning at 7 a.m. sweeping up broken glass just inside the store. It appears that a large piece of concrete was used to smash the storefront. A witness said the suspects actually dropped some
of the cash they had taken from inside the store as they attempted to get away. Money was seen in various places all over the parking lot, one witness said. Now the search begins for suspects and store owner Lynn Patterson said he is prepared to offer a reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the people responsible for the theft and the damage they caused in the process. “We don’t keep a lot of cash on hand at night, but I feel like someone had watched and cased the store and learned enough so that they thought they knew when to do this,” Patterson said. “More than just the theft, they caused a lot of damage.
Local mechanic wins Snap-on 85 65 shopping spree Low
Lake Levels
490.59 Reported on 5/10/16 @ 6 p.m.
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
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54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
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See BOND • Page 7
County schools building reserve funds with tax
Weather
Lake Martin
The man accused of shooting his neighbor to death as he cut his grass is due in court for arraignment on May 24 and his attorney has filed a motion seeking a reduction in his bond. Franklin Price, 51 of Alexander City, is in the Tallapoosa County Jail on charges of murder and two counts of burglary and is being held on $350,000 bond. A total of $250,000 of that bond is related to the murder charge. Price lived across Highway 63 from 49-year-old Clyde Wilson, who died after being shot once while cutting his grass on a riding lawnmower Wednesday, April 20 at about 9:30 a.m. Attorney Mitch Gavin, who has been appointed as the attorney for Price, has filed motions in the case seeking evidence gathered by the state in the case, a preliminary hearing and a reduction in bond. The motion for reduced bond includes a request for Price to be let out of jail on personal recognizance. “A bond in the amount of $250,000 has been set in said case, which is excessive under the circumstances and amounts to no bond in the case at bar, because the defendant is unemployed, has no source
See REWARD • Page 7
Today’s
High
Wilson
Murder suspect asks for lower bond
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
While he didn’t rule out discussion among Alabama Community College System board members related to the consolidation of Central Alabama Community College, Chattahoochee Valley Community College and Southern Union State Community College at the board’s 10 a.m. meeting today in Montgomery, ACCS Chancellor Mark Heinrich said nothing would come before the board for a vote. Specifically, Heinrich ruled out any board decision on the consolidated regional community college’s central location, name or mission. “It’s a long process,” Heinrich said, adding that he didn’t expect board votes on any specifics related to the college in June, either. “I expect it will be later in the summer before we are able to make any decisions.” Last month, a review committee comprised of a 15-member transition team that included an administrator, faculty member, staff member, student and community member representing each of the three colleges reviewed and consulted with Stamats, a higher education marketing firm our of Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to assist in the new regional college’s naming and branding process. The results of the committee’s work, marketing analysis and naming recommendations were submitted to Susan Burrow,
BRHS’s Dean wins 3200-meter title at state meet.
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Winning prizes comes every now and then for some. For others, well, they have never won before. Tuesday, Snap-on awarded its grand prize from its annual contest to a local auto mechanic and Henderson Tire employee Chris Price. Cliff Williams / The Outlook “I have never won anything before,” Price said moments Chris Price, center, a mechanic at Henderson Tire won a $5,000 shopping spree after winning the $5,000 Snap- Tuesday from Snap-on. Price was surrounded by co-workers when he found out. on Tools shopping spree. Snap-on Southeast Region southeast. “Surprised me.” Team Xtreme’s Wes Carter “He is one of 11,000 to be Price’s name was drawn selected out of 54 franchises,” See WINNER • Page 2 from entries throughout the
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The Tallapoosa County Board of Education is closer to obtaining its one-month reserve thanks to the new one-cent sales tax. “I wanted to make sure the board was up to date on the onecent sales tax,” Schools Chief Finiacial Officer Phil Blasingame said at Monday’s board meeting while explaining the monthly financial report. “You will see the bank statement from Prime South.” Blasingame went on to explain what board members were looking at. “We are putting the full See SCHOOLS • Page 2