CHAMBER PULSE INSIDE TODAY, PAGES 6-7.
TUESDAY
THE
BUDGET TALK
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
Council sets budget work session today, page 5.
September 29, 2015
Vol. 123, No. 194
www.alexcityoutlook.com
DADEVILLE DATA Jennings injury update and Tigers preview, page 12.
Freeman maintains innocence
Highway 63 paving continues Tallapoosa County portion nearing completion as work begins in Elmore By David Granger
Former football star calls sexual assault allegations against him ‘ludicrous and false’
Outlook Staff Writer
Road work being done on Highway 63 in Tallapoosa County will continue into Elmore County south to the northern city limits of Eclectic, according to Tim Wright, district manager for the Alabama Department of Transportation in Autauga and Elmore counties. The project will result in the complete resurfacing of the highway between Alexander City and Eclectic. Wright said work on the Elmore County section of the highway began around Sept.1. He said that ALDOT’s contracts did not include dates as deadlines for projects, but instead spell out the number of working days in which the project must be completed. “We don’t (put deadline dates in contracts) because of weather and other things that might come up that wouldn’t allow the contractor to be on site,” Wright said. “Instead, we specify the number of working days.” Wright said the contract with Montgomery’s Asphalt Contractors Inc. for widening, resurfacing and striping the Elmore County portion of highway – which is 9.6 miles long – calls for the work to be completed in 65 working days. Barring inclement weather and other issues, that would result in completion of the project around the first of the year. “But we are coming into the rainy and cold season,” Wright pointed out. The beginning of the project will likely see the ACI crews work north to south, See PAVING, Page 5
By Mitch Sneed Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
L Local residents were able to walk up or even drive up to the tent set up to hand over old, eexpired or unwanted medications at Saturday’s Drug Take-Back event at Walgreens in Alexander City. A
“Saturday turned out to be a great day, the response was overwhelming for Alex City,” Eddie Spivey, a task force officer with the DEA, said. There were over 100 people that showed up at the Walgreen’s collections site, and roughly 192 pounds of drugs were collected, according to Sgt. Fred White of the Tallapoosa County
Former Benjamin Russell and Auburn University football star Eltoro Freeman and his attorney are speaking out after allegations of his involvement in a sexual assault surfaced last week. In a letter sent to the Outlook through his attorney Kalia S. Lane of Tuskegee, Freeman said he knows he will be vindicated when the process is complete. “I am innocent,” Freeman wrote in his statement. “While I may not be perfect, as no man is, I am definitely not a sexual predator. I am perplexed by these allegations and have no idea why anyone would make them against me. Although I cannot go into detail about the specifics contained in the allegation, I will say that they are ludicrous and false.” The entire text of Freeman’s statement appears on page 4 of today’s Outlook. Alexander City Police Chief Willie Robinson confirmed last Wednesday that a sexual assault claim involving Freeman has been investigated, with the findings likely to be presented to the grand jury. “The incident was first reported in April,” Robinson said. “It was reported by a third party, but we had not had an opportunity to speak with the victim. That has been done now and a sexual assault complaint was signed earlier this week.” Robinson said he could not release any further details of the investigation, but did say that Freeman had not been arrested on charges related to the sexual assault complaint at this time. Freeman was arrested on Aug. 24 on a criminal mischief charge. Robinson said that Freeman was accused of causing damage to a vehicle belonging to the same woman who is listed as the victim in the sexual assault case. Records show that Freeman posted a bond shortly after his arrest and released a short time later. Lane said that her client has not been charged and cautioned against any rush to judgment in the case against Freeman.
See DRUGS, Page 5
See FREEMAN, Page 5
DRUG DISPOSAL
192 pounds of drugs turned in at Saturday event By Corey Arwood Outlook Staff Writer
The Drug Take-Back Event of Alexander City Drug drew a large turnA out o and garnered an even larger amount of o drugs for disposal, potentially breaking in previous years’ records. The efforts were the result of an inter-agency partnership among city, in county and state agencies. c There was also collaboration between law enforcement and a local b environmental group. e “It did so well for our agencies to partner because it helps both sides, p the th environmental and the safety side,” Sabrina Wood, of the Middle s Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership, T said. s She said that it was the biggest event the th group had been involved in so far and a that there was anything from old chemotherapy medicine to very strong c antibiotics being dropped off. a “From a water standpoint all you can think about is, ‘I am so glad those were th not n flushed,’” said Wood. This was the 10th year of the event, which is part of a program sponsored w by b the Federal Drug Enforcement Agency. A
Outlook Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force’s Fred White and Danny Spivey of the DEA empty medications into containers at Saturday’s event.
Horizons Unlimited treated to a special classic jazz program By Mia Osborn Outlook Staff Writer
Mia Osborn / The Outlook
Former Sylacauga Band Director Buddy Simpkins put together a classic jazz presentation for Horizons Unlimited Monday at The Arbor In Alexander City.
On Monday, the Alexander City Horizons Unlimited program brought its members together for an afternoon of classic jazz, blues and pop music. Most Horizons events are held at the Board of Education, but this one was relocated to the Arbor Building of the First United Methodist Church on Green St. so the band would have space to set up. Buddy Simpkins, former band director at Sylacauga High School, hosted the event. Buddy taught for 36 years before retirement. Then he took his love of music on the road. He became involved in the Horizons Unlimited program after prominent Horizons member Pat Bice attended a gig in his hometown. “Pat heard us play in Sylacauga,” he said. “That’s how this got started.”
To help him bring his favorite blues songs to life, Simpkins contacted Birmingham blues queen Elnora Spencer. A 40-year veteran of the music business, Spencer has opened for blues greats such as B.B. King and Bobby Bland. Last year, she was inducted into the Alabama Blues Hall of Fame. Spencer’s soulful vocals echoed through the Arbor auditorium as she led the musicians through hours of classic songs. For her, the Horizons Unlimited event was just one stop in a long line of public appearances. “We do shows here and there,” said Spencer. “Stuff people can dance to. I do jazz, blues, gospel, even country.” For his part, Simpkins was happy for the chance to share the stage with Spencer and her band. “I booked ‘em, so I got to play the drums,” he laughed.
Today’s
Weather
82 70 High
Low
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
487.57 Reported on 9/28/15 @ 1 p.m.
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