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February 20, 2018 Vol. 126, No. 36 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Motown Magic a hit at BRHS
Details of man’s shooting remain a mystery Local man shows up at ER with abdomen. Just before 9 a.m., medical personnel alerted the Alexander City Police gunshot wound to the stomach Department after a man described as a
By MITCH SNEED Editor
An Alexander City man remains hospitalized in Birmingham after showing up at the emergency room Monday morning with a bullet wound in his
49-year-old black male came to the Russell Medical Emergency Department seeking treatment. He told medical professionals that he had been shot. Police responded, but Deputy Chief James Easterwood said they weren’t able to get reliable information from the man
before he was transferred to the University of Alabama-Birmingham Medical Center. “He told us that he was shot at his residence on Red Bud Street by a female, but he only knew a first name,” Easterwood said. “We checked that out, but it doesn’t appear that the information was very reliable. We will wait until he is stabilized and talk with him again to see if we can get to the bottom of it.” The man’s condition was not known
Monday afternoon, but Easterwood indicated that the man was alert and it didn’t appear that the injuries were lifethreatening. “You never know in these things, but they talked like he would recover in time,” Easterwood said. “The investigation is active and ongoing and we should have some answers in the next day or two when we are able to get more information from the victim.”
Two face drug charges after search of local ‘trap house’
City should realize real savings with jail deal
Officials arrest two, seize drugs, cash and vehicle at Booger Hollow residence
By MITCH SNEED Editor
A deal was finalized that will get Alexander City out of the jail business, but Monday night the Alexander City City Council learned why the move makes sense. The council voted 6-0 to authorize the mayor to sign a contract with Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department to begin housing its inmates at the Tallapoosa County Jail. That means the switch could begin on March 1. The contract calls for the city to pay a $50 book-in fee, $10 per day for meals, pay all medical costs for its inmates and provide transportation to the facility. While on the surface, that sounds like a lot, Alexander City Police Chief Jay Turner explained the saving that should be realized. “We average 3.9 inmates per day and just to feed those as well as the felony inmates who are here for day or two before transfer costs us on average about $40,000,” Turner said. “At $10 per day per inmate with the county, we will pay $14,000 if those levels remain the same. The $50 booking fee, while that sounds like a lot, it will be charged back to the inmate in court fees. So while it may take some time to recover, we will get a good bit of that back.” Turner said they will See COUNCIL • Page 9
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Father and daughter killed in violent crash on Highway 280 near Camp Hill By MITCH SNEED Editor
A Dadeville father and his young daughter lost their lives Saturday after a violent crash on Highway 280 near Camp Hill. According to Camp Hill Interim Police Chief Danny Williams, a 2001 Ford F-150 carrying a family of five was traveling eastbound on Highway 280 when it collided with a Saturn with a single occupant. Records show that the call reporting the accident came in at 12:39 p.m. “The family in the Ford truck was traveling eastbound and the Saturn was crossing Highway See CRASH • Page 3
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
A violent accident that occurred at Highway 280 and County Road 89 near Camp Hill, above, killed a father and daughter Saturday. The father, Arlo Burton, was airlifted from the scene by LifeSaver but suffered a cardiac arrest in flight. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at East Alabama Medical Center’s ER at 2:07 p.m. Just before being airlifted to a trauma center, the daughter, Armani Burton, went into cardiac arrest and was pronounced dead in the ER at 3:08 p.m.
Goodwater’s Arnzer Lee Johnson, shown seated center surrounded by his children, turned 105 Friday. To honor him, a crowd of 109 family and friends gathered at the Goodwater Community Center for a surprise party and celebration. Johnson, who still looks surprisingly young and gets around very well, took the big day in stride. “I’m just another day older, that’s all,” Johnson said. Johnson was born in Clay County and spent several years in Florida before returning to make his home in Goodwater. Johnson, who is still very sharp and possesses a quick wit, shared his secret to a long life. “I worked hard, I laugh a lot and I bow my head every day,” Johnson said. “Tell everybody to pray for me and I will see you all in five years when I’m 110.” More photos can be seen on Page 9 inside.
