OPINION: WIND CREEK PROVES IT’S A SPECIAL PLACE, PAGE 4.
THURSDAY
THE
HALL OF FAME Dadeville’s Brownie Caldwell honored, page 10.
Lighting the way for Alexander City
October 20, 2016
SPORTS, PAGE 12
& Lake Martin since 1892
Vol. 124, No. 211
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www.alexcityoutlook.com
Numbers shed light on golf course funds By MITCH SNEED Editor
No arrests or indictments have surfaced as a result of an investigation into missing funds from Alexander City’s Lakewinds Golf Course, but numbers released to members of the city council this week shed light on the amount of money missing and shows that new procedures are in place to guard against similar incidents in the future.
In a report from City Finance Director Sandra Machen, numbers show that from roughly $346,000 in revenue in the fiscal year from Oct. 1, 2015 to Sept. 30, 2016, a little more than $22,000 is unaccounted for. That amount comes after adding deposits that were made to the bank after being taken to city hall, credit and debit purchases, gift cards used and cash paid out to vendors. When that total was subtracted from the recorded revenue, about $22,000 does not appear in the account-
ing for golf course funds. “Carr, Riggs and Ingram did the investigation at the mayor’s request and that was then given to the mayor and then to the district attorney and then it was reported to the attorney general,” Machen said. “Because of the investigation, that is something that we have not seen. But using a new system and in checking bank records and reconciliations, that is what we have not been able to locate.” Machen said that from Jan. 17 of this year, records shows that every deposit is
accounted for and she said that new procedures have been put in place to guard against the potential of any future issues or theft. “We now have all of the golf course funds going into its own account rather than the general fund account,” Machen said. “That will make it much easier to track back. Also, the person who brings the deposit to city hall signs off on it as well as the person who handles it. That
Rally in the Alley begins at 5 p.m.
See FUNDS • Page 3
CRATA sponsors meeting on black bears
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
By BETSY ILER TPI Magazine Editor
One of the area’s most anticipated downtown events is set for tonight as Rally in the Alley will begin at 5 p.m. The event is one in a series of autumn events that bring people together to celebrate the season and give patrons a chance to pick up some incredible hand-decorated items in the Chairish Alexander City raffle. This year more than 60 items have been donated and they will be on display in the alley that connects Main Street to Alabama Street downtown. The event runs until 6:30 p.m. “Our entire Fall Festival starts with Rally in the Alley on Thursday evening,” said Jamie Dark, a member of MainStreet’s Fall Festival committee. “That will give people interested in them a chance to stroll through and view them while enjoying a glass of wine or beer or just a water.” Tickets are $5 each and go toward a chance to win the item the ticketbuyer specifies when the ticket is purchased. Tickets are available today at the MainStreet office and will be available at Rally in the Alley. With such a large number of items of so many styles and designs, this year’s raffle should bring plenty of interest See RALLY • Page 7
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
TRAINING GROUND Football is king in the South. From JordanHare and Bryant Denny stadiums on Saturday afternoons and evenings to Friday night lights, young boys and girls dream of playing for and cheering on their favorite teams. But first, many children take to fields in Tallapoosa County for youth league games with hopes of stepping up someday. For more images, see page 11.
Alabama Black Bear Alliance Director Daniel Powell addressed a gathering of about 50 people at the Red Hill Community Center Tuesday evening to increase awareness of black bears, their travels and habits and recent population growth. Cherokee Ridge Alpine Trail Association (CRATA) sponsored the event. “Since we are expanding the trail system into the Yates Lake area, we thought it would be a good idea to have people be more aware of bears,” explained CRATA founder Jimmy Lanier. “There have been several sightings of bears in our general area recently – one in Union at a birdfeeder.” A large male bear was spotted moving across the area last spring, but Powell said the likelihood of running up on a bear while deer hunting this fall are slim at best. “This is a secretive animal,” Powell said. “It is such a secretive animal that no one knows how many there are in the state. This animal does not want to be See BEAR • Page 3
Lake Martin
Drug Take-Back Day event Saturday at Walgreens
Lake Levels Wetumpka woman killed in 485.06 Kellyton crash Reported on 10/19/16 @ 8 p.m.
By MITCH SNEED Editor
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Residents can keep drugs off the street and out of Alabama’s water supply by participating in the 12th annual Drug Take-Back Day event. On Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. there will be a collection center set up at Walgreens in Alexander City to dispose of unwanted, unused or expired medications. Anyone can bring any kind of over-thecounter or pharmaceutical-grade drug to be disposed by the state Drug Enforcement Agency. “Years ago it was actually recommended See DRUGS • Page 3
256-329-1313
5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
A two-vehicle crash Tuesday evening near Kellyton claimed the life of a Wetumpka woman and injured another. Gloria Grier Allen, 66, was seriously injured when the 2002 Toyota Sequoia in which she was a passenger collided with a 2007 Freightliner tractor-trailer. Allen was transported to UAB Hospital in Birmingham, where she died a short time later. The Sequoia’s driver, Sharon See CRASH • Page 3
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