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May 31, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 107 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Landfill plan draws fire from residents
SPORTS, PAGE 11 Willow Point set to host youth tournament
CATTLE Lawmen RATTLE head to CHAMP CACC for training
By MITCH SNEED Editor
By MITCH SNEED Editor
City leaders hoping for smooth sailing on a proposed expansion on the city’s inert landfill have met with a group of citizens who say they are willing to do whatever it takes to prevent it from happening near their homes. A total of 36 residents who live off Pearson Chapel Road, most of which live in the Westfield subdivision held a neighborhood meeting Tuesday night to talk about the plan and how they can make their voices heard before a June 19 public hearing on the plan. “Forget for a minute that we are talking about this because it is near our neighborhood,” said resident and business owner Ralph Holley. “Forget about what it will do to our property values. Think about what it will do to the whole city. Putting a landfill that close to our downtown area, near residential property – that just makes no sense. “That’s why we have to work together now and make sure that city leaders know how we feel. We have to call all the members of the council. Call the mayor. We have to be at that meeting and make our voices heard.” Residents say they plan to file claims with the city clerk’s office to put them on notice over what the landfill can do to their property values. Petitions were handed out to gather signatures in opposition to the plan. “We want to make sure that the city is aware that we plan to fight this to the fullest,” Holley said. News of the need for a new landfill to take materials like leaves, limbs, construction materials and furniture is not new. But talk accelerated See LANDFILL • Page 2
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Alexander City’s Chuck Bradley auctions off items at a recent storage locker content sale at McDaniel’s Storage. Bradley was recently named Alabama’s Auctioneer of the Year.
Bradley claims auctioneering crown
About 50 members of law enforcement, including representatives from most of the local agencies, will take part in training today and Thursday at Central Alabama Community College designed to improve investigative skills and help put criminal behind bars. See TRAINING • Page 5
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
“I had been in sales for a long time and I had a passion for it. I like talking, so the public speaking part comes naturally.” — Chuck Bradley
A rare and valuable piece of art is carefully brought out onto the stage, giving the assembled crowd the chance to look it over. Behind a podium next to the painting, the auctioneer goes into his chant, calling out the starting price, changing the numbers as each bid grows the price. Once the highest bid comes in, and nobody else is willing to keep going, he calls out the iconic, “Going once, going twice, SOLD!” Sights like this are commonplace for Chuck Bradley, an auctioneer and Alexander City resident. Earlier this year, he was named the annual Alabama Auctioneers Association’s Auctioneer of the Year. “I’ve been doing this since about 2011,” Bradley said. “I had been in sales for a long time and I had a passion for it. I like talking, so the public speaking part comes naturally.” Bradley estimates that he auctioneers approximately 200 auctions a year, from local
Auctioneer
See CHAMPION • Page 5
Marine Patrol issues 30 citations over holiday period By MITCH SNEED Editor
While the Tallapoosa County area and Lake Martin avoided any fatal incidents over the long Memorial Day weekend, that’s not to say that it was a cakewalk for the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Marine Division on Lake Martin. See CITATIONS • Page 5
Lake Martin
Lake Levels Crews back at work on Lee Street road construction 490.56 By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Crews with Gary Ingram Paving and Grading work on the milling of the two southbound lanes of Lee Street Tuesday. Officials say that work still appears to be on schedule.
After completing demolition and reconstruction of two lanes of Lee Street, crews with Gary Ingram Paving and Grading waited out some rainy days and allowed for motorists to adjust to the new traffic pattern. But Tuesday it was back to full speed ahead on the project. The milling of the two southbound lanes began bright and early and Project Manager Harry Ward of Engineering, Environmental & Forestry Services Company said they hope to get that phase of the work done this week.
“We are taking this down to the base, just like we did on the other side,” Ward said. “The base here is a little better than the other side was so it shouldn’t take quite as much time over here.” For those who have wondered why there were breaks in the work, Ward said they keep an eye on the weather as they plan the work. “Some of this stuff you have to make sure you do it where there are enough dry days to get it complete,” Ward said. “If you don’t and take on a lot of water it can really cause some issues. The project was scheduled to take about three months See ROAD • Page 5
Reported on 5/30/17 @ 12 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
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