SPORTS:
OPINION: THE PUNISHMENT DOESN’T ALWAYS FIT THE CRIME
BRHS hoops teams split games with Sylacauga. Page 12
THURSDAY
THE
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 December 3, 2015 Vol. 123, No. 241 www.alexcityoutlook.com
Man to serve 10 years in ‘Cold Case’ murder By Cliff Williams Outlook Staff Writer
A man who admitted to raping and strangling a Camp Hill woman to death will serve just 10 years in prison. Markis Edward Heard, 35, plead guilty Wednesday before Judge Ray Martin to the February 2005 felony murder and first-degree rape of 78-year-old Willie Louise Kellum of
Camp Hill. Heard’s plea agreement has a split sentence of 20 years to serve five years for each of the counts to be served consecutively. Heard will serve 10 years in prison and 30 years on parole. Heard was arrested on Oct. 13, 2013 after investigators indicated the state Department of Forensic Sciences had “definitively linked” Heard to the crime through DNA analysis. At the time of Heard’s arrest, he was already in jail
serving a 15-year sentence for first-degree sexual abuse of a child. Heard was convicted in 2008 in the abuse case. Heard was originally charged with capital murder/burglary and capital murder/rape. The Kellum murder garnered national attention when it appeared on the TNT Network show Cold Justice. On the television show and in previous reports See CASE, Page 3
Heard
Wind Creek receives grant for playground Wind Creek will focus on erosion control, new equipment in playground improvements By David Granger Outlook Staff Writer
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
RMC’s Jessica Sanford and Abbie Brown, Reginald Clifton of ACMS, BRHS Principal Anthony Wilkinson, Radney Principal Andrew Caves, Crissie Garcia, Bill Young , Dr. Darrell Cooper, Jim Pearson Principal Jamie Forbus and Stephens Principal Kim Smith pose with signs and cards that will be sent to the 214th Military Police Company.
Christmas cards set to be sent to troops in 214th By Mitch Sneed Outlook Editor
Hundreds of brightly colored cards and envelopes filled boxes and baskets Wednesday at the Alexander City Board of Education Building, all gathered to
be sent to make a group of soldiers serving their country feel appreciated this holiday season. Alexander City resident and former councilman Bill
Young spearheaded an effort to collect Christmas cards to send to Alexander City’s own 214th Military Police Company which has been in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, for about a month now. He said he never thought
he would see the response to what started out as a small gesture. Young thanked the board of education, Russell Medical Center and The Outlook for pitching in to help with collections and See CARDS, Page 3
Erosion control and new equipment will likely be the focus of the Wind Creek State Park playground renovations funded by a $51,000 grant the park recently received from the federal Land and Water Conservation Fund, according to Gerad Martin, manager of the park. “The playground is already in outdated condition,” said Martin. “We don’t have a detailed plan as of now, but our priority is working on the foundation and preventing the erosion that’s taking place there. That will be our first focus.” Currently, the playground is riddled with ruts caused by erosion. Current equipment includes a sliding board, swings and “a merry-go-round type apparatus,” Martin said. “We’ll upgrade the equipment, too,” Martin said. “Hopefully, we’ll add more swings and replace the other equipment and have enough money to do some more things.” The grant requires a 100 percent match, which means the park with have a total of approximately $102,000 to work with, Martin said. Gov. Robert Bently announced Alabama’s recipients of the Land and Water Conservation Fund grants Nov. 24. Wind Creek is one of four Alabama See PLAYGROUND, Page 3
Today’s
Weather
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Meals on Wheels hosts another successful fundraiser By Cliff Williams
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Outlook Staff Writer
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54708 90050
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USPS Permit # 013-080
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
481.64 Reported on12/02/15 @ 5 p.m.
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
Around town today volunteers from Meals on Wheels will be delivering Chickfil-A lunches. The quarterly fundraiser for the organization has proven to be successful and this time is no different. “I think without a Chick-fil-A everyone looks forward to having something a little different,” Meals on Wheels Board President Cynthia Miller said. “This is the biggest one yet. We sold nearly 1,000 sandwich meals.” Meals on Wheels expects to deliver over 16,000 meals in 2015. But not just anybody can sign up. For the last 30 or so years it has been serving those in the Alexander City See MEALS, Page 3
presented by
FBC Choir and Orchestra December 12 th 7:00 pm December 13 th 11:00 am
Cliff Williams/ The Outlook
Patricia Barley, left, Linda Boone, Chris Burley, Lou Ann Wagoner get bags ready Wednesday afternoon as Meals on Wheels gets ready for its quarterly lunch that it sales for a fundraiser. Today’s meal is from Chick-fil-A.
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