ARREST MADE IN ALEXANDER CITY SODOMY CASE, PAGE 3.
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May 28-29, 2016 • Vol. 124 • No. 107 • www.alexcityoutlook.com
TOP STORYLINES FOR 2016
Five high school football stories to watch this season, page 10.
Hooper cites court, economy, trade as reasons to vote Trump in November By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Perry Hooper Jr. shakes hands with locals at Thursday’s Talllapoosa County Republican Party meeting. Hooper spoke to the club about the Republican nominee Donald Trump.
“It’s great to be a Trump American.” With that, Perry Hooper Jr. launched into an enthusiastic argument for the election of Republican nominee Donald Trump for president of the United States. “How many in this room remember the years of Jimmy Carter?,”
asked Hooper, a former state representative from Montgomery and currently the co-chair of the Donald Trump for President campaign in Alabama. “I see a bunch of hands. You weren’t smiling back then. None of us were, because you had double-digit inflation, you had double-digit interest rates. Our economy basically was in the gutter. You had the Ayatollah
Charges against former Councill principal dropped
Memorial Day to be emotional for local family By MITCH SNEED Editor
For one local family, this Memorial Day will be especially emotional as they mark the holiday without a beloved family member who served her country. Master Sgt. Clarice Grant lost a long and courageous battle with breast cancer on March 5 at the age of 51, following a long and deco- Grant rated military career that began right after her graduation from Benjamin Russell High School. “She was an amazing woman of God,” her cousin Porsche Hannon said. “Aside from God and her family, the military was the most important thing in her life. She took the utmost pride in her See GRANT • Page 3
Weather
87 65 Lake Levels
490.66 Reported on 5/27/16 @ 11 a.m.
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Scholarly Class
BRHS graduates break the scholarship record Marie Treadwell, above center gave a speech as valedictorian thanking her parents and family as Montashia Crayton, right, looks to the stands to find her family and friends in attendance at the graduation ceremony for the Benjamin Russell Class of 2016. The class earned over $5 million in scholarships.
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Criminal charges against former Councill Middle School Principal Melanie McKinney that resulted in her 2014 firing by the Tallapoosa County Board of Education have been dismissed following her completion of a pre-trial diversion plan. Fifth Judicial Circuit Judge Steven Perryman dismissed the charges against McKinney on Monday, May 23. The details of McKinney’s pre-trial diversion plan are not known. McKinney was fired by the Tallapoosa County Board of Education on Dec. 3, 2014, after it deliberated for 98 minutes before voting 4-1 to accept Superintendent Joe Windle’s recommendation for termination. McKinney, who was hired as Councill principal in 2012, was indicted on four counts of failure to report abuse of a child, four counts of obstruction of governmental operations, felony theft and one count of possession of a forged instrument. She had been on paid administrative leave since the allegations surfaced. Windle said See MCKINNEY • Page 3
By MITCH SNEED Editor
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Lake Martin
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Charges stemmed from failure to report sexual activity among students
Wilson to headline Alexander City Celebrates Freedom
Today’s
High
(Khomenei) and all those terrorist thugs making fun of us and then they held all those hostages. Y’all remember that, don’t ya? “Well, all of a sudden, we elect a man named Ronald Reagan and once he was elected those thugs all of a sudden let those hostages come home and he brought prosperity back to the United States See REPUBLICAN • Page 9
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Marshall Street Church of God is continuing the tradition of hosting a celebration of God and country. The church will once again team with the City of Alexander City and area businesses to host its patriotic Alexander City Celebrates America. The event is set for Sunday, July 3, starting at 6 p.m. Pastor Rick Levell from Marshall Street Church of God said this is the 11th year the Christian event has been hosted at the Benjamin Submitted / The Outlook Russell High School band field with music, food and Christian recording artist Josh Wilson will be the headline act at Alexander City Celebrates Freedom Sunday, July 3 at the Benjamin Russell High School band practice field. The event fireworks. is sponsored by the City of Alexander City and Marshall Street Church of God.
“We are excited about this year’s celebration,” Levell said. “Nationally known Christian singer Josh Wilson will be the headliner of the concert. We think he will have a great appeal to those who come out to celebrate God and country with us.” Wilson is an Arkansas native who is an awardwinning singer, songwriter and musician with a way of capturing life’s emotional moments in his songs. He mixes his songs with the classics in his performances. His musical style is described as contemporary Christian, folk, adult contemporary, and pop rock. He plays See FREEDOM • Page 3