OPINION: HOMETOWN CHRISTMAS PARADE STELLAR EVENT
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Drive-by shooting injures one in Dadeville By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Gunshots rang out Friday evening near Peachtree Street in Dadeville leaving one man injured. Neighbors described it as automatic gunfire. “It went boom, boom, boom, boom real quick,” a neighbor who did not want to be identified said. 911 dispatch received a call of gunshots into a dwelling on Peachtree Street at 6:22 p.m. “Some residents called about shots fired,” Dadeville Police Department Lt. Chris Martin said. “They said there were several loud shots in very quick succession and
based on what we found inside, it is more than just a pistol. There were several people inside the home. We have one person who was injured.” One male was transported to Russell Medical for a gunshot wound to the hand. Friday night law enforcement marked several shell casings at the intersection of Blueberry Street and Peachtree Street and could be seen marking where rounds entered the home. Martin said it appears the rounds came from an assault rifle. “We have some bullets that have torn through one wall of the house, through appliances and through the See SHOOTING • Page 3
Neighbors look over the scene where a gunman fired several rounds at a home on Peachtree Street in Dadeville Friday night. Cliff Williams / The Outlook
BRHS to hold Alexander City gets in holiday spirit Christmas concert
Council approves spending for sidewalk repairs
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Students from the Benjamin Russell High School choral department, along with a handful of selected choir students from Alexander City Middle School will be presenting their annual Christmas concert Sunday, Dec. 10 beginning at 2:30 p.m. Held at the Trinity Campus of the First United Methodist Church on Highway 280, the performance will include a mixture of traditional and more modern Christmas music. “The music will depend on the group performing,” Choral Director Molly Cross said. “The traditional choir will be performing things like ‘God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen,’ the gospel choir will perform religious music, and the show choir will be singing more pop tunes.” With so many different pieces being performed during the concert, Cross said she wanted to select musical numbers that would challenge her students, but would still be keeping with the overall spirit of the season. She also said that the middle school See CONCERT • Page 3
By MITCH SNEED Editor
In downtown Alexander City alone, 394 trip hazards and obstructions have been identified along sidewalks and roadways and Monday night the Alexander City City Council approved money to address those issues. In a 6-0 vote, the council approved a resolution to authorize the mayor to execute a contract with Precision Concrete Cutting to repair trip hazards on downtown sidewalks. The contract will pay Precision $28,160, but council members said the work is very important. “Wow, 394, that’s amazing to me that we have that many,” Councilman Bobby Tapley said. Buffy Colvin said she wasn’t surprised. “Due to the fact that I push my Momma around all over town, that doesn’t amaze me,” Colvin said. “This will be a big help.” Alexander City Community Development Director Al Jones explained how the work would be handled. “Anything more than a quarter of inch, they will either cut and grind down so that there won’t be a hazard and it will make them more passable for those using wheelchairs,” Jones said.
The streets of Alexander City were filled with smiles and Christmas cheer as the Christmas floats paraded the city. Above, Santa and Mrs. Claus make their way through the roundabout in Alexander City’s Christmas Parade on Monday evening. Right, residents from Chapman’s created their own Santa’s Workshop and waved to the crowd in the roundabout. For more photos, see Page 11 inside. Cliff Williams / The
See COUNCIL • Page 3
Outlook
Tallapoosa County gifted students take trip to Medieval Times By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Students and adults alike look on with great interest as the herald talks to the king during Friday afternoon’s show at Medieval Times in Atlanta.
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Gifted students from each of the three Tallapoosa County elementary schools took a road trip Friday morning, bound for Atlanta and the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament. Despite a few issues that delayed the students from Dadeville Elementary School in reaching the restaurant, all of the attendees were thrilled to make the trip and see a reallife depiction of the historical period they have been studying throughout the year. “We pick a different theme for our gifted students each year. We try
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to pick something most everyone will enjoy,” Gifted Specialist for the Tallapoosa County School System Karen Coleman said. “This year, we chose a medieval theme, so our students are studying all about the medieval times.” The growing excitement began to manifest itself as the buses reached the Atlanta area, where the constant stream of airliners taking off and landing at the airport elicited a stream of “oohs” and “aahs.” The anticipation and excitement continued as the buses wound through downtown, passing by the many skyscrapers that define Atlanta’s central area. However, when See MEDIEVAL • Page 3
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Directory Telephone: (256) 234-4281 Fax: (256) 234-6550 Website: www.alexcityoutlook.com Management Steve Baker Publisher, Ext. 218 steve.baker@alexcityoutlook.com Mitch Sneed Editor, Ext. 213 mitch.sneed@alexcityoutlook.com David Kendrick Circulation Manager, Ext. 204 david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook.com Lee Champion Production Manager, Ext. 220 lee.champion@alexcityoutlook.com Audra Spears Art Director, Ext. 219 audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com Betsy Iler Magazine Managing Editor, Ext. 221 betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com Tippy Hunter Advertising Director, Ext. 206 marketing@alexcityoutlook.com Angela Mullins Business Manager, Ext. 202 angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com Newsroom Amy Passaretti Assistant Magazine Editor, Ext. 227 amy.passaretti@alexcityoutlook.com Lizi Arbogast Sports Editor, Ext. 228 lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com Cliff Williams Staff Writer, Ext. 212
cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com Donald Campbell Staff Writer, Ext. 208 donald.campbell@alexcityoutlook.com Santana Wood Staff Writer/Pagination, Ext. 210 santana.wood@alexcityoutlook.com Advertising Sales Doug Patterson Newspaper Advertising, Ext. 205 doug.patterson@alexcityoutlook.com Tabby Edwards Retail Sales Manager, Ext. 232 tabby.edwards@alexcityoutlook.com Scott Hardy Digital Marketing Coordinator, Ext. 231 scott.hardy@alexcityoutlook.com Emily Gregg Advertising Sales, Ext. 225 emily.gregg@alexcityoutlook.com Rebecca Carlisle Advertising Sales, Ext. 217 rebecca.carlisle@alexcityoutlook.com Grant Peterson Advertising Sales, Ext. 209 grant.peterson@alexcityoutlook.com Composing Darlene Johnson Composing Department, Ext. 203 darlene.johnson@alexcityoutlook.com Hallie Holloway Composing Department, Ext. 203 hallie.holloway@alexcityoutlook.com Circulation Linda Ewing Office Clerk, Ext. 201 linda.ewing@alexcityoutlook.com
Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. manages The Alexander City Outlook, The Dadeville Record, Lake magazine, Lake Martin Living, (USPS: 013-080, ISSN: 0738-5110) Kenneth Boone The Outlook is published five times Photography and a week, Tuesday through Saturday a commercial web mornings, by Tallapoosa Publishers, printing press. Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL, 35011.
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Tuesday, December 5, 2017
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DEAR ABBY: My husband and I argue more than I’d like. I am pretty easygoing and passive; he likes his feelings to be known. Over time I have become worn down, and my patience has worn thin. We are starting to rebound from what I call “the year from hell.” His drinking and poor choices nearly put us on the street, and I was ready to walk. Things are starting to get better, but what we can’t seem to agree on is communication during the day. Abby, I am on the phone for a living. I cannot stand being on it more than I must be. He calls and/or texts me up to 12 times a day. I can’t stand it. Even when I’m busy or give him a time certain when I will call him back, he beeps in before I have the chance. I am now at the end of my rope. With all that I have dealt with, worked through and put up with, this is something I will not
DEAR ABBY Advice
compromise on. I feel it’s more than sufficient to talk on my way in to work, maybe check in around lunch, then on the way home. He feels that because I don’t feel the need to call or talk that much that I don’t love him. I can’t stand listening to the dead air or breathing because there is nothing to talk about. Am I being petty for letting this be the thing that will break us? -TALKS TOO MUCH IN TEXAS DEAR TALKS TOO MUCH: If you want to save your marriage after everything you have been through, make the time for marriage counseling. What may destroy your marriage isn’t your husband’s talking; it’s
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DEAR ABBY: My sister-inlaw is extremely allergic to cats. We have six cats, but live 1,000 miles away from her. When her 8-year-old son comes to visit, he has a Ziploc bag full of clean clothes that he puts on before he goes home. The clothes he wore here are sealed up at the end of his trip to be washed. I’m OK with this. But I need some advice for an upcoming big family holiday gathering. We have all been courteously asked to wash our clothes before coming, to vacuum our vehicles and to limit our contact with cats
before arriving. Am I wrong to feel like it’s her problem, not ours? -- WHOSE PROBLEM IS IT DEAR WHOSE PROBLEM: Yes, you are wrong. When a family member has a health problem that can be triggered by the others, it becomes everyone’s problem. If the steps needed to keep her safe are too much for you, you should stay home. DEAR ABBY: Is it cheating to proofread your college-aged child’s final before he/she turns it in? -- WONDERING IN ORANGE, CALIF. DEAR WONDERING: To read it? No. To correct it, yes. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Obituaries Mr. Clifford Flournoy 1925 - 2017 Funeral Service for Mr. Clifford Flournoy, 92, of Alexander City, will be Friday, December 8, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Chapel of Radney Funeral Home. Minister Chris Tidwell and Minister Mark Fronduti will officiate. Burial
Annie Adella Moncrief Funeral Service for Annie Adella Moncrief , 91 will be Tuesday, December 5, 2017 at 2 p.m. in the Chapel of Wright’s Funeral Home at 131 Mason Street with Rev. Jimmy Sims and Rev. Mark Ledbetter officiating. Burial will follow in Hillview Cemetery. The family will receive friends Monday, December 4, 2017 from 5 until 7 p.m. at the funeral home. Mrs. Moncrief passed away on Sunday, December 3, 2017 at her daughter’s home surrounded by the loving care of her family. She was born November 11, 1926 in Tallapoosa County to William M. Jones and Alice
Mr. James Ronald “Ronny” Hamby 1934 - 2017
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his neediness, insecurity and insensitivity. Frankly, what you have described strikes me as controlling rather than loving behavior. After the struggles you have described, you have already proven your love for him. Being at his beck and call during the workday should not be an additional requirement.
