SPORTS, PAGE 8
OPINION: PROTESTING WRONG WITH MORE WRONG? PAGE 4.
FRIDAY
THE
Wildcats seek third win
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 September 23, 2016 Vol. 124, No. 192 www.alexcityoutlook.com
Candidates deny ties to poll calls
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Over the last few weeks, residents have reported getting calls asking their preference in the runoff for the mayor’s post in Alexander City. Both challenger Jim Nabors and incumbent Charles Shaw say the calls were not initiated by their campaigns. Calls from what is listed as an Alexander City cellphone with a 537 prefix dialed residents on their cell numbers as well as home phones. “Good evening, I’m calling to ask you who you will be voting for in the runoff for mayor in Alexander City,” a caller who would only identify herself as Nicole said on one call. When asked who she was making the calls for, the
woman said she wasn’t allowed to say. When questioned further, Nicole said it was an independent survey. Nabors, who received 1,838 votes to 792 for Shaw in the Aug. 23 election where four people battled for the mayor’s post, said that the calls residents are getting were not on behalf of his campaign. “We aren’t doing any polling for the runoff,” Nabors said Wednesday. “We did have a company do some before the Aug. 23 vote, but that’s not us this time.” Nabors had 47.4 percent of the votes to just 20.4 percent for Shaw. But since Nabors’ vote total was just under the 50 percent plus one vote needed, the runoff pairing is set. Last week Shaw also said that he had heard about the calls, but said they weren’t on his behalf.
“That’s not coming from us at all,” Shaw said. “We’ve had some people call us and ask about them, but I have no idea who initiated that.” Some people who received the calls questioned how the callers had gotten private numbers and cell phone numbers that weren’t supposed to be listed. Residents may put numbers on items such as questionnaires, forms or applications and they often become public record and can be accessed by services for purposes like doing surveys. Resident Jason Henley said he got a call from a man using a similar cellphone number and said it was a very unprofessional call. “I got a call from cell number asking who I am See POLL • Page 3
County schools seek to refinance bonds
Local law enforcement: don’t feed the clown frenzy By MITCH SNEED Editor
Despite calls and social media posts saying that people dressed as clowns have been spotted in the area, local law enforcement agencies say they have found no credible evidence that any of those reports are accurate. Wednesday, police checked out two reports, one that was called in saying a clown was spotted in a truck in the parking lot at Walmart and a second that was posted on social media about a clown sighting at the Dollar General in Alexander City. In both cases, Alexander City Police Department Deputy Chief Jay Turner said no credible evidence was found that any costumed clowns were actually in the area on either occasion. “We had officers go out and check those two incidents and investigate thoroughly,” Turner said. “We interviewed people and checked surveillance video and we found no evidence of anyone dressed as a clown, wearing a mask or anything in either one. “We have to take them seriously, but See FRENZY • Page 3
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
487.11
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Above, Tony Pennington scares trick or treaters with his chainsaw as part of his Halloween theme last year. Pennington and other area residents have expressed concerns about safety this year in light of the clown frenzy.
Clown frenzy creates safety concerns for Halloween season By MITCH SNEED Editor
For some area residents, the whole creepy clown panic has them reconsidering some long-time traditions. Tony Pennington and his family have been decorating a home for Halloween on Semmes Street for more than a decade, complete with a Halloween night show to add to the fun. He said the craziness surrounding the
Experts say weight loss is best way to prevent arthritis By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Reported on 9/22/16 @ 6 p.m.
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
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clowns this year has him wondering what to do now. “For the last 12 to 15 years I have been scaring trick or treaters with my chainsaw and mask – yes a clown mask,” Pennington said. “It has been a lot of fun. We have families that come from all over just to see it. We even have kids that came by when they were kids and now bring their children. “But I don’t think, with all this stuff going on, I’m going to do it. While 99 percent of See HALLOWEEN • Page 3
The Tallapoosa County Board of Education is considering refunding $4 million in bonds that were issued in 2010. The board is also looking to sell more bonds that would be tied to the passed sales tax passed last year or its replacement. The refunding move would give the system over $422,000 in a cash payment when the bonds are resold. Ken Funderburk of Stifel Merchant Capital’s Montgomery explained the money comes from taking advantage of the lower interest rate available in the bond markets currently and would not affect the payment or lengthen the repayment of the bond. “You have a chance to save significant money without extending the time,” Funderburk See SCHOOL • Page 3
Doctors Paul Goldhagen, left, and John Adams answer questions at Thursday’s Ask the Experts session on osteoarthritis and obesity at Russell Medical Center.
“Weight-loss is the best medicine,” Dr. John Adams, a general physician with Alexander City’s Total Health Care told the group gathered to hear a presentation on osteoarthritis and obesity Thursday afternoon at Russell Medical Center. “It can fix just about everything.” Adams was speaking on one approach to conquering obesity, the Ketogenic diet, after a presentation by Dr. Paul Goldhagen on osteoarthritis, obesity and surgical treatments for arthritis, which often results from obsesity. “Arthritis is the loss of articular cartilage,” Goldhagen said. “That’s the shiny white stuff at the end of a chicken bone. Well, we have that same kind of cartilage cushioning our joints.” Goldhagen said when that articular cartilage is lost, it results on bone rubbing against bone and the resulting pain.
He said there are certain non-modifiable causes of arthritis, which include age, gender and genetics, adding that the risk increases with age and 60 percent of women suffer from arthritis as opposed to 40 percent of men. Modifiable causes of arthritis include joint injury, infection, occupation (repetitive bending and squatting) and being overweight or obese, Goldhagen said. Symptoms of arthritis include pain, swelling, stiffness in the joint and the pain may be worse either with use or at rest, Goldhagen said. He said treatments include use of anti-inflammatory or pain medications, resting or off-loading the joint, bracing the joint or injections of cortisone or hyaluronic acid (taken from the comb of a rooster and makes the joint fluid more viscous). Goldhagen also discussed two relatively new types of surgical treatment See HEALTH • Page 3
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