INSIDE TODAY: n Obituaries, page 2 n Religion, page 6 n Police reports, page 7 n Classifieds, page 11
Weekend SPORTS PAGE 11: WILDCATS BATTLE VALLEY IN SPRING FOOTBALL
The Outlook
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
LOCAL, PAGE 4:
May 20-21, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 100 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
A wet day at Pearson.
Area’s jobless rate at a 10-year low STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Tallapoosa County’s unemployment rate fell to a 10-year low in April, dropping to just 4.1 percent. The good news came Friday in a release from the Alabama Department of Labor and the numbers show that the April rate was almost a full percentage point better than the 5.0 percent jobless rate that the county had in March and in April 2016. Alexander City Mayor Jim Nabors said he knew things were looking up,
“From tax revenue and people sharing the openings they had, I knew things were vastly improved, but 4.1 percent, that is great news.”
— Jim Nabors Alexander City mayor
but a number that low took him by surprise. “From tax revenue and people sharing the openings they had, I knew things were vastly improved, but 4.1 percent, that is great news,” Nabors said. “Those statistics, new businesses
opening, there is just a feeling that everything is more vibrant right now. That is very good to see.” When you consider some of the levels that the area has seen in the wake of Russell Corp’s departure, the number is even more staggering. For example,
Officers smell way to drug trafficking takedown
See BUST • Page 7
See UNEMPLOYMENT • Page 8
Bill sets new qualifications to be sheriff If signed into law, standards would be more in line with job
By MITCH SNEED Editor
The trained olfactory skill of Alexander City Police Department patrol officers led to a drug trafficking arrest earlier this week. According to Det. Luke Silvey, officers were called to the Cornerstone Apartments on another matter, but noticed the smell of Sandlin marijuana coming from an adjacent area. “They were there on something totally different,” Silvey said. “But they noticed the smell and went to investigate and the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force were called in.” The investigation discovered a man who was not a resident of the apartment where he was
in February of 2010, Tallapoosa County had an unemployment rate of 15.3 percent. Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington said Friday that the numbers looked good statewide. Alabama’s preliminary, seasonally adjusted April unemployment rate is 5.4 percent, down from March’s rate of 5.8 percent, and well below April 2016’s rate of 5.8 percent. April’s rate represents 119,256 unemployed persons,
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Benjamin Russell High School valedictorian Mason Scott Sake is presented with the valedictorian medals FRiday by Principal Dr. Anthony Wilkinson during Senior Awards Day activities.
GRADUATE HONORS BRHS seniors recognized during awards day ceremony By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
The auditorium at Benjamin Russell High School was packed early Friday morning with the school’s Class of 2017, along with parents and special guests for the annual Senior Awards Day ceremony. Many members of the graduating class were recognized for their multitude of scholarship offers to a wide range of colleges, including CACC, Troy, Tuskegee, Alabama and Auburn. Other scholarship
offers were officially awarded during the ceremony, such as scholarships from the Benjamin and Roberta Russell Foundation, the Kiwanis Club and the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. Another six students were noted for their enlistment into various branches of the armed forces. “Seniors, you didn’t do this by yourself,” said Benjamin Russell Principal Dr. Anthony Wilkinson, reminding them they always had someone, be it a parent, teacher, minister, See HONORS • Page 8
You would think that to serve as the highest-ranking law enforcement officer in Tallapoosa County it would require some hefty qualifications. But the truth is that the qualifications to be sheriff in Tallapoosa County have been so simple that if you had a pulse, you were pretty much allowed run. That’s a bit of a stretch, but under the current standards, all it took to be a candidate for sheriff was to be at least 18 years of age, a resident of the state for a minimum of one day, a U.S. citizen for at least day and a register voter. In an effort to beef up the requirements, the Alabama House and Senate passed a bill that could make the standards a bit more in line with the duties that a sheriff will face. House Bill 536 was introduced by Rep. Mark Tuggle (R-Alexander City) and was passed the House on May 4. The Senate followed with passage of the bill on Wednesday evening. The bill that is now waiting on the signature of Gov. Kay Ivey includes these requirements: • The person must be a citizen of the United States. See SHERIFF • Page 8
Salvation Army offers summer camp to local kids
Today’s
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By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Lee Street traffic pattern change causes confusion
Local law enforcement officials spent a good part of Friday policing Lee Street where a traffic pattern switch in the construction process caused drivers confusion as some feeder streets were closed. Some cars wound up in the wrong lanes.
Summer camp. The words evoke a carefree time of enjoyment and fun for children, getting away from home for a week or two, making new friendships and gaining new experiences. For children ages 7-12 in Tallapoosa and Coosa County, the local service center of the Salvation Army offers them just such an experience. For one week at the end of June, they can join others from Alabama, Mississippi and Louisiana at Camp Hidden Lake in Lexington, Mississippi.
She’s Back! Shelby Patterson is back at work and ready to cut, style or color your hair.
GENESIS I HAIR SALON 256.329.8924 3333 Hillabee Road Alexander City, AL
See CAMP • Page 7
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
490.53 Reported on 5/19/17 @ 5 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
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54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
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