Funeral Service for Mr. James Ronald “Ronny” Hamby, 83, of Dadeville, Alabama, will be Wednesday, December 6, 2017 at 11:00 a.m. at the Chapel of Langley Funeral Home. Rev. Freddie Senn will officiate. Burial will follow in the Tallapoosa County Memory Gardens. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, December 5, 2017 from 5:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. at Langley Funeral Home. Mr. Hamby passed away on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at his residence. He was born on June 30, 1934 in Tallapoosa County to Edward L. Hamby and Maude Glenn Hamby. He was an active member of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. He loved his family dearly, enjoyed golfing, fishing, and being a competitive pool player. After 25 years in the railroad industry, Ron successfully opened and managed the Huntsville International Intermodal and Air Cargo Facility until his retirement in 1999. He is survived by his wife, Verna W.D. Hamby of Dadeville; daughter, Rhonda H. Leonard (Chris) of Atlanta,
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will follow in the BethlehemNew Salem. The family will receive friends on Thursday, December 7, 2017 from 5:00 pm to 8:00 p.m. at Radney Funeral Home. Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www. radneyfuneralhome.com. Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements. Mahan Jones. Ms. Moncrief had a passion and love for fishing, camping and crafts. She is survived by her daughter, Alice Annette (Jimmy) Sims; one son, William David (Debbie) Moncrief; 7 grandchildren, 14 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren. She was preceded in death by her husband of 58 years, James T. Moncrief, son, Justin Wayne Moncrief, and a granddaughter, Kristine Moncrief, a sister, Ollie Jones and her parents. Professional Service provided by Wright’s Funeral Home Wrightsfuneralservice.com GA; stepdaughter, Mary Duck Ledford of Dadeville; son, David Hamby (Suzi) of Bonita Springs, FL; stepson, Michael Duck (Jelene) of Dadeville; sister, Martha Hamby Linder of Duncan, SC; granddaughter, Rachel H. Chandler (Jason), grandson, Davis Hamby (Caroline), granddaughter, Lindsey Rose Leonard, grandson, Luke Leonard, step granddaughter, Ansley Carpenter (Tripp), step granddaughter, Courtney Adams (Tanner), step grandson, Logan Duck, step grandson, Austin Ledford, great granddaughter, Brinley Chandler, great granddaughter, Skylar Chandler, great grandson, Bentley Adams and nieces, nephews and cousins. He was preceded in death by his parents, first wife, Olive Gardner Hamby, and sister, Joyce Hamby Cotney. Memorials may be made to Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Building Fund, 3610 Dudleyville Road Dadeville, AL 36583 or Lebanon Cemetery Fund, 114 Lanita Lane Dadeville, AL 36853. Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www. langleyfuneralhome.com. Langley Funeral Home in Camp Hill/Dadeville is in charge of the arrangements.
How to Submit Obituaries Obituaries can be submitted to The Outlook from funeral homes by e-mail at obits@alexcity outlook.com For more information, call (256) 234-4281. Get more feedback from buyers when you advertise in the Classifieds. In Print & Online
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Edgar “Assassin #2” Harrington Funeral services for Edgar “Assassin #2” Harrington, age 78, of Roanoke, will be held on Monday, December 4, 2017, at 2:00 PM from Quattlebaum Funeral Chapel with Rev. Keith Benefield and Rev. Mike Brewer officiating. Burial will follow at Alexander City City Cemetery. The family will receive friends at the funeral home from 12:00-2:00 p.m. on Monday. Mr. Harrington passed away on Saturday, December 2, 2017 at LaFayette Nursing Home. Survivors include one sister, Dorothy Jeanette of Notasulga, AL; and one half-sister, Loretta Denny of California. Men from Midway Full Gospel Church will serve as pallbearers. A Notasulga, AL native, Mr. Harrington was born on July 11, 1939, the son of John Edgar and Dorothy Humphries Harrington. He was a member of Midway Full Gospel Church and had worked for Sudduth Moving & Storage as a truck driver. He was also a professional wrestler, earning a WWF light heavyweight championship belt. He wrestled with his tag team partner, Assassin #1. Mr. Harrington was preceded in death by his parents; and his wife, Gladys Harrington. Online condolences may be expressed at www. quattlebaumfuneralhome.com.
Mrs. Elizabeth “Lib” Stalnaker Mrs. Elizabeth “Lib” Stalnaker, 93, of Tallassee, passed away December 2, 2017. She was born February 1, 1924. Funeral service will be Tuesday, December 5, at 2 p.m., at Linville Memorial Funeral Home with Rev. Dan Wiggins officiating. Burial will follow at Carrville Cemetery, Linville Memorial Funeral Home directing. Visitation will be Tuesday, December 5, from 12 noon until service time at Linville Memorial Funeral Home. She is survived by her daughters, Connie Moon and Angela Gantt (Joe); granddaughters, Gillian Kindred (Josh), Gretta Headley (Ben) and Galerie Beckham (Scott); and ten great grandchildren. She is preceded in death by her parents, John A. and Pearl Langley; husband, Robert Stalnaker; son, Earl Stalnaker; sisters, Mary John Conner, Maureen Taylor Patterson, Margie Hall Peavy; and brother, Charles Langley. Elizabeth proudly served in the U. S. Navy. Online condolences at www.linvillememorial. com. Linville Memorial Funeral Home Eclectic, Alabama
Mrs. Eleanor Garrett Yancey Mrs. Eleanor Garrett Yancey of Atlanta (a former resident of Alexander City, Alabama) passed away peacefully on Oct. 5 following a lengthy battle against cancer. She was 83. Eleanor Garrett was the beloved adopted daughter of LaVerne Garrett of Atlanta (hometown Alexander City). She studied at the High Museum Art Institute, 1952-53; Georgia State University, 1953-55; and LaGrange College, earning her bachelor’s degree in 1958. She spent much of her life helping others: as a social worker/case worker for Fulton County Department of Family and Children’s Services, 1957-61; an assistant teacher with the Atlanta Board of Education, 1973-85; a mental health crisis intervention counselor for DeKalb County Board of Health, 1985-95; and as acting director for crisis intervention, 1988-90. She was recognized as Outstanding Staff Member for the Division of Mental Health, Mental Retardation and Substance Abuse, and also as the DCBH Outstanding Staff Member, both in 1990. Always interested in the arts, theater, education, animals, and her children, she performed summer stock with Rogers & Company, 1969-70; served as Band Booster President for Henry Grady High School, 1977-78; and served as vice president of the high school’s Parent Teacher Association, 1978-79. She served as president of the PTA for Morningside Elementary School, 1977. She was a member of Kappa Kappa Iota, one of the oldest organizations for educators in the U.S., and served as Lambda Chapter (Georgia) State President, 1987-88; she served as Eta conclave (Georgia) president, 199297; she became a member of Chi Chapter in 1999. She was preceded in death by her beloved adopted mother; former husband Robert G. Yancey; birth mother Lillian Olen Waid McKern; brother Herman W.T. McKern II; sister, Elizabeth Sanderson. She is survived by her son David Shawn Yancey and daughter Katherine Yancey Gilmore (R. Edward Gilmore; Suzanne Gilmore Balint and Linda Gilmore, and their families). She is also survived by her sisters Carolyn Jones, Charlotte M. Matthews and Jane Pertain, their families, and by the surviving Sanderson family of Jaffrey, NH; also, by Stephen and Marylou Moffett, of Norfolk, VA, and their family. A commemoration of her life will be held privately. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to the American Cancer Society (cancer. org); Best Friends Animal Society (bestfriends. org); the Good Samaritan Health Center of Atlanta (goodsamatlanta.org); or Halcyon Hospice of Atlanta.
