ALABAMA IN THE SPOTLIGHT FOR THE WRONG REASON, PAGE 4.
RANGERS ON THE RISE?
FRIDAY
THE
Lyman Ward looks to continue winning ways, page 8.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 October 16, 2015 Vol. 123, No. 207 www.alexcityoutlook.com
City trying to get to bottom of power bill increase By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
Officials are still trying to get to the bottom of why some Alexander City Utility customers saw an unusually large jump in power bills recently. The jump appears to be in the amount charged customers in a category called “Fuel Adjustment Consumption” which appears on most residential bills. Officials said it appears that customers may have been under charged in that
category at some point and the adjustment hit all in one bill. “It appears as though there was an error in calculation from the spreadsheet created by the engineering firm,” Alexander City Finance Director Sandra Machen said. “They set it to fix the shortage from a prior month by adding it to current rate in one billing cycle.” Residents who called the Outlook to complain say that they saw a 40 percent increase in that line item from month to
month and more than 30 percent when compared to bills from the same period last year. Unlike utility companies, the Alabama Public Service Commission does not regulate the rates for municipal power companies. The fuel adjustment is an increase or decrease based on how much the city pays for power. If the city is charged more for power, then the charge is passed down to the customer, officials said.
Fashion Rep. Tuggle wants for a to reopen offices cause
Center depends on United Way
By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer
By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer
It takes special people to do the kinds of work being done by The Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center. “We’re a non-profit agency that serves children that are victims of abuse in three counties – Tallapoosa, Chambers and Randolph,” said Kay Baker, the Center’s new executive director. “When a report comes in, the referring agency comes to us for forensic interviews. We gather information and share it with law enforcement.” According to Baker, the Center has two fulltime therapist/interviewers on staff. Kasi Freeman or Sarah McCausland will interview the child and make audio and video recordings of the interviews. “We record all of our interviews so that the child doesn’t have to repeat the story, unless he or she wants to, to everyone See CENTER, Page 2
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Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
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Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Lead by Horseshoe Bend School fifth grader Dakota Howard, students who participated in the pink fashion show leave the stage. Students took part to raise awareness for breast cancer and funds for cancer research. Below second Grader Cami Cook leaves the stage after presenting her pink outfit.
Horseshoe Bend students take part in fund raiser for cancer By Corey Arwood Outlook Staff Writer
There was a parade of pink-clad kid crusaders for the fight against cancer at Horseshoe Bend School’s 7th annual Pink Fashion show on Thursday afternoon. The students of all ages took to the stage before a full auditorium to raise awareness as part of breast cancer awareness month and raise money for cancer research. Before the show, guest speaker Brownie Caldwell, delivered a testimonial of her own personal struggles and
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triumphs with the disease. The money from ticket sales was raised and donated in honor of Caldwell, a physical education teacher at Dadeville’s Councill Middle School, whose husband and son are also physical education teachers at HBHS. Along with the guest speaker and the fashion show, there was a cancer-survivor superhero skit performed by students. Tickets, and ultimately donations, were $1. Both middle and high school students along with some residents of the surrounding See CANCER, Page 3
Rep. Mark Tuggle of Alexander City expressed confusion on Wednesday when asked about reports that Gov. Robert Bentley was considering options aimed at the reopening of 31 driver license offices across the state. “The governor has not talked to me,” Tuggle said. “I am advocating to keep the driver license offices in my district open. I am pushing to reopen all of them, especially if it’s not saving any money. “I’m not sure what he’s talking about when he talks about a bridge loan. I haven’t had that conversation.” Rep. David Standridge of Hayden told the Montgomery Advertiser on Tuesday that Bentley was “considering some type of bridge loan or emergency funds to reopen the rural offices.” “We’re not going to open up the budgets,” Tuggle said. “They have already been passed and are in effect. We’re not going to open them up and make a loan from one to the other at this point.” Tuggle said the only other possibility might be for the governor to make a conditional appropriation to ALEA for purposes of reopening the offices. “It’s possible to make a conditional appropriation, one that is dependent on the funds being available,” Tuggle said. “But the problem there is you don’t know if you’re going to have that money until a third or two-thirds of the fiscal year has passed, so that really doesn’t make much sense.” Bentley has been pressured to reopen the rural driver license offices See LICENSE, Page 3
Buffalo Soldiers & Troopers Motorcycle Club comes to area By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
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If the city is charged less for power, in theory, they said the price would drop for the customer. A random check of bills for the last two years for six separate customers, no month showed a in the “Fuel Adjustment Consumption” category. We understand that it is confusing to customers,” Machen said. “We will do an in depth review following budget completion and review with the mayor to see if there is a way to clarify the billing for our customers.”
While stereotypical images of motorcycle clubs may paint one picture, there is a group of local riders who hope that their actions will help create another image of those who ride. Saturday is a big day for the Central Alabama Chapter of the Buffalo Soldiers & Troopers Motorcycle Club as they host their Coming Out Event beginning at 10 a.m. at the Big House Family Resort at 3468 Highway 63 North in Alexander City. The club will hold a benefit ride that will help raise funds for the Bill Nichols Chapter of the Disabled American Veterans, but they will also receive their official charter notification and hold a Patching In Ceremony for all of
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its members. “This is a very important day for us,” said Darrell Armour, the club’s vice-president. “We are a new group, just eight of us right now, but we are looking to grow. We are a group dedicated to the principles of the Buffalo Soldiers and our aim is to do good things in the community and serve as positive role models for young people and anyone who rides.” The Buffalo Soldiers are a group that pulls from a rich history dating back to the AfricanAmerican military regiments that served in battle following the Civil War. “The club colors represent a long history and we wear them with pride and respect. Our colors pay homage to African Americans of the 9th and 10th Calvary who sacrificed their lives
Submitted / The Outlook
Charter members of the Central Alabama Chapter of Buffalo Soldiers pose for a photo. Pictured from left are President Alfred Ellington, Vice-President Darrell Armour, Secretary Annie Zeigler, Treasurer Gerald Maxwell, Chaplain Rev. Eddie Edwards, Road Captain Eddie Searcy and Sgt.-At-Arms Henry Ashley.
so that our country could be what courage, sacrifice and honor as it is today,” according to informa- are those who continue to serve. tion on the club’s national web- The National Association of See CLUB, Page 3 site. “The colors are a badge of