COMMUNITY COLUMNISTS INSIDE!
WEDNESDAY
THE
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 SPORTS BRHS take area volleyball October 19, 2016 Vol. 124, No. 210 www.alexcityoutlook.com crown, Page B1.
4% FUNDS CITY SERVICES
Two area stores hit by ‘smash and grab’ burglars By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Alexander City Police Department investigators were on the scene at Five Points Annex on Jefferson Street Tuesday morning after a smash and grab burglary was reported at the business.
Alexander City Police Department investigators are looking for answers in two more smash and grab burglaries at area businesses early Tuesday morning. Alex City In and Out on
Dadeville Road and Five Point Annex on Jefferson Street were both hit by burglars some time after they closed for business Monday evening. Police were called to the convenience store shortly after midnight Tuesday morning. “At that location entry was
CAMP HILL
made by removing an air conditioning unit,” said Det. Sabrina Osborne. “They attempted to gain entry to the store’s cash drawer, but when they were unsuccessful, they took undisclosed items from the store and left the scene.” See BURGLARY • Page 2
Local high school grad rates show improvement
Police chief recovering after being hit by vehicle By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Camp Hill Police Chief Johnny Potts is in good spirits despite being injured after being struck by a vehicle during a traffic stop Sunday. Potts was on patrol Sunday when he pulled over someone on Martin Luther King Drive. “I was out on routine patrol,” Potts said. “I stopped a vehicle that was parked on the wrong side of the road.” Potts said the driver of the car he stopped is a Camp Hill resident known to him. The name was not released due to the case still being under active investigation. “I issued the young man a ticket,” Potts said. “After he signed it, I started to walk back to my car. I walked a little bit and then he accelerated and hit me.” Potts was able to call
Graduation rates at schools in Alexander City and Tallapoosa County remained steady in the 2014-15 school year according to recently released statistics by the U.S. Department of Education. Benjamin Russell had a grad rate of 86 percent for the most recent posted school year, just a percentage point lower than the 87 percent recorded in 2013-14. Horseshoe Bend led all county schools with a 92 percent grad in 2014-15. Reeltown had a rate of 86 percent compared to the 79 percent it recorded the previous year. Dadeville’s 2014-15 graduation rate rose to 89 percent, up from 84 percent in 2013-14. Alexander City Schools Director of Secondary Education Dr. Beverly Price said the steady numbers are encouraging, especially in a
See CAMP HILL • Page 7
Kenneth Boone / The Outlook
The Horseshoe Bend Generals are led onto the field by the school’s newly created tank through a cloud of smoke after the blast of a cannon. The new pre-grame features are part of what school leaders hope will become new traditions for the school.
GAMEDAY TRADITIONS
Tank, smoke, cannon fire welcomes the Generals By MITCH SNEED Editor
If you haven’t been to a football game at Horseshoe Bend this season you are missing an explosive pre-game performance that officials hope will become new traditions as the Generals take to the gridiron. Horseshoe Bend has added a team entrance where fans form a spirit line alley across the field, then a smoke machine starts forming a cloud behind the run-through held by the cheerleaders.
But before the players break through, a massive tan tank rolls into place. With smoke rising, a stadium-shaking explosion of a cannon rings out and the band begins to play the fight song. With that, the tank leads the charge of the Generals onto the field. Horseshoe Bend Principal James Aulner said the new entrance is something that was added this year in hopes of creating a more festive atmosphere and increasing interest among students See GENERALS • Page 6
Weather
87 55 Low
Lake Martin
Lake Levels Reported on 10/18/16 @ 8 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
6
54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080
8
2014-15 2013-14 2012-13 2011-12 Benjamin Russell Dadeville High Horseshoe Bend Reeltown High State averages
86 89 92 86 89.3
87 84 92 79 86
81 72 93 89 80
78 78 87 93 75
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
485.08 laceyshowell@gmail.com
LOCAL GRADUATION RATES
County schools go back to drawing board on capital projects
Today’s
High
See GRAD • Page 6
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Family Engagement Night at Alex City Middle Alexander City Middle School teacher Denise Shivers, right, helps Latonya Whetstone log into a system the school uses that will allow Whetstone to monitor her son Debrenski’s grades and attendance at Tuesday’s First Annual Family Engagement Night.
With the help of the new 1-cent sales tax, the Tallapoosa County Board of Education is quickly reaching the required one-month’s reserve of operating, an amount totaling about $1.8 million and are beginning to plan what to do with the additional revenue once the goal is met. “We should reach our one month’s reserve with either the December or January tax payment,” Superintendent Joe Windle told the board Monday night. “At that point we will begin the projects that are on Phase I of the capital improvement plan and See EDUCATION • Page 7
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