OPINION, PAGE 4: IS CHURCH NOT SAFE ANYMORE?
TUESDAY
THE INSIDE TODAY
SPORTS, PAGE 10
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November 7, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 221 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Council votes to change utility pacts, accept audit By MITCH SNEED Editor
The Alexander City City Council voted to end several permits that allowed utility lines to pass through railroad property to save funds and accept the 2015 audit of the city’s finances at Monday’s regular meeting. In a meeting that took just 23 minutes, the council heard about how a new contractor handling easements
Russell Medical gets high marks for patient safety
for the railroad had increased the price from just a few dollars a year to hundreds for each permit. That led city department heads to begin researching and according to Alexander City Gas Department Superintendent Mike Stewart, they found that there were many of the lines that were never installed or no longer in use. “Many of these permits date back to the 1950s and it was simply a way for the city to pay to get permission to
allow lines to cross railroad property,” Stewart said. “For years the agreement was only like $6 per year so it was such a small amount, we never really looked to see how they were used. “But with a new contractor (Strong Capital X LLC) taking over, the price went up significantly. For us those nine permits were going to cost $485 each per year. The total was $4,425.” Stewart said they found eight crossings that were among those early
agreements had been combined into just one actual crossing. Stewart’s research will save the city $3,385 per year. The council voted 6-0 to allow Mayor Jim Nabors to enter into the revised agreement with Strong Capital X LLC for the one crossing at $485 per year. The council also voted unanimously to accept an audit report that they heard on the budget year ending Sept.
See COUNCIL • Page 3
Task Force arrests six
TRASH TALK
Drugs, cash, more seized in three separate busts
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
For the fourth consecutive period, Russell Medical has received an “A” rating for Patient Safety from The Leapfrog Group, a national nonprofit health care ratings organization. Russell Medical was one of only seven hospitals in Alabama to receive the highest rating. The Leapfrog Hospital Safety Grade assigns letter grades of A, B, C, D and F to hospitals nationwide based on their performance in preventing medical errors, infections and other harms. Russell Medical was one of 832 hospitals nationwide awarded an “A” for its commitment to keeping patients safe and meeting the highest safety standards in the U.S. “It takes consistent, unwavering dedication to patients to achieve the highest standards of patient safety. An ‘A’ Safety Grade recognizes hospitals for this accomplishment,” said Leah Binder, president and CEO of The Leapfrog Group. “We congratulate the clinicians, board, management and staff See HOSPITAL • Page 9
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Volunteers unload bags of trash and litter along with a rotten canoe that was picked up during last weekend’s Renew Our Rivers Cleanup. A tremendous amount of trash was picked up from roadsides and shorelines around Lake Martin.
Volunteers haul tons of trash from Lake Martin By MITCH SNEED Editor
Coolers, 55-gallon drums, shoes, a fender, pieces of dock flotation material, hubcaps, tires, cups, rotten canoes, water noodles, blankets, hats and chairs of all shapes and sizes were just some of the more common items that more than
300 volunteers hauled out of Lake Martin last Friday and Saturday during the Renew Our Rivers Cleanup. Lake Martin Resource Association President John Thompson said the final numbers haven’t been tabulated just yet, but the impact was tremendous. “It was really just something
to see,” Thompson said. “We had a group of about 10 or 12 of our regulars who hauled in a tremendous amount of trash from some of those key areas where they concentrated their efforts. “But what was really impressive to me was to see all the kids and families who came out See CLEANUP • Page 3
The Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, with the help of other agencies, conducted three Allen search warrants that resulted in six arrests and the seizure of drugs, a vehicle, weapons and cash. Friday, the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Davis Task Force, US Marshal Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force, Alexander City Housing Authority and Dadeville Police Department executed a Sturdivant search warrant at a residence on Fulton Street in Dadeville. Investigators recovered approximately 135 grams of synthetic marijuana or Spice, six grams of cocaine and 13 Adderall pills. A 2004 Ford Mustang, Glock 9mm and $537 in cash were also seized. See ARRESTS • Page 9
Tallapoosa County Crisis Center in need of food donations By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
As the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays draw closer, the Tallapoosa Christian Crisis Center has found itself in desperate need of food supplies to help those in need. “We normally have two closets full of food and shelves stocked up,” Director Denise Moseley said. “Right now, we have nothing in our closets and some items on our shelves. We were down to just a few cans of vegetables at one point recently.” To help alleviate the situation, Moseley said the center has sent out letters to a number of local churches, asking them for any assistance. Over the past couple of days, a couple of churches have responded to the call, including St. James Episcopal Church in Alexander City and New Salem Baptist Church in New Site.
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“We have had a good response from churches and individuals so far,” Moseley said. “I want to express thanks to everyone who has already donated, but we’re still not out of the woods just yet.” The center also receives help from the local school systems, who donate leftover breakfast food items such as juice, milk and miniature waffles once a week. However, while the center does take in a good amount of items from generous individuals and groups, it also sends out a lot to its clients. “On average, we give out between 2,000 and 2,500 pounds of food each week,” Moseley said. “During the month of September, we handed out 6,000 pounds of food. Our food supply goes quickly.” This becomes even more apparent during the holiday season, as the center See DONATIONS • Page 9
Lake Martin
Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Even with recent donations from St. James Episcopal Church and New Salem Baptist Church, many of the food pantry shelves at the Tallapoosa Christian Crisis Center remain bare. The center is seeking donations to help restock in preparation for upcoming holidays.
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