Lake Martin
Weather Lake Levels
484.28
80 64 High
Low
Reported on 2/19/18 @ 4 p.m.
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Prayer vigil to be held this evening in Strand Park
Johnson celebrates 105 years on earth
Today’s
Complaints from citizens about potential drug activity touched off an investigation that led to two arrested and the seizure of McCormick drugs, cash and a vehicle. The Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, Alexander City Police Handley Department, Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department and US Marshal Gulf Coast Fugitive Task Force executed a search warrant Friday at a residence off Booger Hollow Road in Dadeville. Investigators had been receiving numerous complaints of illegal narcotic activity at this residence. During a search of the suspected “trap house” investigators recovered approximately 16 grams of crystal methamphetamine,
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
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Following last week’s tragic shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, local community members will come together tonight for a prayer vigil and balloon release to remember the 17 killed in the shooting. The event is scheduled to begin at 5:15 p.m. in Strand See VIGIL • 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
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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 Katie Wesson Retail Sales Manager, Ext. 232 katie.wesson@alexcityoutlook.com Scott Hardy Digital Marketing Coordinator, Ext. 231 scott.hardy@alexcityoutlook.com Rebecca Carlisle Advertising Sales, Ext. 217 rebecca.carlisle@alexcityoutlook.com Erin Burton Advertising Sales, Ext. 225 erin.burton@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, Kenneth Boone Photography and a commercial web printing press.
The Outlook is published five times a week, Tuesday through Saturday mornings, by Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, P.O. Box © 2011 Tallapoosa 999, Alexander City, AL, 35011. Publishers, Inc. Reproduction of any part POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Post Office Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011.
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The Outlook
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How to Submit Obituaries Obituaries can be submitted to The Outlook from funeral homes by email at obits@alexcityoutlook.com For more information, call (256) 234-4281.
DEAR ABBY: I am almost 62 and struggling to get through the day at work. It’s not because of the work itself, but I am extremely unhappy in the work environment. I have been here more than 20 years, and I have a real problem with the work ethic of the younger employees. They come in to work anywhere from a halfhour to two hours late. One of them takes hour-long breaks, two-hour lunches and then leaves early. Another comes to work and complains nonstop about her drive, her ex and all her aches and pains. (She just turned 40.) I go home every night frustrated and so stressed out I snap at my poor husband. I really want to retire. It wouldn’t be a financial burden, although we would have to cut back on a little spending. My husband won’t offer an opinion, but I know I’d be much happier and healthier if I did. Any advice? -- STRESSED AND TIRED DEAR STRESSED: You
DEAR ABBY Advice
might be happier and healthier if, rather than retire early, you talked to a licensed mental health professional about how to manage your stress. You can’t control the behavior (or misbehavior) of your younger co-workers. That’s your boss’s responsibility. If their lack of punctuality and poor attendance doesn’t bother your employer, you should not be letting it affect you. And as to the woman who complains about her aches, her pains and her ex -- why are you listening to that garbage? You have only a few more years until you reach an age at which you can retire with all the benefits you have earned -and without having to cut back.
Obituaries Mr. Terry R. Jones, age 51 of Alexander City, Alabama, died Sunday, February 18, at his residence. Funeral arrangements are incomplete. Final arrangements are entrusted to Armour’s Memorial Funeral Home.
Funeral Service for Rev. Arthur Earl Gordon, 87, of Alexander City, Alabama, will be Wednesday, February 21, 2018 at 3:00 p.m. at the Comer Memorial United Methodist Church. Rev. Ira Dillard Laney will officiate. Burial will follow in the Hillview Memorial Park. The family will receive friends on Wednesday, February 21, 2018 from 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. at Comer Memorial United Methodist Church. Rev. Gordon passed away on Saturday, February 17, 2018 at Chapman Healthcare Center. He was born on July 11, 1930 in Tallapoosa County, Alabama to William Arthur Gordon and Flora Gordon. Comer United Methodist Church is his home church. After graduation from Seminary, he served as pastor at the following locations: Sunny Level UMC, Hackneyville Circuit, Flint Hill UMC, Wedowee First UMC,
I don’t consider that an apology. -- HATES JUDGMENT IN OHIO DEAR HATES JUDGMENT: Yes, you should respond to your cousin. She needs to understand that you are changing the rules regarding further conversations with her. Explain that it has always made you uncomfortable when she said unkind, judgmental things about family members, and that when she started in on your brother, you finally reached your limit. Tell her that in the future when you talk, it must be about positive things and not family members. After that, the ball will be in her court. See if she follows through. 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.