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Medieval
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the buses pulled up to Sugarloaf Mills Mall and the castle façade came into view, excitement and anticipation burst forth from everyone on board. After arriving at Medieval Times, the students were ushered into the main hall, where servers guided them to seats with a great view of the “stage.” Feasting on a sumptuous meal of a chicken leg, a roasted potato, garlic bread and corn, the students were treated to a thrilling show depicting a medieval tournament. The excitement began with a falconry demonstration, showing how the bird was often used as a hunting bird during the Middle Ages. Following this spectacle, the main event began as six knights competed in various challenges of skill, including grabbing rings hanging from a post using only their lances, while the king and princess of the kingdom watched from their royal seats. A brief lull in the action came when one subject of the kingdom performed a demonstration with an Andalusian horse, walking it through several paces to showcase the capabilities of a horse long seen as one of the best breeds for use as a war horse. The jousting tournament began when the Black and White Knight, champion of the show of skill, threw down a challenge to the Blue Knight, which was accepted. After their battle, the jousting and fighting continued with clashes between the Red Knight, the Green Knight, the Yellow Knight and the Red and Yellow Knight until only two remained. The final showdown between the Red Knight and the Red and Yellow Knight elicited a valiant effort from both warriors, though the Red Knight finally emerged victorious to be honored as Champion of the Kingdom. Following the show, the students were able to browse the gift shop and tour the “castle” if they so chose. The king, princess, knights and herald came out into the lobby, making themselves available to sign autographs and take photographs with the students. “We were excited to get to offer this to our students and be over here to experience this,” Coleman said. “The kids have had a great time and have loved every minute of it.” “This was another opportunity to expose our students to the arts,” Tallapoosa County School Superintendent Joe Windle said. “The trip to the Medieval Times Theater to actually see and question what they have been studying provides them with a new in-depth perspective on an important period of world history.” As the students on the Dadeville bus returned to school late Friday afternoon, they were asked if this had been an enjoyable day, to which they responded with a resounding yes. According to these students, some of their most favorite things about the trip included the food, the jousting and the fighting. Though the fun-filled trip to Atlanta is over, the gifted students in the Tallapoosa County schools still have plenty of exciting medievalthemed activities planned for the rest of the school year. “We will be putting on a medieval play in March,” Coleman said. “We’re also planning on having a medieval feast for the entire school at some point during the school year.”
Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Top, students from the Dadeville Elementary School gifted program pose outside the Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament in Atlanta Friday afternoon. The students, along with groups from Reeltown and Horseshoe Bend, made the trip as part of their studies on the medieval period. Middle left, the lobby was filled with suits of armor on display, including this one depicting the kind of armor a crusader might have worn. Middle right, the Black and White Knight celebrates his victory in the competitions of skill by tossing flowers into the crowd. Above left, Dadeville Elementary School gifted students pose with the Yellow Knight following the show. Above right, the knights of the kingdom line up on the arena floor in preparation for their next competition. Attached to the Sugarloaf Mills Mall in Atlanta, Medieval Times Dinner and Tournament welcomed students Friday for a special school day event.
Shooting
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backside of the house,” Martin said. “The best we can determine it was an assault type rifle that was used. Shell casings that we found were 7.62 rounds like would be used in an AK-47. “Right now what it is looking like is we can account for 12 shots and looks like 13 rounds were fired from over
there.” Martin says they are following leads to a possible suspect or suspects. “We have eyewitness accounts that say a guy was standing over there,” Martin said. “It was not shot from a car.” Monday afternoon, police were still
following up on leads to find the suspect or suspects responsible. Martin explained this was not some random target practice and that more people could have been injured or worse. “They were just at home,” Martin said. “There are four rounds that went
through the kid’s room and busted the stuffing out of a mattress. We have bullets going through a washing machine. I honestly don’t know how more people didn’t get hit or killed. There are bullet holes all in that house. When they started shooting they were aiming to kill.”
Council The council also approved a move that will make the money for this year’s sewer rehabilitation work available up front, and according to Alexander City Public Works Director Gerard Brewer that should help them get all the work done in the same budget year. “If we have to come back on each one, that would mean that they would have to have one done before they could
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The Outlook
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move on to the next,” Brewer said. “This should allow them to work non-stop.” The budgeted amount for the work is $535,000.00 The council also voted 6-0 to approve: • A resolution to authorize the mayor to execute Task Order 8 with CH2M Engineers, Inc. for Program Management related to SSCRP. • A resolution to
authorize the mayor to execute two amendments to contacts with Transcontinental Gas Pipeline Company LLC to remove inactive receipt points. • A resolution to authorize the mayor to execute an agreement with JCJ Amusements for the Carousel Ride for the Annual Christmas in the Park event. • A resolution to Award Bid 18-02 for
Concert students who would be part of the show would be performing as a group of their own. Along with the middle school and high school students singing in Sunday’s concert, Cross said there would be two accompanists playing the piano as part of the show. “The first is Bobby Boone, the music director at the Trinity campus, and the second is ninth-grader Valerie Tauro,” she said. “Tauro has been accompanying us on the piano since her seventh-grade year.”
pest control services to Red Flag Pest Control. • A resolution to Award Bid 18-03 for fire fighting equipment (turn out gear) for the Fire Department to Sunbelt Fire Equipment and North American Fire Equipment Company. • A request to approve the annual Procession in Celebrations of Our Lady of Guadalupe on Monday, Dec. 11 at 6 p.m. for the St. John Apostle Catholic
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Being held since before Cross took over as director, she moved the concert from being a nighttime event to Sunday afternoon in the hopes of making the event more accessible to the public, and believed the Methodist church facilities would be a perfect facility for the event. “The acoustics are better there and it just feels a bit more intimate,” she said. “They have a beautiful sanctuary there, and the decorations give it a really nice atmosphere. I’m hoping the decorations will help put everyone into
the Christmas spirit.” Even with the show changing its performance time, Cross said she has regularly heard many positive comments about the choral department’s Christmas performance. “We get such wonderful feedback and support from the community,” she said. The concert is scheduled to be approximately one hour long and is open to the public at no cost. “I feel this will be an enjoyable place for the students to sing at, and I hope everyone comes out and enjoys it,” Cross said.
Church. • A request to waive the business license fee for vendors participating in the Annual Christmas in the Park on Saturday,
Dec. 9. • A request to approve an alcoholic beverage license application for Save A Lot LTD Store 489.
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Our
Opinion
Hometown Christmas Parade was a stellar event
E
verybody loves a parade. If you don’t believe it, you didn’t see the smiles on the faces of those who lined the streets, rode on floats or marched along the streets of Alexander City Monday night. Though it looked as though it may rain, he clouds parted long enough for the 2017 Hometown Christmas Parade to roll and it was a great show. Congratulations are in order for the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce and all those who took the time to participate in this year’s parade. The event has become a Christmas tradition here in Alexander City and this year’s effort was one to remember. The floats were incredible, the Benjamin Russell Band was strong and Santa Claus was a hit with everyone who was there. In addition to all the hard work on the entries, there was a lot of work behind the scenes to make it flow so well. Even though it was gloomy a good part of the day and misted at times on Monday, the crowds still lined Cherokee Road up through the roundabout in hopes the show would go on. Just when everyone thought rain would spoil the show again, the skies parted for long enough for everyone to enjoy a wonderful evening. To give you an idea of how popular the parade has become in Alexander City, more people watched the live stream and the video on the Outlook Facebook page. Area residents are to be commended also for coming out for the annual tradition and the Chamber should be saluted for making the night so special For those of you that did not come – well – you missed Santa Claus himself and all sorts of people showing loads of Christmas spirit. Now that’s small town America at it’s finest.
Outlook The
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
Wake up elderly? Shake it off R ecently, my wife and I enjoyed a lovely lunch at a barbecue restaurant with my mom and stepdad. He is 81, and my mom is 73. They are both in good health and are very active. The waitress who served us was unusually pretty and kind. When we were getting ready to leave I told her we all agreed that she resembled the great actress Audrey Hepburn. She said that was the most beautiful compliment she had ever received. We were impressed she was familiar with the late actress. She went on and told us she was an aspiring singer. She said we could check out her music on Youtube or her Facebook page. I made a mental note of her name to look her up later. Two days after our barbecue visit, I went on Facebook to check the young waitress’s music out. While on her page I saw a post she had put up the day before. Her Facebook entry: “Today, I had the nicest thing happen to me. I was serving a table of four elderly people who told me I reminded them of Audrey Hepburn. That made my day.” Guess what? That was the first time in my life anyone has ever called me elderly. I am 55 years old.
RAY WATERS Columnist
in death. I am going to keep working on being as physically fit as I can be. By that I mean, I want to be active every day. I am not naive about aging. It is coming for all of us. But, I have watched people have a strategy to slow it down a little. I have seen men and women increase their muscle mass as they age. I have seen people who became more flexible through things like yoga, as they aged. I have seen people grow more mobile, as they aged. There is no reason I have to follow the path of the old man who does less and less physical activities and watches more and more TV. Oh well. My wife and I had a big laugh thinking about the words of our young waitress. I reminded myself that very day that this elderly guy still has a lot of mountains to climb and oceans to cross and battles to win. Are you with me? Don’t let someone else define you. You can’t live the big life allowing that to happen. You need to choose today what kind of life you are going to live and then live it.
I am in reasonably good shape. I feel virile. But to my 20-something-year-old waitresses, I was an old man. I know we don’t stay young forever. My look is dramatically different than it was when I was 25. I need more sleep than I use to. Too much sugar in my diet makes me ache when I wake up in the morning. I prefer quieter places to dine over restaurants where the volume makes conversations very difficult. Well, as I write this I realize I might sound a little elderly to a twenty-something. Here’s my plan to stay as young as I can at heart. I will make sure I am learning new things every day. I tell seminar participants that when they stop learning they forfeit the right to be leaders. It is true that leaders are learners. So, I want to make sure I am always stretching my brain and being challenged to live my best life. I don’t think we turn that off at 50 Ray Waters is a minister, years of age. I believe it a motivational speaker and is important to us until the a regular columnist for moment we close our eyes Tallapoosa Publishers.
