MEET THIS WEEK’S SPORTS STARS, B1 THE WORKPLACE WACKINESS Area offices get dressed up for holiday fun, Page B8.
WEDNESDAY
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
November 1, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 217 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Budget, audit among items on Thursday work session agenda
The Alexander City Police Department is looking for burglars after a passenger van was stolen from Harbor Learning Academy and a car from Elkahatchee Street along with several vehicle break-ins over the weekend. According to Alexander City Police Chief Jay Turner, the break-ins have been in two parts of town and continued Monday night. “We had a good bit of them and again last night,” Turner said. “Almost all of them were in the Circle Drive and Semmes Street area. We had some last night (Monday) on the opposite side of town near C and J Tech and Samlip.” Turner said detectives were working on the case and the vehicles have not yet been located. He also said patrols have been stepped up. “Both vehicles have been listed in NCIC and detectives are following up on it,” Turner said. Turner explained stolen vehicles in Alexander City are not normally involved in a scheme to make See THEFTS • Page A7
By MITCH SNEED Editor
It’s almost a year to the day since the current administration took office in Alexander City. A work session is planned for Thursday afternoon that will highlight just how much has been accomplished in the last 12 months. Among the items scheduled for the council to discuss is the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2017/18 and a report on an audit of the city Fiscal Year 2015/16 financials. Alexander City Jim Nabors said Thursday’s meeting is the product of a lot of hard work and changes in mindset at city hall. “I won’t say it was worse that I thought, but it was not what I expected,” Nabors said. “It was like those bad commercials you see where they are trying to do a tax return when somebody brings them all their records in a shoebox. That’s exactly what it was like. “But to see us to the point where we are caught up on budgets and on the verge of getting current with audits, that is a very good feeling.” Nabors said the progress hasn’t been without a lot of angst, but he credited Alexander City Finance Director Sandy Stanbrough for working so diligently and coordinating all the moving parts to get the books to this point. “There has been a lot of people working very hard along the way,” Nabors said. But Sandy has been the one who has really
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Alexander City was full of Halloween fun, at least for some. Above, Olivia Heard throws a fit as her mother Antwisha Russell-Heard ties to lead her into an elaborate holiday scene set up by Jessica and Sabrina Sneed on Semmes Street. More than 330 trick-or-treaters visited there Tuesday night. Left, Big Mo from the Montgomery Biscuits entertained children at the Marshall Street Church Trunk or Treat Tuesday evening. For more pictures see page A7 inside.
See COUNCIL • Page A7
Horseshoe Bend fashion show raises money for cancer research Students and family members packed the common area at Horseshoe Bend School Tuesday afternoon for the ninth-annual Pink and Teal Fashion Show, hosted by the Horseshoe Bend FCCLA. Raising money for breast and cervical cancer research, the capacity crowd eagerly awaited what outfits the 34 students and one faculty member
Jim Pearson Pre-K classes get into the fall spirit, B6
Council to talk finances
Police probe FRIGHT stolen cars, NIGHT vehicle FUN break-ins
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
FALL FUN
The Lighthouse helps those battling addiction
would show off. “This is our ninth annual fashion show,” FCCLA Advisor Felicia Williams said. “We started it as a pink fashion show for breast cancer research, but in 2015, we lost a faculty member to ovarian cancer. In her memory, we changed it up last year to pink and teal.” The audience showed Donald Campbell / The Outlook their excitement Dressed as an elderly woman, Horseshoe Bend student Hunter Batson throughout the show, walks the stage during Tuesday’s fashion show raising money for See PINK • Page A5 breast and cervical cancer research.
FREE CONSULTATIONS
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the 15th in a series of profiles on the 28 agencies that receive funding through the Lake Martin Area United Way. Currently, the Lake Martin Area United Way is holding their 2018 fundraising campaign, “Team United.” To learn how to help, contact the United Way at 256-329-3600 or at www. unitedwaylakemartin.org. By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Drug abuse has always been a serious issue. Whether the drug in question is crystal meth, opium or prescription painkillers, the problems created through the abuse of these See LIGHTHOUSE • Page A7
Today’s
Lake Martin
Weather
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72 56
488.07
High
Low
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NEW HORIZON MUSICAL PRESENTS DIVA WAR EXTRAVAGANZA Saturday, November 4, 2017 Edward Bell Gymnasium | Camp Hill, AL 36850
General Admission: $5 Featuring All Types of Dances Including Hip Hop, Jazz, Reggae & More!
Prizes: 1st Place $1000.....2nd Place $500.....3rd Place Gift Cards Sponsors: Mrs. Carolyn Wilkerson and New Horizon Committee
Bring All Your Divas! You Don’t Want to Miss This!