Ongoing Events
Terry R. Jones
Rev. Arthur Earl Gordon 1930-2018
Please consider what I have said and ride it out. DEAR ABBY: I recently had a phone conversation with a cousin who lives on the other side of the country. We talk once a month. She has always been judgmental and negative about our cousins, aunts, uncles, etc., who -- for the most part -- she rarely communicates with. In the past, when she would put them down, I’d cut the conversation short because I didn’t want to listen. During our last chat, she started in on my brother. That’s when I lost it. I gave her a piece of my mind and hung up. Since then, she has texted and called a few times, but I haven’t responded. I feel bad for what happened, but at the same time, I refuse to listen to her talk badly about and judge other family members. How should I handle this? Should I respond to her? In one of her texts she said she “didn’t mean to upset me,” but
Lineville First UMC, Wesley Chapel UMC, Columbiana First UMC, Ensley First UMC, Epworth UMC, Alexander City First UMC, District Superintendent for the Roanoke District, Camp Director at Camp Sumatanga, UMC camp, Sheffield UMC and then retired and went on to serve at Comer UMC for 12 years and then two other locations. He is survived by his Son, Timothy Earl Gordon (Patricia) of Port St. Lucie, FL; daughter, Christie Gordon Burcher (Tommy) of Covington, GA; 3 Grand Children, sister, Gert Downing of Dadeville, AL; and brother-in-law, Freddie Hyatt (Dori) of Morriston, FL. He was preceded in death by his wife, Christine Hyatt Gordon; father, William Arthur Gordon; mother, Flora Gordon; and sister, Yvonne Culp. Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www. radneyfuneralhome.com. Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
TALLAPOOSA PATRIOTS: The Tallapoosa Patriots meet the second Tuesday of each month at 6:30 p.m. at Professional Commons. For more information contact Sherry Sellers at thyra899@gmail. com or at 256-234-2528. DEMENTIA SUPPORT GROUP: The Emily Gilbert Dementia Support Group for family and caregivers meets the third Monday of every month in the community room at Russell Medical Center from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. It is sponsored by the Russell Medical Auxiliary. For more information call volunteer services office at 256-3297177. FREE SUPPORT GROUP: GriefShare, a grief recovery support group, will meet each Tuesday from 6 until 8 p.m. at the Reception Center of Radney Funeral Home in Alexander City. There is also a meeting on Tuesday at the Tallapoosa County Baptist Association from 10 a.m. to noon. This seminar is offered without cost to participants, and sponsored by Radney Funeral Home and Rocky Creek Baptist Church. For further information and registration, call Larry Cummings at 256397-2511. WEIGHT WATCHERS: The group meets each Monday evening in the fellowship hall of First United Methodist Church on Green Street in Alexander City. The Fellowship Hall is located behind the sanctuary. Registration is 5- 5:30 p.m. Meeting is 5:30-6 p.m. New members will want to stay after the meeting for a
15-minute Weight Watchers orientation. MUSIC AT EQUALITY PERFORMING ARTS CENTER: The Equality Performing Arts Center hosts music and other events on the second and fourth Friday nights of each month at 6:30 p.m. on Alabama Highway 9 in Equality. Country/Western, bluegrass, Southern gospel and instrumental music featured. For more information, contact Wayne Glenn at 334-541-3302. LABELS FOR EDUCATION: Jim Pearson’s P.E. Department is collecting Campbell’s soup labels and other products – visit labelsforeducation.com for a full list. Send labels and caps c/o Patricia Brooks, 3491 Coley Creek Road, Alexander City. BOX TOPS FOR EDUCATION: Help support Alexander City Middle School by collecting box tops. Send them to ACMS or send them by students. CANCER SUPPORT GROUP: The T.O.U.C.H. support group (Today Our Understanding of Cancer is Hope) meets at noon on the first Wednesday of each month in the community room of Russell Medical Center. The meeting is open to cancer survivors, current patients, caregivers or loved ones and anyone else going through cancer. Lunch is covered dish. SINGERS NEEDED: The Sunshine Singers are looking for those who love to sing the old songs. They meet at 2 p.m. every Thursday to share their love for music with residents of area nursing homes, including Brown, Adams, the Goodwater Nursing Home and Chapman. For more information, call 256-3291878 after 7 p.m. EVENING PRAISE: There will be an evening praise worship service every first and third Sunday at 5 p.m. at Family Worship Center at 1676 Sewell St. Everyone is welcome. For more information call 256794-2969.