Mark Tuggle (R) represents the 81st District covering Coosa, Chilton and Tallapoosa counties. He can be reached by phone at 256-392-2006 or by email at tughd81@gmail. com. His office is located at 110 Calhoun Street, Suite 108, Alexander City. Tom Whatley represents the 27th District covering Lee, Russell and Tallapoosa County. He was elected to the Alabama Senate on Nov. 2, 2010, and can be reached at 334242-t7865. His office is located at 337 East Magnolia Drive, Auburn.
Steve Marshall
Mark Tuggle
Tom Whatley
Today’s
Scripture
“I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile.” —Romans 1:16
alexcityoutlook.com
Daily Poll Weekend Question: Do you have special plans to watch the SEC Championship Game?
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Tuesday Question: Who do you think should have made it into the football playoffs: Alabama or Ohio State? To participate in this daily poll, log on each day to www. alexcityoutlook.com and vote. Find out the vote totals in the next edition of The Outlook and see if your vote swayed the results.
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The subscription rate is $136.00 per year in Tallapoosa and Coosa counties and $177.99 outside the area. Periodicals paid at Alexander City, AL. Newspapers are available at 100 news racks in our area at 75 cents for The Outlook and 50 cents for The Record. We would love to deliver a paper to your door. Call David Kendrick at 256-234-4281, Ext. 204 or e-mail david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook. com.
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Steve Marshall was appointed Alabama’s 50th Attorney General. He was appointed in 2017 and serves as the State’s chief law enforcement officer. He can be reached at 334-242-7300, and his office is located at 501 Washington Avenue, Montgomery.
“In prosperity our friends know us; in adversity we know our friends.” —John Churton Collins
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Governor Kay Ivey represents the state of Alabama and its 67 counties. She was sworn into office on April 10, 2017, and can be reached at 334242-7100. Her office is located at the State Capitol at 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama.
Today’s
Opinion?
The House has done its job W ashington has been a busy place this year. As folks across East Alabama may have seen in the news, time and time again, legislation passes in the House and either stalls or fails in the Senate. It makes it tough to get things done around here. A prime example occurred earlier this year. The House kept President Trump’s promise to repeal and replace Obamacare. Unfortunately, the legislation did not pass in the Senate when they could not get to 50 votes. Vice President Pence was ready to break the tie. The House also recently passed a bill that would reauthorize the Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP). This important bill extends funding for CHIP and other programs low-income children rely on. The House passed leg-
MIKE ROGERS Columinst
islation has not yet reached the Senate Floor. This summer, the House worked hard to pass legislation that included $1.6 billion in funding to help build the wall on the Southwest border to help fulfill one of President Trump’s top priorities. The House also passed two bills addressing illegal immigration. The first would help keep Sanctuary Cities from protecting illegal immigrants who’ve committed crimes and the second would impose tougher penalties on illegal immigrant criminals who have come in to the coun-
try. These bills have since stalled in the Senate. The House passed comprehensive tax reform just before Thanksgiving. As of writing, the Senate is working on their version. Let’s hope they can pass it so we can get closer to delivering one of the largest tax cuts for hard-working families. The momentum we have created in the House for President Trump’s agenda just has not carried over to the Senate. The House has done its job, now I hope our colleagues in the upper Chamber will begin to put America first. As always, I want to hear from you on this or any issue. Rep. Mike D. Rogers (R-Saks) represents Alabama’s Third Congressional District, which includes Tallapoosa County, in Congress.
We’d like to share your thoughts and opinions with the greater Lake Martin community. It’s free and it only takes a few moments of your time. We have two ways to get your opinion in print: letters to the editor and guest columns. The main difference is length. Letters to the editor are up to 250 words, while guest columns can be up to 500 words. Letters and columns may be sent to P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011, faxed to (256) 234-6550 or e-mailed to editor@ alexcityoutlook.com. Please include your name, address and phone number. Send us your thoughts today!
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Tuesday, December 5, 2017
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The Outlook
THE ATTACK ON PEARL HARBOR
Pearl Harbor is a United States Naval Base located on the Hawaiian Island of Oahu. It has been home to WKH 8 6 3DFL¿F ÀHHW VLQFH WKH ¶V 2Q 'HFHPEHU DW D P D JURXS RI -DSDQHVH SODQHV DQG VHYHUDO PLGJHW VXEPDULQHV DWWDFNHG WKH ÀHHW DW 3HDUO +DUERU %HFDXVH LW ZDV D 6XQGD\ PRUQLQJ PDQ\ VROGLHUV ZHUH Rႇ GXW\ DQG RQ ³VKRUH OHDYH ´ 2ႈFHUV LQ WKH UDGDU WRZHU PLVWRRN WKH HQHP\ DLUFUDIW IRU D VTXDGURQ RI 8 6 SODQHV GXH EDFN IURP &DOLIRUQLD PDNLQJ WKH DWWDFN D FRPSOHWH VXUSULVH 2QH KRXU ODWHU DQRWKHU JURXS RI ¿JKWHUV DQG ERPEHUV DWWDFNHG 7KH -DSDQHVH JRDO ZDV WR GLVDEOH WKH $PHULFDQ ÀHHW and render them incapable of participating in World War II. The damage to the U.S. ships and aircraft was FDWDVWURSKLF 7KH 866 $UL]RQD VDQN DQG UHPDLQV RQ WKH RFHDQ ÀRRU DV D PRQXPHQW 7KH %DWWOHVKLS 866 Oklahoma never sailed again; many more ships were badly damaged but eventually repaired. At the U.S. DLU¿HOGV SODQHV ZHUH GHVWUR\HG DQG PDQ\ RWKHUV ZHUH GDPDJHG 2Q 'HFHPEHU &RQJUHVV GHFODUHG ZDU RQ -DSDQ DQG HQWHUHG LQWR WKH ZDU DV SDUW RI WKH $OOLHG )RUFHV $OWKRXJK WKH 8 6 ÀHHW ZDV EDGO\ GDP DJHG LW ZDV QRW GHVWUR\HG 6RPH 8 6 DLUFUDIW FDUULHUV KDG QRW EHHQ DW SRUW WKH PRUQLQJ RI WKH DWWDFN WKH\ ZHUH RXW DW VHD IRU WUDLQLQJ H[HUFLVHV 7KH -DSDQHVH VXႇHUHG PLQLPDO ORVVHV ZKLFK LQFOXGHG DLUFUDIW 7KLV IDFW FKDQJHG WKH FRXUVH RI WKH ZDU DQG DOORZHG WKH $OOLHG 3RZHUV WR HYHQWXDOO\ ZLQ WKH ZDU 7RGD\ WKH 8QLWHG 6WDWHV DQG -DSDQ DUH VWURQJ DOOLHV (DFK \HDU RQ 'HFHPEHU WKH &RXQWU\ UHPHPEHUV WKH HYHQW ZLWK 3HDUO +DUERU 5HPHPEUDQFH 'D\ $OO 8 6 ÀDJV DUH ÀRZQ DW KDOI VWDႇ XQWLO QRRQ WR KRQRU WKRVH ZKR lost their lives that day.
WORD SEARCH
PEARL HARBOR DAY CROSSWORD
Across Clues: 1. Name of the ship that still rests at the bottom of Pearl Harbor. 4. The U.S. and the _____ are now allies. 5. Which day of the week did it occur? 6. In which state is Pearl Harbor located? 8. These were running training exercises. Down Clues: 2. The U.S. joined these on December 8. 3. Number of Japanese aircraft lost. 7. On which Island is Pearl Harbor located?
The USS Arizona
THE USS ARIZONA
Allied Forces, Bellows Field, Ford Island, Hawaii, Hickman Field, Japan, Memorial Site, The pictures to the right show the USS 2DKX 2JODOD 3DFL¿F )OHHW 3HDUO +DUERU 6KDZ Arizona on the day of the attacks and United States, USS Arizona, USS Nevada, USS the current day memorial that stands above the ship in its resting place. Oklahoma, Utah, Vestal, Wheeler Field, World War II
COLOR IT!
Crossword Ans: $FURVV 866 $UL ]RQD -DSDQHVH 6XQGD\ +DZDLL $LUFUDIW FDUULHUV 'RZQ $OOLHG )RUFHV 7ZHQ W\ QLQH 2DKX
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Page 6
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Tuesday, December 5, 2017
The Outlook
PULSE
Our Community, Our Readers, Your Chamber
JazzFest , Sun Festival to coincide in 2018 the JazzFest committee and the Chamber Board of that was tasked with raising funds, schedulBoth festivals to be held in June; committee Directors voted unanimously to allow the Chamber to ing bands and handling the numerous logistical and take a leading role with JazzFest and to link the event event related roles that go into hosting a two-day festiFestival. val. Over the years, this volunteer committee dwindled Sun Festival changes to be made to a handful of dedicated people. The main challenge withSoSun what does that mean as we look ahead to 2018?
