OPINION, PAGE 4.
LOCAL, PAGE 10 Meet Basil, Humane Society of Elmore County’s Pet of the Week
SPORTS, PAGE 12
Varsity basketball season ends with wins
INSIDE
Primary elections approach with no interesting races.
THIS WEEK’S OBITS CAN BE FOUND ON PAGES 6-7.
The Tallassee Tribune DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER TALLASSEE AREA
TALLASSEE, AL 36078
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February 10, 2016
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VOL. 117, NO. 6
TWO FACE CHARGES IN ARSON CASE structures are in close proximity of each other. “Within a short period of time, we’ve had to deal with two different arson cases that are juvenile related,” said Jimmy Rodgers, chief of police of The Tallassee Police Department. “The individuals weren’t related but in both cases juveniles were responsible.” Rodgers said he believes this is an unfortunate event that not only affected the homeowners but also the surrounding areas. “It’s discouraging, actions of this nature not only take away from the property owner, it takes away from the community as a
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
An adult male, 19-year-old Benjamen Kody Mills of Tallassee and a juvenile have been charged with arson for the Jan. 6 structure fire on Lilly Avenue. The structure was vacant at the time of the fire; however significant damaged was caused to the home and multiple fire departments responded to the blaze. Prior to the structure on Lilly Avenue, there was another fire of similar nature on Paxton Drive. Both of these
whole,” he said. In this case, the juvenile and young adult had no concern for others and both have had run-ins with law enforcement in the past, Rodgers said. “I think they were mischievous and unconcerned with other people’s property,” Rodgers said. “We’ve dealt with constantly.” Investigators with the Tallassee Police Department conducted a thorough investigation in the case, Rodgers said. “It was almost a month before we had See ARSON • Page 2
‘Hate group’ joins in Confederate flag saga
CARPDC explained a substantial cost difference during Monday’s City Council meeting. The unexpected cost difference could mean a concrete decking as proposed in the 2014 TAP Grant application.
By COREY ARWOOD Staff Writer
The ongoing issue with the Confederate flag and Elmore County, specifically the Tallassee chapter of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, took a turn when the Tribune was notified of a connection to a group, classified as an extremist hate-group by the Southern Poverty Law Center, a civil rights law organization out of Montgomery. An email sent to the Tribune indicated the SCV supporter who gathered funds to raise a 50-foot Confederate flag in downtown Montgomery within blocks of Alabama State University had ties to the white-supremacist group the League of the South, or LOS. In a phone interview, Richard Cohen, SPLC president said, “We consider the League of the South to be a hate group.” Cohen cited what he said was the group’s “incendiary racism” and “their belief that the South should secede from the union again,” as evidence for the classification. Dana Jones, of Georgiana, Alabama, warned that she had consulted her See HATE • Page 2
File / The Tribune
Cost for walking bridge rises By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
After the Tallassee City Council approved a motion for a Central Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission grant proposal, grant writers returned to Monday’s city council meeting to explain a cost difference of $400,000. The initial estimates to resurface the Tallassee Mill Bridge decking was $150,000. However, Greg Clark, executive director for CARPDC, stood before the council to explain the cost estimates brought forth in the earlier meeting were estimates gathered from previous years and the actualcost of the decking material has increased to $521,000.
This new information has put the plan for the new walking bridge on hold. The council asked if there were any other bids that could be looked into or if cement based decking could be used at a lesser cost. “It had a number in there that we had not received a quote on, yet, and that was for the materials to do the decking,” Clark said. “That information, basically, threw our cost figures out of whack.” Russ Robinson, Tallassee City Engineer, explained the difference in these numbers to the City Council. “We received that quote at 4 (p.m.) this afternoon and it’s substantially more than the $150,000 we had in there. It’s $521,000 See BRIDGE • Page 3
Mills
Elmore agencies take next step toward federal assistance By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Now that Federal Emergency Management Agency and Alabama Emergency Management Agency officials met with officials from Elmore County for a Joint Preliminary Damage Assessment, the county is now eligible for FEMA assistance and local, state and other governmental agencies can now begin the process of applying for the available funding need to repair and replace property or infrastructure damaged during the late December flooding. To begin the process of applying for public assistance, applicants should go to www.grants.ema.alabama.gov. “It’s an online form that starts the process,” said See RELIEF • Page 3
CONTACT US
Tallassee Cancer Support Group to begin meeting monthly
334-283-6568 / FAX: 334-283-6569
when she realized something was not right. Pace went to Dr. Thomas Bianchi where she was examined and had blood taken to be tested. “The doctor told me to go ahead and go and he would give me the results when I got back,” she said. When she came home from her spring break getaway to Panama City Beach, Florida, she said she was given the dreaded results, she had cancer. “I was diagnosed with Stage III ovarian cancer,” Pace said. “They caught it early, which was the good part.” Rather than undergoing surgery, Pace said she chose herbal therapy combined with chemotherapy. She said the chemotherapy was not that bad but she dreaded needles and that was the hardest part to See CANCER • Page 3
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
When James Martin moved to Tallassee he knew he wanted to make a difference in the community. After coordinating to start Tallassee’s Neighborhood Watch Group, Martin has now created the Tallassee Cancer Support Group. The group will meet monthly at the Community Hospital classroom. The first meeting will be at 6 p.m. Feb. 16. It was Martin’s mother and his stepdaughter that inspired him to create the group. Martin’s mother was diagnosed with cancer when he was younger and more recently his stepdaughter, he said. Tamara Pace, Martin’s stepdaughter, was diagnosed with cancer in March of 2015. She was about to take her spring break trip
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Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune
Tamara Pace is now cancer free after being diagnosed with stage III ovarian cancer in March of 2105. Not only did Pace survive, she is thriving. Pace is the inspiration for the newly formed Tallassee Cancer Support Group.
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