SPORTS
OPINION: CLOWN THREATS ARE NO LAUGHING MATTER, PAGE 4.
Bishop helps Blue Devils top basketball tourney Page 10.
THURSDAY
THE
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 September 22, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 191
www.alexcityoutlook.com
Golf course funds remain a concern Council questions delay in implementing financial safeguards By MITCH SNEED Editor
Members of the Alexander City City Council are concerned that everything possible is being done to make sure that the money for the city’s LakeWinds Golf Course is being properly accounted for. Council members Bob Howard, Billy Ray Wall and
Council President Jim Spann all questioned whether procedures that were discussed in June had been put in place. In June, Alexander City Parks and Recreation Director Sonny Wilson reported to the mayor and council that some deposits again appeared not to be correct according to his calculations. “Ms. Machen was sent home the day after we discussed that and was gone for several weeks again in August,” Howard said. Howard asked Shaw if any of the things requested by the council such as depositing golf course funds into their own account and compiling a monthly income
statement had been implemented “I thought we were going to wait until Oct. 1, but did we say Aug. 1?” Shaw asked. “We haven’t, but I guess we can look into getting that started.” Howard said he felt it needed to be done as soon as possible to clear up any problems. “We were going to correct those numbers and then we were going to start depositing golf course funds on Aug. 1 and then produce a monthly income statement,” Howard said. Machen said the city has ordered deposit slips for the new golf course account that has been opened. She said See FUNDS • Page 3
Former pastor indicted on sexual assault charges
School board looking at upgrades to HVAC, lighting
By MITCH SNEED Editor
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
The Alexander City Board of Education heard a presentation Tuesday night from representatives of Schneider Electric Buildings Americas Inc. and authorized Superintendent Darrell Cooper to enter into a design agreement with the company for upgrades to HVAC systems, lighting and control systems throughout the school system. “We’ll make our last payment in October on the last work that they did for us,” said Cooper, referring to upgrades that have resulted in some $1 million in savings to the school system since they were begun 10 years ago. “We still have a lot of needed upgrades, particularly to our HVAC systems, and we hope to just divert that money to that work. Plus, as we make the upgrades, hopefully we’ll be saving money, too. I don’t know that the upgrades will pay for themselves, but anything they can save us will be helpful.” Cooper said that several HVAC units throughout the system were more than 20 years old and would soon need to be replaced anyway. He added that lighting in four of the See SCHOOL• Page 3
model red pickup truck with a confederate flag showing in the back. Was it another of the many “creepy clown” sightings or, considering the description of the vehicle, perhaps a Billy Bob Bozo clown wannabe? Officers were dispatched to the parking lot, but found the vehicle empty when they arrived. They backed off and waited for the occupant of the vehicle to return. But when the owner returned, there was no white makeup, no red nose, no rainbow wig and not a single balloon animal. The
A 62-year-old former minister at an Alexander City church has been indicted on multiple charges, including three counts of first-degree sexual assault of a minor female. Roy Eugene Wooten, 62, of Alexander City was formally indicted during a recent session Wooten of the Tallapoosa County Grand Jury in Alexander City. The date listed on the indictment is Aug. 12. The formal charges include three counts of first-degree sexual assault, one count of third-degree domestic assault and one count of domestic violence by strangulation. Wooten, who was originally arrested on Feb. 24 after an investigation by the Alexander City Police Department, remains free on $100,000 bond following the indictment.
See CLOWN • Page 3
See INDICTED • Page 3
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Officers with the Alexander City Police Department question a driver in the parking lot of Walmart after a call of a driver in a creepy clown costume driving a red truck was called into 911. No arrest was made.
CLOWN CAPER Clown sighting at Walmart proves unfounded
By MITCH SNEED Editor
While there have been no Internet threats to local schools or facilities from “creepy clowns,” the clown phenomenon that has led to at least five arrests across Alabama does have Alexander City residents on the lookout. Wednesday afternoon a customer at Walmart on Highway 280 called police to alert them to a person dressed as a clown in the parking lot. The caller told dispatchers that she saw a male, dressed in a clown costume in an older
Lake Levels ‘Experts’ to provide information on obesity, arthritis 487.15 Lake Martin
Together, arthritis and obesity affect millions of Americans and one can affect another. Since so many are affected, More than 50 million Americans suffer Russell Medical Center will sponfrom arthritis. It is the number one cause sor an informational session by Drs. of disability in the country, affecting one Paul Goldhagen and John Adams on Thursday at noon in the Russell Medical in every five adults, 300,000 children Community Room of the Professional and countless families, according to the Building to discuss the two conditions. Arthritis Foundation. Goldhagen is an orthopedic surgeon More than one-third of U.S. adults with special interest in knee and hip have obesity. Many of those have replacement and sports-related injuries. obesity-related conditions that include Adams is a primary care physician. heart disease, stroke, type 2 diabetes “We’ll be talking about how arthritis and certain types of cancer –some of the and obesity are related, the newest, latleading causes of preventable death. The est and greatest treatments for both and estimated annual medical cost of obesity some common myths, particularly about in the U.S. was $147 billion in 2008; the obesity,” said Goldhagen of the “Ask medical costs for people who are obese the Experts” session. “For example, one were $1,429 higher than those of normal weight, according to the Centers for myth about obesity is that eating less and exercising more is an effective way Disease Control. By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
of weight loss. That’s not true.” The two will also discuss how certain factors contribute to an increased risk of osteoarthritis. Goldhagen said the informational session would also include infor- Adams mation on ambulatory knee and hip replacements, anterior total hip replacement and the ketogenic diet, a diet that is very low in carbohydrates and high in fat. The doctors’ presentations will be followed by a question-and-answer session. A healthy lunch Goldhagen will be provided.
Reported on 9/21/16 @ 76 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
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