By ED COLLARI Alexander City Chamber of Commerce President & CEO
One of the first things a neighbor suggested to me when my family moved to the Alexander City and Lake Martin area was to attend the annual Alexander City JazzFest that summer. We took his advice and have been grateful ever since. JazzFest was created by Ralph Froshin nearly three decades ago and will continue with the 28th festival in 2018. However, what you may not know is that the continuation of the music festival was not fully guaranteed going into next year. JazzFest has been executed each year by a volunteer
was not only recruiting volunteers, but also recruiting the sponsorship revenue to ensure the event could remain free for spectators. Following the huge success of last year’s event, which saw thousands gather in Strand Park on Friday night and an equally impressive crowd at the the Amp on Saturday, the JazzFest committee and the Chamber of Commerce staff discussed how we could continue this successful event. In my opinion, JazzFest is Alexander City’s signature event. It is where folks of all ages, colors and demographics come together to celebrate our community through live music. Following lengthy discussions,
First and foremost, JazzFest will remain a non-ticketed (free) event that will be held the second weekend of June. Friday night will stay in Strand Park and the event will remain at the Amp on Saturday. We will continue to recruit great bands, allow spectators to bring food, decorate tables and maintain the elevated standards Mr. Froshin established when he founded this wonderful event. We have decided to make some changes with Sun Festival next year. Instead of hosting it in mid-July in the heart of the summer, Sun Festival will be moved up to the week leading into JazzFest. The Chamber See FESTIVALS • Page 7
Submitted / Chamber of Commerce
The Lake Martin Leadership Class of 2018 poses for a photo. The class has started off great, with two class days including Education Day and City of Alexander City Day.
Leadership Lake Martin Class of 2018 progresses through program By KIM DUNN Vice Chair of Board of Directors
The Leadership Lake Martin Class of 2018 is off to a great start. Members have already experienced two class days including Education Day and City of Alexander City Day. Education Day kicked off
with class members visiting several classrooms at Benjamin Russell High School. “This field trip is always an eye opener for our class members, especially those that don’t have students at the school,” said Kim Dunn, Vice Chair of Board of Directors. “They are continually very impressed the caliber of students in our system.”
Additional activities during Education Day included a trip to Central Alabama Community College and the Edward Bell Tech Center in Camp Hill. City of Alexander City Day took place in November. Class members were able to hear from our mayor, city council, many city department heads as well as See LEADERSHIP • Page 7
Total Resource Campaign volunteers to be commended By KIM DUNN Vice Chair of Board of Directors
In early November, the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce celebrated the completion of our inaugural Total Resource Campaign. Essentially a sponsorship drive for everything the Chamber will undertake in 2018, we are overwhelmed at how well the new program was received by our members and the community as a whole. We had 11 teams of 58 volunteers that worked tirelessly over a seven-week period to not only
reach our goal, but to exceed it by $13,000. The volunteers sold sponsorships and/or memberships to 185 different companies in our area. They also recruited 40 new Chamber members. Their circle of influence reaches well beyond what our staff of four could ever do in that time period. We can’t thank this group of individuals enough for what they did for the Chamber and Alexander City. We look forward to continuing our relationship with each of them as we begin to implement the programs in the coming year.
VOLUNTEER TEAMS AND MEMBERS Submitted / Chamber of Commerce
Chairman – John Russell
Adelia Russell Foundation donates $20k to Gateway Foundation
Thomas, USAmeriBank
Didi Hendrix, representing the Adelia Russell Foundation, presents a $20,000 check to the Gateway Foundation to Ed Collari of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce.
Vice chairs – Susan Burrow,
Lake Martin Young Professionals set to host upcoming events By JACOB MEACHAM VP — Business Development
The Lake Martin Young Professionals are gearing up to close out 2017 with a December Christmas Party and kick off 2018 with a bang at the third annual LMYP Polar Plunge. LMYP will host a “Tacky Sweater” Christmas Party on Thursday, Dec. 14th at two locations in downtown Alexander City: Ocie & Belle’s from 6 to 8 p.m., and Fermenter’s Market from 8 to 10 p.m. Fermenter’s Market will have live music to close out the night. Everyone is encouraged to wear their best (or worst) tacky Christmas sweater. Everyone is welcome to attend, you do not have to be a YP member, but if you’d like to join and support the group, it’s easy to do so online at www.lakemartinyp.com/join.
html. On Saturday, January 13th, the third annual LMYP Polar Plunge, presented by USAmeriBank, will be held at Kowaliga Restaurant. The Polar Plunge benefits the Lake Martin Resource Association and has helped raise over $8,000 in the event’s first two years, which LMRA has used to help fund the purchase and installation of lighted buoys around Lake Martin. A $20 ticket gives you entry to the event along with four food tickets that can be used at Kowaliga’s special-menu Polar Plunge food stations. The event will also include live music, a costume contest and the Dash for the Cash. The plunge will take place at noon with the Dash for the Cash immediately following. Dash for the Cash will allow participants the chance to race to an off-shore marker and See PROFESSIONALS • Page 7
Captain), Phil Blasingame, Abby Guy, Susan Hardy and Bree Walton
Top Dawgs Central Alabama Community Brett Pritchard (Team College; Jim Peace, Russell Captain), Glenda Bland, John Medical and Tom Lamberth, Russell Lands On Lake Martin Kennedy, Steve Lewis and Sherri Taylor
Teams The Undertakers
Randy Anderson (Team Captain), Kim Anderson, Misti Bowen, Susie Kelley and Kim Norrell
Cookies are for Closers
ROTL
Randy Lee, Jr. (Team Captain), Stephanie Daughtry, Eltoro Freeman, Terri Lawhorn, Craig Lee, Steve Robinson and Jeff Smith
Lacey Howell (Team Captain), Tom Goree, Deidra Horn and Slough Crew Janet Price (Team Captain), Jessica Sanford Robert Gunn, Karen Kison, Tyler Mitchell, Anna Speaks Untouchables and Emily Sprayberry Karen Treadwell (Team Captain), Leanne Calhoun, Southern Canadians Michael Langston, Vicki Shamblin and Shonda Young Steve Baker (Team Captain), Ashley Benton, Tabby Edwards, Scott Hardy, Corley BAMMMM Holt, Tippy Hunter and Mabry Cook (Team Captain), Marsha Mason Buffy Colvin, Marty Cook, Allan Cutts, Mike McCaleb Make It Rain and Mark Ray Natalie Dark (Team Captain), John Dark, Will Dark and The Innovators Drew Wilder Randy Dawkins (Team
Tuesday, December 5, 2017
The Outlook
PULSE
Page 7
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Our Community, Our Readers, Your Chamber
Lake Martin Innovation Center nearing one-year anniversary By JACOB MEACHAM VP — Business Development
The Lake Martin Innovation Center will hit a significant milestone soon as we approach the first anniversary of the facility’s launch in January 2018. In that short amount of time, it might be difficult to measure what kind of long-term impact the LMIC will have on our community, but it’s also easy to see it’s been a welcomed and needed addition to Alexander City and the Lake Martin area. When we were generously given the opportunity by USAmeriBank to move the Chamber’s small staff of four into the vacant building at 175 Aliant Parkway, the immediate question was, “What do we do with a 17,000 square foot building?” From the early stages of trying to figure that out, a business incubator concept was the easy answer. What better way to put a first-class business office to use than by offering space to new and growing small businesses? According to Wikipedia, a business incubator “is a company that helps new and startup companies to develop by providing services such as management training or office space,” and the National Business Incubation Association defines business incubators as a “catalyst tool for either regional or national economic development.” That’s a great summary for what we want the LMIC to become and what we’re already actually seeing it become, even though we’re not even a year into its existence. With the capacity to hold up to 12 small businesses, the space is perfect for the idea. Individual offices that range in size from a single, small room to much larger rooms and multi-room suites gives us the flexibility to accommodate a variety of business types. And so far, we’re witnessing just that. Beyond Home Care, a company specializing in providing in-home care for elderly and disabled individuals needing assistance with activities of daily living, was one of the first businesses to call our space home. A true start-up, they’ve grown significantly since launching in January 2017. WisePoint, an IT company specializing in document capture, content management systems and custom programming, occupies what was once the data center in the building. With the room’s design, layout and features, it’s ideal for a company of this nature. Co-owner Jeff Kirk even converted part of the space for video production and webcasts that can be used by anyone in the building or members of the community. VuePoint Diagnostics expanded its growing footprint into Central Alabama by taking up space at the LMIC. VuePoint is a portable X-ray supplier with hospital-grade, portable digital imaging equipment that allows its Radiologic Technologists to serve patients all over the state. Our other two “LMIC family members” are professional service businesses, Attorney Angie Hill, and Nowlin & Associates financial planner, Lee Williams. We’ve toured
countless numbers of others through the facility who have expressed interest in starting or growing their business at the LMIC. Most recently we’ve had interest from someone starting a telehealth nursing clinic and an architect, which seems to pretty accurately represent the diverse ideas and industries and we can serve. But not only do we provide great office space, monthly rent includes utilities like power, high-speed fiber internet, water and janitorial service. The building’s 24/7 secure access allows users to come and go anytime of day or night just like it was their very own office. In addition to those features, everyone that calls the LMIC home is invited to all of the Chamber’s professional development workshops, free of charge, to help build skills that can assist in their efforts of growing a young business. State-of-the-art conference rooms and meeting spaces allow users to host employee trainings, conduct meetings or host potential clients. A couple of additional pieces of the “incubation puzzle” that we’re working to add as resources include providing mentors and opportunities for funding. In many cases, businesses incubators are located in heavily populated areas and often partnered with fouryear colleges and universities, which provide a steady flow of talent, educational resources and money. Being that Alexander City doesn’t have a very large population or a four-year higher education institution in our backyard, it’s important to understand that there could’ve been some challenges in launching an idea like this. And although there definitely were, and continue to be, some challenges, we’re always encouraged when friends from around the state or region visit the facility and speak very highly of what’s occurring inside of it. Some are even jealous. That’s not to brag at all, but it does highlight what a tremendous resource the LMIC already is for our area and serves as optimism for what it can eventually grow to become. With five full-time tenants (six including the Chamber of Commerce), we’ve reached roughly the 50 percent occupancy level in less than a year. Another main component of the facility is its co-working space that several professionals who travel frequently or work from home use as their base of operations. When you include the hundreds of events and meetings that have been held here by area businesses, individuals or community organizations, the LMIC is growing into exactly what we hoped it would. We invite you to be a part of the journey and join the push to help spur economic development and job creation through small business startup and growth. Maybe you have that next great idea. Maybe you work from home and just need a better place to work and be productive. Maybe you’re a local business that doesn’t have great meeting space and need to take your employees off-site for a planning and training day. In any of those cases, we have just the place for you. Come see us soon at the Lake Martin Innovation Center!
