OPINION PAGE 4
LOCAL, PAGE 11 ACTS honors two of their most dedicated volunteers.
‘Hunting the good stuff is better than focusing on the negatives.’
SPORTS, PAGE 12
Tallassee baseball continues to see success.
INSIDE
LOCAL FUNERAL ARRANGEMENTS, PAGE 2.
The Tallassee Tribune DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER TALLASSEE AREA
TALLASSEE, AL 36078 TALLASSEETRIBUNE.COM
Tractor Supply Co. comes to Tallassee
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April 6, 2016
OPENING SOON
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
The TRA, Tallassee Redevelopment Authority, approved Tractor Supply Company (TSCO), a large retail chain of stores that offers products for home improvement, agriculture, lawn and garden maintenance, and livestock, equine and pet care to move into what was the Walmart building on Gilmer Avenue. The shopping center once housed Walmart, WinnDixie and Dollar General. After Dollar General and Walmart relocated and Winn-Dixie closed the shopping center sat empty for over a year. This will soon change if the TRA is successful in bringing the franchise to town. T-Fit is Tallassee’s newest fitness center. The gym opened in March and is located inside the building that was once Dollar General. This new business has begun to bring life back to the empty shopping center and the addition of Tractor Supply Company would only continue to bring additional business to the west side of the city. After approval from the redevelopment board, the proposal will now go be the City Council. The City Council has long said it does not want any new business that will cannibalize other businesses and pay little to no city sales tax. This is where the See TRACTOR • Page 3
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Potential site picked for pool City can now move forward in pursuit of grant funding for project By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune
Milton McGregor announced Monday morning that he would be reopening his gambling facility, sooner rather than later. He said plans are to open in the ‘early summer.’
‘It’s not legal, it’s political’ says Victoryland’s Milton McGregor
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Milton McGregor along with Macon County Sheriff Andrea Brunson, Macon County Probate Judge Alfonzo Menefee and Andy Hornsby of Macon County stood in front of a large crowd inside the foyer of VictoryLand Monday to announce that the facility will be open sooner rather than later. “I will reopen,” he said “In the coming weeks and that is just to start.” McGregor also said he intends on giving the Native Americans some competition and adding that he does not run from competition and VictoryLand would pay local and state taxes, unlike the gaming facilities run by the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in Wetumpka, Montgomery and Atmore.
McGregor stated numerous times that what Bob Riley and Luther Strange did to his facility was “wrong.” Not only did the task force raid the facility, according to McGregor they left his facility in disarray. “Once we got our contractors in and they started working they realized the damage was much worse than we had ever anticipated,” McGregor said. “We had to have new wiring, unexpected construction was required and it was a shameful the way Luther Strange and his people treated our facility. Shameful.” Furthermore, in an attempt to hinder the reopening of VictoryLand, McGregor contends that Strange drew up a document that would impede vendors of the electronic bingo machines See VICTORYLAND • Page 11
Last Wednesday Mayor Bobby Payne, Councilman Charles Blaylock and Greg Clark from CARPDC met with District Five County Commissioner Stephanie Daniels Smoke to discuss options pertaining to the two grey brick buildings and the vacant brick building that sit across the street from them in Jordanville. The owners of the buildings were also present for this meeting. The citizens of Jordanville came out in droves to express their desire for a community or senior center to serve the community.
Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune
Options were discussed to build a community center or senior senior in the pictured lot.
Commissioner Smoke took a moment to talk to all of the people who gather around the buildings in Jordanville. “She went over and talked with them. She told them she would do whatever she could to make this dream come true,” Blaylock said. Currently, many of the Jordanville residents spend their days in the parking lot of the abandoned buildings. This is what Councilman See JORDANVILLE • Page 11
City Council passed a motion that called for the new pool to be constructed behind the girl’s softball field in East Tallassee.
Good Roots helps beautify and strengthen communities with tree-planting projects that benefit the environment, and support recreation and economic development efforts. This beautification endeavor is an ongoing project by the Mayor and other city officials. “When we applied for the grant, we wanted to continue beautifications efforts along the entry to our city from Interstate 85. We have See GRANT • Page 3
LINVILLE MEMORIAL
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Carmen Rodgers / The Outlook
Tallassee and other communities across Alabama are planting trees and launching beautification projects as part of this year’s round of Good Roots grants from the Alabama Power Foundation. In partnership with the Alabama Forestry Commission and the Alabama Urban Forestry Association, the foundation provides Good Roots grants to help cities, schools, towns and nonprofit organizations plant trees.
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After months and months of back and fourth the Tallassee City Council approved a location for the proposed new swimming pool. All seven members of the council were present for the vote for or against the pool proposal. Russ Robinson gave each member a map of the proposed site and made it clear that there was enough land at the proposed location for future expansion. The proposed location for the pool would be behind the girl’s softball complex in East Tallassee. The city owns 18 acres behind the softball complex. “There’s room for more things to be built back there in the future,” said Councilman Rob Rygiel. It was five to two decision to pass the proposal. Most members made it clear that their intentions were geared toward the children of the inner city and this location would benefit those children better than any previously proposed. Furthermore,
Alabama Power awards Tallassee Good Roots Grant
Change coming to Jordanville community By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
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