COMMUNITY COLUMNIST
OPINION: PAGE A4
SPORTS:
Rebels get first win R of Johnson era.
Betty Hayes and the community recap!
‘CHARGED UP: Great to be alive and living in our area’
Page B1
Page B3
THE RECORD Serving the Dadeville & Lake Martin area since 1897
WWW.THEDADEVILLERECORD.COM
VOL. 119, NO. 36
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2016
No arrests in American Legion shooting
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Law enforcement are still seeking the people they have identified as suspects in a Dadeville shooting that left five injured. “We have not made an arrest yet,” Dadeville Police Chief David Barbour said Tuesday. According to Chief Barbour, officers were called to the American Legion Hall on East Columbus Street in Dadeville at 12:29 a.m. Sunday, Aug. 28 on a report of shots fired and individuals injured. The hall had
Holiday weekend on Lake Martin a safe one By MITCH SNEED Editor
What is widely recognized as the last big weekend of the summer season on Lake Martin was a relatively calm one according the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s Marine Patrol Division. According to Marine Patrol Division Lt. Mark Fuller said that traffic on the water over the long Labor Day weekend was lighter than expected, particularly on Friday and Saturday. “Traffic was relatively light on Friday and Saturday due to schools being back in session and football season being under way,” Fuller said. “Sunday was moderately busy as was Monday.” Lighter traffic and high visibility also played a role in reducing the number of incidents encountered by law enforcement of the water.
been rented to individuals for a birthday, Barbour said. Upon arrival officers identified five people who had been injured in the shooting. One victim was taken by LifeFlight to Baptist South in Montgomery. That man was hospitalized for more than a week, but nothing new was known on his condition. The other four victims received non-life-threatening injuries, according to Barbour, and as of Monday had been released from area hospitals. Two had been taken to East Alabama Medical Center, one to Lake Martin Community Hospital and a fourth was treated
at Russell Medical Center in Alexander City. Barbour said two suspects have been developed in this case, but did not release names, but did say that warrants have been obtained. Barbour said that officers from the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department, Camp Hill Police Department and the Jacksons Gap Police Department offered assistance in the case. Barbour said the investigation was ongoing and investigators are following leads and closing in
See SHOOTING • Page A3
Finances better for county schools
Samantha Williams hugs her dad Ed after being named 2016 Dadeville High School Homecoming Queen Friday night. The school celebrated homecoming with a pep rally and parade. For more images of the day look inside to page B6.
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / The Record
HOMECOMING DHS pulls out all the stops rallying for the Tigers
Things are looking up for Tallapoosa County Schools’ finances thanks to an increase of funding in all areas as the Tallapoosa County Board of Education works on its next budget. “This is one of the best budgets I can ever remember,” Tallapoosa County Board of Education Chief Financial Officer Phil Blasingame said. “This is the best that we have had since at least 2008. It should hold next year, most likely with level funding.” Last year at this time, the system was struggling with declining revenue from the state and were not yet collecting the new 1-cent sales tax. Both federal and state funding is increasing, especially for transportation. An increase of $160,000 for transportation from the state means less local money will be needed to transport students. “We have been putting $200,000 to $250,000 a year of local funds into transportation,” Tommy Thweatt said. “That will free up some local funds.” There is also an increase of $570,000 in federal funds. The board is looking at a budget with total revenues of $28,887,081 with $15,486,276 coming from the state, $3,215,641 from the federal government
See LABOR DAY • Page A3
See SCHOOL • Page A5
Page piles up pushups to shine light on veteran suicide By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Record
Above, Jess Page, right, leads members of the Alexander City Police Department through the #22KILL Challenge Thursday morning to help raise awareness for veteran suicide.
Starting Friday:
Greater – PG Don’t Breathe – R Ben-Hur 3D – PG-13
To say that Alexander City’s Jess Page is pushing hard to raise awareness for veteran suicide prevention would be an understatement. Page, who is the minister at Good News Baptist Church in Jacksons Gap, is working on completing #22KILL Challenge, a nationwide movement that asks people to do pushups in honor of veterans and to raise awareness for the growing problem of suicide from those who have served our country. The national movement began in 2013 after the Veterans Administration released stats that showed that an average of 22
veterans commit suicide every day. “My daughter challenged me to do it and at first I didn’t even know if I could still do 22 pushups, let alone do 22 for 22 days in a row,” Page said. “The more I read about it and how it was helping raise awareness to the problem of suicide among our veterans, I knew I had to give it a try. “I’m 70 years old and weigh more than 200 pounds. It wasn’t easy for me I can tell you that, but so far so good. But you would be surprised how many people, even young people, that can’t do it.” Page’s quest has taken him to different locations where he has called on others to join him. He dropped and did 22 at Walmart with See PUSH • Page A 3
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LAKE AREA REALTY
“Selling
Rhonda Gaskins, Broker ® Lake Martin” Cell: (256) 749-3644 rhonda@lakearearealty.net 440 N. Broadnax Street Q Dadeville, AL