Local businesses hold ribbon cuttings Above, one year ago Heritage South broke ground at 3353 U.S. Hwy 280. Last Friday the Chamber helped celebrate the grand opening and ribbon cutting of its fifth location. It can be reached at 256-245-4776. Left, Lake Martin Chiropractic, a new Chamber member, held a ribbon cutting on Nov. 29. Dr. Ryan Peaden and his staff along with the staff of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce (Kim Dunn, Carla Culligan and Ed Collari) pose for a photo at the new business, which is located at 8341 Kowliga Rd. in Eclectic. Call 334-4582633 to make an appointment. Be sure to ask about a free adjustment for new patients. Submitted / Chamber of Commerce
Festivals will still host 40-50 events throughout the week including all of the favorites like the Dog Parade, Medallion Hunt, Dances in the Park, KidFest events and much, much more. Although the two festivals will bump into each other in regards to timing, they will both maintain their original names and continue to be executed in the same manner to benefit all in and out of our community who attend. As a Chamber, we are very excited about this new direction and hope we can count on
continued from page 6
your continued support. While decisions like these are never easy, our sole objective is to do what we think is best for Alexander City and the Lake Martin community. Ensuring the longevity of JazzFest and continuing to host Sun Festival are two of the numerous initiatives we are extremely proud of. We always enjoy hearing feedback and suggestions from the folks in our community, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. Thank you for your continued support.
Leadership the Lake Martin Area United Way and Alexander City Housing Authority. After lunch, class members visited the Alexander City Fire Department, Sugar Creek Waste Water Treatment Plant and TC Russell Airport. We were able to collect canned goods that day to be donated to the Food for Fines program that the Adelia M. Russell Library was hosting. “For me, the Lake Martin Leadership experience has been more than learning about the community we live in, it’s been about learning what we can do and how we can serve our community better,” said Brandi Dunham, class member and HSCU branch manager. “The connections I have made with my classmates have already turned into great friendships. “Not only has the Lake Martin Leadership
continued from page 6
experience helped me in my business role as branch manager, it has also helped me personally learn to take in the moments that sometimes take you outside of your comfort zone, and instead thrive in those moments. I am proud to be in the Leadership Lake Martin Class of 2018.” In addition, the class members have also been divided into their project groups and are beginning to decide on their community service projects. “Having spoken with members of several teams, I fully expect four more outstanding projects once again this year,” board member Jeff Kirk said. “Class members will meet again for Criminal Justice Day on December 13. We will be collecting toys for the Salvation Army at lunch that day.”
Professionals back to the shoreline for a $100 grand prize. In what has grown to be one of the most fun events around Lake Martin, we’re working hard in planning to make sure this year’s event doesn’t disappoint. Tickets are on sale now at eventbrite.com (search “LMYP Polar Plunge”). If you have any questions about either event or would like to learn more about getting involved with LMYP, contact Jacob Meacham at the Alexander City
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Chamber at (256) 234-3461 or email jacob. meacham@alexandercitychamber.com. The 2018 LMYP Polar Plunge is sponsored by: Kowaliga Restaurant (Venue Sponsor), Brian Dix, M.D., Dark Insurance Agency, Lake Martin Dock Company (Gold Sponsors), Central Alabama Community College, GCI Design, Russell Medical – Total Healthcare, SDM Inc., Steve Robinson – Tallapoosa County Commissioner District 2 (Silver Sponsors).
NEW MEMBERS OF ALEXANDER CITY CHAMBER OF COMMERCE FOR OCTOBER - NOVEMBER • Access Auburn (The Tiger Group) 326 N. College St. Auburn, AL 36831 334-887-7164 • Aloette Cosmetics – Ashland, AL 36251 256-252-8799 • Amy Duncan – Alexander City, AL 35010 256-212-2222 • Angela VanHouten – Lake Homes Realty 256-596-0566 • Bobby Scott – Alexander City, AL 35010 256-329-1205 • Carlisle Heating & Air Conditioning – 367 US Hwy 280, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-0019 • Colonial Life – Auburn, AL 36830 334-595-3585 • David Mitchell – Alexander City, AL 35010 256-212-3511 • Divine Treats – 1951 Eastwood Drive, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-496-4684 • Effective Signs – Auburn AL 36831 334-749-0001 • Engineered Cooling Services – 220 Mendle Parkway, Montgomery AL 36117 334-593-2962 • Eurotech, LLC – 1651 Tallapoosa
Street, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-3222 • First Franklin Financial – 42 Broad Street, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-2838 • GCI Design – Alexander City, AL 35010 850-217-8155 • Gilbert Woodcrafts & Home Décor – 1096 Airport Drive, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-750-1370 • Griffin’s Outdoor Power Equipment Sales & Service, LLC – 2600 AL Hwy 9, Goodwater, AL 35072 256-839-6607 • Hometown Pharmacy – 839 Airport Dr. Ste. 101, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-329-0900 • Idle Time Family Center, Inc. – 693 Airport Dr., Alexander City, AL35010 256-329-8366 • Jason Tapley – Alexander City, AL 35010 256-454-2603 • John R. Thomas – Alexander City, AL 35010 • Lackey Floor, LLC – 2431 Dadeville Road, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-329-8079 • Lake Martin Hospice – 201 Mariarden Road, Dadeville, AL 36853
256-825-3272 • Lake Martin Mini Mall – 7995 Kowaliga Road, Eclectic, AL 36024 334-857-3900 • Lake Martin Property Service, LLC – 1556 Central Avenue, Eclectic, AL 36024 256-307-1096 • Lake Martin Tractor & Outdoor, LLC – 1551 Hwy 280, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-3432 • Lake Martin Vascular Clinic – 1120 Airport Dr., Ste. 102, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-212-9300 • Lake Outdoors Marine – 155 US Hwy 280, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-392-4801 • Larry E. Speaks & Assoc., Inc. – 535 Herron Street, Montgomery, AL 36104 334-262-1091 • McGhee Furniture Warehouse – 894 Hillabee Street, Alexander City, AL 35010 850-596-9552 • Melissa Reynolds — Alexander City, AL 35010 256-596-0645 • Mini Nails – 52 Broad Street, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-6557 • MXK Events – 148 Madison Street, Alexander City, AL 35010
256-521-1199 • North Lake Crafted – Alexander City, AL 35010 334-796-5976 • Roots & Rain – 2591 Hwy 39, Chelsea, AL 35043 256-750-2262 • S&S Discount Tire Pros – 857 Cherokee Rd, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-212-8822 • Southern Aerial Drone Service – Dadeville, AL 36853 256-307-6160 • Southern Design & Material, Inc. – 1081 Tallapoosa Street, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-7479 • Sparkle Window Cleaning Services, Inc. — 500 N. 26th St., Unit 405, Opelika, AL 36801 334-759-7080 • Steven Mackey Dermatology – 125 Alison Drive, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-409-2159 • Thompson Power Systems – 2300 Hwy 21 South, Oxford, AL 36203 205-849-3670 • Tolbert’s Elite Mobile Detailing – Alexander City, AL 35010 256-786-1007 • Tom Whatley – Auburn, AL 36830
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The Friends of Dadeville in concert with the Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsoring the fourth annual “Spirit of a Hometown Christmas” parade scheduled for Dec. 10 in Dadeville. This annual event features a wide variety of floats and parade participants, arts and crafts booths, a children’s venue, food booths and more importantly, Santa Claus. If you would like to participate in the parade or need additional information, please contact the Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce at 256 825-4019.
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December 6
MONTHLY LUNCHEON: Bibb Graves High School Alumni and Friends in Millerville will have its Monthly Luncheon on Wednesday, Dec. 6 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Please bring a covered dish and a small donation.
