COMMUNITY COLUMNISTS INSIDE!
WEDNESDAY
THE
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 SPORTS SAVE TIME Cougars prep for tip off. November 16, 2016 Vol. 124, No. 230 www.alexcityoutlook.com AND GASOLINE Page 8.
FROM GOOD TO GREAT
Director of the University of Alabama’a Economic Development Academy Neal Wade addresses business leaders at an workshop hosted by the Chamber of Commerce Tuesday .
UA economic development guru helps local leaders focus on goals By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Officials from Alexander City, Tallapoosa and Coosa counties convened at Central Alabama Community College for an economic summit led by a senior economic developer to talk about the city, its identity and future. Neal Wade is the director of the University of Alabama’s Economic Development Academy and
he talked about how to transform a “good community” into a “great community.” Wade said Alexander City was “good community,” but it was not great. He said he knew of very few “great communities,” and that was the goal, to go from good to great. “Alex City has to decide what Alex City wants See WORKSHOP • Page 3
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Traffic stop leads to two drug arrests Man and woman facing drug and weapon charges after Sunday bust By MITCH SNEED Editor
Supermoon Spectacular Kenneth Boone / The Outlook
This image from the waters of Lake Martin of Monday evening’s Supermoon as it rises over the horizon at Smith Mountain catches the silhouette of someone walking the steps of the fire tower.
Lake Martin provides stunning backdrop for lunar rarity STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
For two consecutive nights astronomers and photographers worldwide looked to the sky to catch a glimpse of the Supermoon or as the astronomical community calls it – perigee-syzygy. A Supermoon is the phenomenon that occurs when a full moon coincides with the closest approach the moon makes to the Earth on its orbit. This
Today’s
Weather
73 46 High
Low
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
483.75
Reported on 11/15/16 @ 7:30 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
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week the moon was 221,526 miles away from the center of Earth. That’s about 31,000 miles closer than normal. To say that the occurrence is rare would be an understatement. This Supermoon was the first since Jan. 26, 1948. Another close pass will not happen again until Nov. 25, 2034. So if you missed your shot, be sure and set an alarm on your phone or mark your calendars for the next one. According to NASA, the closest Supermoon of the century will occur
on Dec. 6, 2052. While newspapers and the internet have featured images from around the globe, owner Kenneth Boone, photographers Cliff Williams and Audra Spears and editor Mitch Sneed armed themselves with cameras Sunday and Monday nights to capture perigee-syzygy against some of the most beautiful backdrops anywhere – right here in Tallapoosa County. See page 11 inside for our own TPI Supermoon spectacular.
A Sunday afternoon traffic stop led to the arrest of two people on drug charges, according to Sgt. Fred White of the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force. A Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department deputy initiated a traffic stop on U.S. Highway 280 Sunday on a vehicle occupied by 45-year-old Joseph Parrish Decatur of Nauvoo, Alabama and 54-year-old Shirley Angela Peppers, Decatur also of Nauvoo. According to White, the confirmed that the vehicle operator was driving without a valid license. “He also noticed the strong odor of marijuana,” White said. “Consent to search was given by the driver and during a pat Peppers down for weapons is when a large quantity of narcotics was recovered.” Both subjects of the car were detained and the “on call” narcotics investigator was contacted, according to White. Approximately 35 grams of crystal methamphetamine, 14 grams of marijuana, 14 Hydrocodone pills along with Oxycontin and Oxycodone were recovered. Further See BUST • Page 2
Troopers investigate five-vehicle, chain-reaction crash STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Troopers and Coosa County authorities were called to the scene of a five-vehicle accident with injuries on U.S. Highway 280 near Kellyton Tuesday afternoon just after 5 p.m. ALEA’s Cpl. Jesse Thornton said the crash was near the intersection of Alabama Highway 115 and Highway 280. “There are injuries with multiple vehicles involved and a commercial vehicle loaded with logs,” Thornton said. See CRASH • Page 2
Riverbend Convenience Store
Four vehicles collided with a log truck that was attempting to cross Highway 280 West near State Highway 115. There was at least one serious injury. Traffic was backed up due to the blockage and rerouted through Kellyton. Cliff Williams / The Outlook
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