INSIDE: n Police reports from ACPD, page 2 n Community events, page 5 nCity council has busy agenda, page 11
Weekend
OPINION: STAY SAFE AS YOU STAY WARM, PAGE 4.
The Outlook
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
November 19-20, 2016 • Vol. 124 • No. 233 • www.alexcityoutlook.com
GROW OUR LOCAL ECONOMY
Need cash for Christmas? Here’s your chance! STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
How does free cash for the holiday sound? Starting today, Tallapoosa Publishers is bringing back our annual “Santa Cash” giveaway just in time for holiday shopping. For six weeks we’re giving away cash to one lucky reader each week. All you have to do is submit entries at participating businesses and wait for the call that you’re
a winner. Fourteen businesses across Tallapoosa County will be designated drop spots for entry forms. Look for their logo every Thursday in the Dadeville Record and every Saturday in The Outlook. Simply clip the entry form and drop it at a participating locations. For even better chances, original entry forms may be dropped at each location weekly so buy extra copies of the paper and visit more than one location. Only one entry per person per location will
be accepted each week, but with fourteen chances weekly for six weeks, there’s plenty of opportunity to be a winner. Shopping local is important for our community and it is our hope that by adding an extra incentive to walk into these businesses – people will see the great things our local merchants have to offer. There is so much good that comes from supporting our own communities and this is just one more perk to add to the list. For more details see page 7 inside.
County’s October jobless rate shows increase
Five area churches join forces to host Thanksgiving dinner
Tallapoosa remains at state average in unemployment STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Five local churches have been working to provide a traditional Thanksgiving dinner for Alexander City residents by uniting every fifth Sunday to gather funds to provide dinner for those who might otherwise not have one. On Thanksgiving Day about 50 or more members from each will convene at Benjamin Russell High School where they will serve up around 550 traditional Thanksgiving lunches free of charge. Theresa Waldrop said this is the fifth year her church has participated in what has become a local tradition. She said her husband Michael Waldrop is the pastor of River of Life Worship Center, and the church coordinates with four other Alex City churches, West End Baptist, Marshall Street Church of God, Liberty Life Christian Center and Passion Church to offer See DINNER • Page 11
Today’s
Weather
60 35
High
Low
Lake Levels
483.60 Reported on 11/18/16 @ 7 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
54708 90050
See SUPERMOON • Page 3
See UNEMPLOYMENT • Page 3
Mitch Sneed photo illustration / The Outlook
Russell Medical’s staff reported 13 births during the two-day appearance of the Supermoon early this week. While it is unclear what role the moon played in the rush in labor and delivery this week, there is no doubt the stork was a frequent flier in the area as shown in this illustration.
Super Moon, Baby Boom? Russell Medical delivers 13 babies in 2-day period By MITCH SNEED Editor
The much-heralded Supermoon that captivated people across the globe earlier this week created lasting images as photographers snapped breathtaking photos. But if some anecdotal data from Russell Medical is any indication of the impact of the two-day lunar phenomenon, the Supermoon may leave a legacy that includes a baby boom. According to Jessica Sanford of the Russell Medical Community Relations & Marketing Department, there were 13 births during
Hunting season opens today with new guidelines By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
Lake Martin
the two-day appearance of the Supermoon, which included Nov. 15 and 16. “We actually had six babies born on Nov. 15 and by the end of the day on Nov. 16 we had finished with 13,” Sanford said. “That included two sets of twins. I have no idea if it was the moon or what it was, but it was certainly a hectic couple of days.” While there is no record book for births at Russell Medical, Sanford said that those who had worked in labor and delivery for years couldn’t recall a busier two-day period. Dr. Brian Dix is an obstetrician-gynecologist in Alexander City at Russell Medical’s
Tallapoosa County saw its October jobless rate rise slightly over September’s rate and in October of 2015. According to numbers released Friday by the Alabama Department of Labor, Tallapoosa County posted a seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate of 5.8 percent. That is up from the 5.1 percent the county enjoyed in September. Tallapoosa County’s unemployment rate was 5.7 percent for the month of October in 2015. The county’s rate was the same as the state average for October. The state’s seasonally adjusted October unemployment rate is 5.7 percent, up from September’s rate of 5.4 percent, and well below October 2015’s rate of 6.1 percent, according to Alabama Department of Labor Secretary Fitzgerald Washington. October’s rate represents 123,892 unemployed persons, compared to 117,100 in September and 131,421 in October 2015. “An extremely large increase in the number of people who are looking for work combined with an increase in the number of people working in October led to an increase in our unemployment
Deer hunting season opens Saturday is nearly here and some big changes have been made that hunters need to keep in mind before they take to the woods. Tallapoosa County Conservation Officer Michael East said there was one change to take effect this year that he knew had the support of most sportsmen. Rifle season was extended 10 days in the recent Alabama legislative session, and now runs from Nov. 19 to Feb. 10, as opposed to only Jan. 31 in
8
previous years. Another change is that this year hunters will be required to use the game check system. East said hunters were already familiar with the program, which has been in effect since 2007, and he said it was always encouraged that they maintain a harvest record of what they killed each hunt. Now the harvest record is mandatory however, and East said it was asked that they keep a log of all deer killed and report them within 48 hours. East said they could do this online, through a downloadable app or by phone. See HUNTING • Page 3
File / The Outlook
Officials say the drought could impact the size and quality of this year’s deer.
USPS Permit # 013-080
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Riverbend Convenience Store 9120 Hwy. 280 • Alex City
Charles E. Bailey Sportplex
256.329.2910 • w w w. a c p r. m e
256-825-6065
Non-Ethanol Gas • Live Bait & Tackle