December 6-10
PASTORAL APPRECIATION: House of Prayer Apostolic Church of Promise is celebrating the 24th Annual Pastoral Appreciation for Overseer Emma and Deacon Earnest Hoyle Dec. 6 and 8 and 7 p.m. and Climax Sunday is Dec. 10 at 3 p.m. The church is at 634 North Central Avenue in Alexander City.
Thursday, December 7
CHRISTMAS MUSICAL: Faith Brown Nursing Christian Academy presents its and Rehabilitation 12th Annual Christmas musical,
Rehabilitation Services •Physical Therapy •Occupational Therapy •Speech Therapy 2334 Washington Street Alexander City • 256-329-9061 www.crownemanagement.com
Come Visit Us! Cecily Lee, Administrator Angela Pitts, Director of Nursing
Christmas at Bethlehem Gulch Thursday, Dec. 7 at 6 p.m. in the Faith Temple sanctuary. The musical will present the FCA Cance Troupe, the second grade handbell choir, a lasso performance and an 84-voice children’s choir.
Friday, December 8
BAKE SALE: The Russell Medical Auxiliary is hosting its annual Christmas Holiday Bake Sale Friday, Dec. 8 starting at 7 a.m. in the Russell Medical Community Room. There will be cakes, pies, breads, candy, cookies and canned goods. All proceeds go toward student scholars.
Saturday, December 9
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CHRISTMAS BALL: New Style Baptist Church is hosting Christmas Ball 2017, a semi-formal event, Saturday, Dec. 9 at 6 p.m. at The Hangout 6207 Hwy 63 South in Alexander City. Rev. Richard E Taylor is Pastor. Tickets are $10 in advance and $15 at the door. Please contact Tonya Thomas at 256-786-0399, Pam Jones at 256-496-2044, Shirley Jennings at 256-496-4067, or Shelia Thomas at 256-872-1053 for tickets. HOLIDAY OPEN HOUSE: Horseshoe Bend National Military Park is hosting a holiday open house from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. Visitors can see luminaries along the pathways and battlefield. BREAKFAST WITH SANTA: Dadeville First United Methodist Church is hosting breakfast with Santa Saturday, Dec. 9 from 8 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. Pancakes, sausage, juice and coffee are $5 and the breakfast a photograph with Santa and Mrs. Claus is $10. Mrs. Butterworth will be there too. Proceeds benefit the church’s Honduras Medical Mission trip.
Sunday, December 10
CHRISTMAS PARADE: The Friends of Dadeville in concert with the Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce are co-sponsoring the 4th Annual “Spirit of a Hometown Christmas” Parade scheduled for Dec. 10 in Dadeville. This annual event features a wide variety of floats and parade participants, arts and crafts booths, a children’s venue, food booths and more importantly, Santa Claus. If you would like to participate
in the parade or need additional information, please contact the Dadeville Area Chamber of Commerce at 256 825-4019. CHRISTMAS MUSICAL: Faith Temple Church will present the timeless story of His coming in a Christmas musical, “Christmas in His Presence” on Sunday, Dec. 10 at 10:30 a.m. in the Faith Temple sanctuary. The musical features soloists Valerie Baty, Julie Haynes, Susan Mann and Frank Carpenter. The public is cordially invited. CHRISTMAS PROGRAM: Hillabee Baptist Church Children’s Choir will present its Christmas program at 10:30 a.m. Sunday, Dec. 10 and at 6 p.m. the youth choir will present its program. Everyone is welcome. CHRISTMAS CONCERT: The Benjamin Russell High School Choral Department is hosting its annual Christmas Concert Sunday, Dec. 10 at 2:30 p.m. at the Trinity Campus of Alexander City First United Methodist Church. Admission is free. Everyone is welcome.
Thursday, December 14
CHRISTMAS CONCERT: The Capitol Sounds Concert Band will be in concert Thursday, Dec. 14 at 7:30 p.m. at the St. James United Methodist Church at 9045 Vaughn Road in Montgomery. Admission is free. SENIORX: Deborah Jones, a SenioRx coordinator will be availabale Dec. 14 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. at the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce to help seniors determine if they are eligible for assistance with diabetic supplies, liquid supplements and maintence medications. Jones can be contacted at 1-800-361-1636 for more information.
Friday, December 15
RENTED CHRISTMAS: Alexander City Theatre II will present a heartwarming holiday story in two acts with carols and the reading of the Christmas story from the Book of Luke. The play begins at 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults; $7 for students and are available at the door and on the ACT II website at www.act2fineartscenter.com.
Saturday, December 16
TRADE DAY: Bibb Graves High School Alumni and Friends Monthly Trade Day in Millerville on Highway 9 between Ashland and Goodwater will be held on December 16 from 7 a.m. until 2 p.m. Refreshments are also available. RENTED CHRISTMAS: Alexander City Theatre II will present a heartwarming holiday story in two acts with carols and the reading of the Christmas story from the Book of Luke. There will be two performances of the play - 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Tickets are $12 for adults; $7 for students and are available online at the door and online at the website www. act2fineartscenter.com.
Sunday, December 17
CHRISTMAS CANTATA: Red Ridge United Methodist Church is presenting its Christmas cantata “How Should a King Come” by Randy Vader and Rose Aspinall Dec. 17 at 9:30 a.m. under the direction of Dr. Kim Walls with a full orchestra.
January 8-9
THROW AWAY DAYS: The Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership and the Tallapoosa County Commission are holding Throw Away Days January 8-9. Dumpsters will be located at at the Alex City Annex at 395 Lee Street, Double Bridges on Highway 63, the Old Daviston School on Highway 22, the Camp Hill Town at 309 Holley Ave. and the Union Community Center at 4191 Highway 50. Dumpsters will be available at no charge to residents.
The Learning Tree Helping Children Learn and Grow
The Learning Tree, Inc. is Accepting Applications for Weekend Shifts in Direct Care. Applications can be picked up at: 101 S. Dubois Street Tallassee, AL 36078 Or contact Brinda Bell (334) 252-0025, Ext. 101 Email: bbell@learning-tree.org
Sunday, January 21
HISTORICAL SOCIETY MEETING: The Tallapoosee Historical Society will meet at the Historical Museum on the square in Dadeville on Sunday, January 21, 2018 at 2 p.m. Dr. Charles Mitchell will be the speaker. He will present “A Pictorial History of Alabama Agriculture.” While working at Auburn, Dr. Mitchell accumulated lots of old photographs related to Alabama agriculture. Several years ago, he began organizing them and realized that these old pictures could actually tell the chronological story of Alabama’s agriculture from the Creek Indians to modern production. He will share these photographs with the Tallapoosee Historical Society Please make plans to attend. The meeting is open to the public, there is no admission fee and free refreshments will be served.
April 9-10
THROW AWAY DAYS: The Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership and the Tallapoosa County Commission are holding Throw Away Days April 9-10. Dumpsters will be located at at the Alex City Annex at 395 Lee Street, Double Bridges on Highway 63, the Old Daviston School on Highway 22, the Camp Hill Town at 309 Holley Ave. and the Union Community Center at 4191 Highway 50. Dumpsters will be available at no charge to residents.
July 16-17
THROW AWAY DAYS: The Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership and the Tallapoosa County Commission are holding Throw Away Days July 16-17. Dumpsters will be located at at the Alex City Annex at 395 Lee Street, Double Bridges on Highway 63, the Old Daviston School on Highway 22, the Camp Hill Town at 309 Holley Ave. and the Union Community Center at 4191 Highway 50. Dumpsters will be available at no charge to residents.
October 15-16
THROW AWAY DAYS: The Middle Tallapoosa Clean Water Partnership and the Tallapoosa County Commission are holding Throw Away Days October 15-16. Dumpsters will be located at at the Alex City Annex at 395 Lee Street, Double Bridges on Highway 63, the Old Daviston School on Highway 22, the Camp Hill Town at 309 Holley Ave. and the Union Community Center at 4191 Highway 50. Dumpsters will be available at no charge to residents.
