LOCAL NEWS: CHAPMAN RESIDENTS GET COOL TREAT, PAGE 2.
THURSDAY
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Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
May 18, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 98 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
HORSESHOE BEND WINS BIG AT STATE Team goes 2-0 on first day of tourney, page 9
Local rail traffic to drop drastically Daily train traffic likely to end by week’s end By MITCH SNEED Editor
It appears that the amount of traffic on railway tracks through the heart of Tallapoosa County may decrease soon as one of Norfolk Southern’s regular runs may be put on hold. While company officials would not confirm or deny the news, The Outlook has learned that the Macon, Georgia to Birmingham run known as the Central of Georgia run will no longer pass through Tallapoosa County daily like it has for
decades. For towns like Alexander City, which flourished after the railroad made the area a stop on its line more than a century ago, the discontinuation of the Central of Georgia run will no regularly scheduled trains passing through the area. The A41, which serviced the pulpwood industry, no longer runs as loggers and chip mills have gone to other methods of transport. It is believed that the Scherer Coal Train that hauls coal to Georgia Power’s
Dale Burns / Special
Scenes like this train rolling over the Tallapoosa River on the Central of Georgia run will become less See RAILROAD • Page 3 frequent as the daily trip through Tallapoosa County on the way to Birmingham will be discontinued.
Honoring Fallen Heroes
Action against funeral home put on hold
Memorial service honors those who died in line of duty
Judge issues stay as Alabama Funeral Home appeals suspension By MITCH SNEED Editor
A Camp Hill funeral home will remain open while the appeal of an Alabama Board of Funeral Services ruling that called for a 30-day closure of the facility. Attorneys for Alabama Funeral Homes and Cremation Center, owner Carl Pritchard and funeral director Donald Phillips filed and appeal of the ruling, which was handed down last week. As a result, Circuit Court Judge Tom Young issued a stay, halting any action until the legal process is complete. Alabama Board of Funeral Services Charles Perine Executive Secretary said last week that the funeral home’s license would be suspended for 30 days, followed by three years on probation. The citations came from what Perine said were issues with “maintaining an identification system for cremating remains, failing to use combustible containers for cremating and demonstrating incompetence.” In addition to the license suspension, Perine said that the board also imposed fines. But now all that is on hold until
By MITCH SNEED Editor
About 120 residents and nearly four dozen members of law enforcement gathered outside the Alexander City Police Department Wednesday to remember those who gave their lives in the line of duty. The 21st Annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service was hosted by the Alexander City Police Department and the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department and honored the memories of seven fallen officers from our area. “No matter how many times we do this, it always brings with it a lot of emotion,” Tallapoosa County Jimmy Abbett said. “We love what
Mitch Sneed/ The Outlook
Alexander City Police Chief Jay Turner, with the help of Bill Young prepares to set a wreath at the memorial to officers who lost their lives in the line of duty Wednesday. The Alexander City Police Department Honor Guard gave a 21-Gun Salute after the names of the seven Tallapoosa County officers who died in the line of duty were read.
See MEMORIAL • Page 5
See STAY • Page 3
Pearson students abuzz over session with local beekeepers By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Jim Pearson second-grader Rashad Varner studies honey bees as Tallapoosa County bee keeper Keith Robinson points things out.
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Students were buzzing at Jim Pearson Elementary School Wednesday morning – not because school was about to be out for summer, but were buzzing about learning about honey bees with the Tallapoosa River Beekeepers Association (TRBA). In fact, some students were answering the questions before TRBA president Keith Robinson could finish most questions before students had the answer. “You all are going to be teaching me about bees,” Robinson said. “You need to teach this class.”
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Excitement levels went even higher as students got a chance to look inside a hive and get nose to head with honeybees. Robinson explained how the bees humming sound that is heard is their wings moving to helps keep the hive cool and how it helps in other ways. “Honeybees like it to be very dry in the hive,” Robinson said. “The fanning also helps keep things dry.” Robinson and other beekeepers went over many misconceptions about honeybees, as well as the anatomy and habits of the different types of bees. “These insects like yellow jackets get See BEES • Page 3
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