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Tuesday, December 5, 2017
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Alex City gets in Christmas spirit Left, the Horseshoe Bend High School Marching Band makes its way through the round about. Above, performers with The Studio and Regeneration Praisers parade the streets on Monday night. Below left, an Elvis impersonator performs in the parade. Below right, people on the float from ReMax Around the Lake wave at guests. Bottom left, Brix Alford, 3, of Alexander City rides T-Rex while adjusting the Christmas directions of a fellow rider in the parade. Bottom right, Rising Starz dancers perform in front of the Alexander City First Baptist Church. Cliff Williams / The Outlook
LIZI ARBOGAST SPORTS EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X228 lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com
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Tuesday, December 5, 2017
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LUKE ROBINSON Columnist
CFP committee made correct tough decision
STRONG SHOWING
I
know some of you think that Alabama’s selection into the College Football Playoffs was clear-cut. It wasn’t. I know some of you think that the Tide’s inclusion is an egregious miscarriage of justice that tears at the very fabric of amateur athletics’ morality. Nope. There was a choice to be made. A tough one. Pick one team that had certain strong points and weak points or another team with similar (but different) accolades and flaws. The CFP Committee considered those two options (and perhaps even Southern Cal) and came to decide after hours of deliberation that ’Bama would get the nod. “But what about the loss to Auburn?! And the fact Alabama didn’t even play for its conference titles?! And the Tide’s mediocre resume of wins?! Ohh, the humanity!” Well, those things all factored into the equation. Alabama, like Ohio State and USC, has obvious chinks in its armor. In fact, every team in the country has shown invulnerabilities this season. It’s safe to say no matter who claims the crown in college football for 2017, said team will not go down as an “AllTime Squad”. But back to the debate, choosing ’Bama over OSU and USC was not criminal in the least. It was a close call and only one team of the three could be there. I know it’s a bit cliché to bring a country song in to the fray here, but remember the Rhett Atkins hit from 1995 called, “That Ain’t My Truck?” Yeah, you remember. (Hang with me, I am going to try to go somewhere with this…) Atkins and another dude were both dating some girl who had told them both she was going to choose — once and for — which one she’d commit to that night? Turns out, after Atkins didn’t hear from her, he drove over to her house and guess what he saw in the driveway? It was a truck, but “It Ain’t (his) Truck.” So what does that have to do with anything — I mean, besides letting you know I dug bad country music in or around 1995? It means in situations like playoff selections, when you come up just this short, it may feel like you were never in the race because there was only one winner here. Ricky Bobby said it best, “Second place just means you are the first loser.” Frankly, if it had been the Tide that was left out, I would make the same argument. Just as I did last year when Ohio State (a team which did not win its conference and also lost a head to head matchup with Penn State) was taken in favor of the Nittany Lions. What hurts so much is this moment comes and goes, then is lost. The kids graduating from Ohio State won’t get 2017 back. I acknowledge that part. So should the playoffs expand because the Buckeyes were left at the altar this year? Come on now! Four teams is where it’s at. Adding more teams not only brings in less-deserving squads, it also rearranges the college football season as we know it. I am not against change, but Championship Weekend is fun. I just don’t think that Conference Champs should be automatically in a playoff. Not all conferences are equal after all. There are uncertainties and ambiguities within the current system. I understand that argument. But we had computers with the BCS and it was flawed as well. There is no “perfect” system anywhere in sports, but no one was robbed Sunday morning; no one was hosed. An easy way to alleviate your selection-eve angst would be to have your team win every game. (As long as that team is from a Power 5 Conference, of course.) Wait, let’s argue about that another time, OK? Luke Robinson is a regular columnist and contributor to Lake Martin Living and BMetro.
Submitted / The Outlook
Benjamin Russell’s wrestling team placed third at the Red Devil Duals on Saturday.
Wildcats take third at Red Devil Duals STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Despite missing two wrestlers, Benjamin Russell had a fine showing at the Red Devil Duals in Phenix City on Saturday. The Wildcats claimed wins over Auburn, Hardaway (Georgia), Opelika and Lee with their only loss coming against Prattville, earning them a third-place finish out of 14 teams. Against both Auburn and Opelika, BRHS (9-5) pulled out narrow victories. In their first match of the day, the Wildcats faced off against Auburn and trailed 39-30 heading into the final two bouts. But with pins from Dimitri Johnson and Curtis Norris at 220 and 285, respectively, Benjamin Russell walked away with a 42-39 victory. After securing a 51-30 win over Hardaway, the Wildcats went back and forth with Opelika, which they had recently dominated at a quad meet. Benjamin Russell started with four straight wins — a pin from Peyton Young at 132, a win by forfeit at 138, a decision by Saxon Coker at 145 and a pin from Michael Parker at 152. But then the Bulldogs started to climb back in it. Midway through the match, BRHS led 27-9 before Opelika reeled off three straight victories. What ultimately clinched the match in favor of the Wildcats was a pin from Nyshad Hannon at 120. Benjamin Russell won, 39-36, despite giving up a forfeit in the final bout. BRHS then lost to Prattville, 37-27, but bounced right back in the consolation match against Lee. Although the Wildcats lost the final
four bouts, Lee couldn’t catch up to an early deficit and Benjamin Russell won, 41-33. Parker went undefeated on the day at 152 pounds, earning a 5-0 record that included four pins. He also had the Wildcats’ quickest fall of the day, recording a pin against Hardaway in just 25 seconds. At 170, Hezekiah Hunter was also perfect but wrestled only two matches. He had a pin against Auburn and a 10-8 decision versus Hardaway. Bobby Charsha, Hannon and Coker all had 4-1 records. Hannon put up pins in all four of his wins at 120, while Charsha and Coker each had two pins at 106 and 145, respectively. Other Wildcats with winning records were Young (3-2, 1 pin) at 132; Robert Graham (3-1) at 138; Conner Burk (3-2, 2 pins) at 182; and Norris (3-2, 3 pins) at 285.
Reeltown begins with split
Despite taking on a school two classes bigger, Reeltown’s boys basketball team got off to a great start on Friday night, earning a 53-44 victory over Elmore County. “It felt really, really good, and the guys were very happy and are ready to keep moving forward and building on that first game,” Reeltown coach Jonathan Gardner said. “It’s good for us to play against some of these bigger teams.” Eric Shaw led the Rebels with 23 points and capped it off with a 14-rebound double-double. He also had two blocks. Tre Tre Hughley and Leo Lewis split 18 points evenly. Reeltown’s girls team wasn’t so
lucky. After trailing by just two points in the first quarter, the Rebels were outscored 18-5 in the second period and eventually lost, 50-35. Ashlynn Thomas led the scoring with 13 points, while Marsheka Shaw popped in five points and led the way with nine blocks and five rebounds. Taniya Haynes had seven points and four steals, and Ariyana grabbed four off the glass. In other action Friday night, Benjamin Russell’s girls team (3-2) scored a big victory over Smiths Station 70-26, while the boys (2-1) lost, 68-53. Horseshoe Bend’s boys (4-2) extended its win streak to three games with a narrow 60-58 win over Ranburne, while the girls squad (2-1) suffered its first loss of the season, 53-15.
Dadeville, Horseshoe Bend post big wins
On Thursday night, Dadeville’s girls basketball team crushed Holtville to start the season with a 39-4 victory. Ranikia Cox had a stellar effort with 16 points and 19 rebounds, while Jamela Moss put up an incredible 16 steals. De’Asia Doss had seven points, Jenifer Galvan-Castillo put up six and Makya Johnson and Nena Pearson each had four. For Horseshoe Bend’s boys team, which earned a 56-48 win over Fayetteville, Cade Worthy led the way with 15 points, while Nalijah Heard followed closely with 14 points. Leevontae Robinson scored eight points and grabbed 15 rebounds, 13 of which were offensive.
Auburn falls in SEC championship STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Just three weeks ago, Auburn handed Georgia, which was ranked No. 1 at the time, an embarrassing loss. On Saturday in the SEC Championship, the Bulldogs made up for lost time, responding with a 28-7 victory over the Tigers. After Auburn (10-3) scored the first touchdown of the game, Georgia (12-1) doled out score after score, putting up 28 unanswered points to set the final score.
Georgia outgained the Tigers, 421-259, and didn’t cough up the ball at all, compared to two turnovers for Auburn. The win ensured Georgia’s spot in the College Football Playoffs, where it’ll face No. 2 Oklahoma on Jan. 1. No. 4 Alabama and No. 1 Clemson meet in the other semifinal with the National Championship game set for Jan. 8 back at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta. The loss dropped Auburn
Todd Van Ernst / AU Athletics
Auburn wide receiver Nate Craig-Myers (3) catches a touchdown in the first half of Saturday’s SEC Championship versus Georgia.
to No. 7 in the final rankings, and it puts the Tigers in the Peach Bowl against No. 12 UCF, which
finished the undefeated AAC Champion. That game will be played Jan. 1, also in Atlanta.
LOCAL SPORTS CALENDAR Tuesday, Dec. 5 High school boys basketball Sylacauga at Benjamin Russell, 7 p.m. Dadeville at Alabama Christian, 7 p.m. Horseshoe Bend at Lanett, 6:15 p.m. High school girls basketball Sylacauga at Benjamin Russell, 5:30 p.m. Dadeville at Alabama Christian, 5:30 p.m. Horseshoe Bend at Lanett, 5 p.m. High school wrestling Dadeville, Beauregard at Benjamin Russell, 5:30 p.m.
Middle school basketball Opelika at Alexander City, 5 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7 High school boys basketball Reeltown at Beauregard, 7:30 p.m. B.B. Comer at Central Coosa, 7 p.m. High school girls basketball Reeltown at Beauregard, 5:30 p.m. B.B. Comer at Central Coosa, 4:30 p.m. High school wrestling Dadeville in quad match at Beulah, TBA Middle school basketball
Alexander City at Central Coosa, 5 p.m. Friday, Dec. 8 High school boys basketball Benjamin Russell at Dadeville, 7 p.m. Pike Road at Reeltown, 7:30 p.m. High school girls basketball Benjamin Russell at Dadeville, 5:30 p.m. Pike Road at Reeltown, 5:30 p.m. LaFayette at Central Coosa, 1 p.m. High school wrestling Benjamin Russell at Auburn tournament, TBA