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Tuesday, February 20, 2018
The Outlook
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Crash
continued from page 1
280 on Main Street driving towards the Dollar General store at the time of the crash,” Williams said. “We can’t release a whole lot of details at this time as the accident is still under investigation.” Lee County Coroner Bill Harris released a statement Sunday afternoon with additional details. According to Harris, 36-yearold Arlo Burton and 5-year-old Armani Burton were the victims who died from their injuries at East Alabama Medical Center. Harris said that Arlo Burton was forced to swerve while driving the F-150 in an attempt to miss the Saturn that had entered 280 from Main Street or County Road 89 South. Harris’ statement indicated that the truck couldn’t avoid striking the vehicle and lost control and overturned ejecting four of the occupants of his vehicle including himself. Harris said that it did not appear that the victims who were ejected had been wearing seatbelts. Arlo Burton was airlifted by LifeSaver from the scene but suffered a cardiac arrest while in flight and the helicopter had to land at EAMC. Efforts to revive him were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at the emergency room at 2:07 p.m. Armani Burton was transported via ground ambulance and once stabilized was about to be airlifted to a trauma center from EAMC
when she went into cardiac arrest and could not be revived. She was pronounced dead in the emergency room at 3:08 p.m. Both Burtons died from multiple blunt force impact injuries, Harris said in his released statement. Their bodies have been sent to the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences for a postmortem exam, Harris said. Williams said one member of the same family remains hospitalized at the University of Alabama Birmingham Medical Center and was in stable condition at last report. The other two family members were treated at hospitals and the driver of the Saturn was taken for care by personal vehicle, Williams said. Williams declined to speculate on possible factors involved in the crash or any potential charges that may result. Traffic was backed up and then diverted for more than an hour Saturday afternoon while officials worked the scene and tended to the victims. “We will continue the investigation with the help of the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency State Troopers,” Williams said. “We’d like to thank Dadeville, the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department, the troopers and all the EMS units and fire departments that responded to help. It’s a tragic thing and the family of the victims remain in our thoughts and prayers.”
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
A 2001 Ford F-150 carrying a family of five was traveling eastbound on Highway 280 when it collided with a Saturn carrying a single occupant, top. The driver of the Saturn was taken for care by personal vehicle. According to officials, 36-year-old Arlo Burton and 5-year-old Armani Burton are the victims who died from their injuries. One member of the same family remains hospitalized at UAB Medical Center, and the other two were treated at hospitals.
Vigil Park with a prayer vigil led by Family Worship Center minister Tony Harris. This will be followed by a balloon release at 5:30 p.m. During the release, 18 balloons will be set free into the darkening sky. 17 will have the names of the victims written on them, and the last balloon will represent the survivors of the tragic
continued from page 1
event. “I thought this would be a nice thing to do to try and show our support,” resident Lorrie Ross said. “I had the idea last week, and I just ran with it.” Ross said she reached out to community leaders last week and was able to secure Strand Park for the event, while the Sportplex was ready to
Arrests 45 Clonzepam pills and marijuana. Task Force investigators also seized $969.00 in cash, and a 2001 Toyota Celica. Two suspects were taken into custody. Troy Wayne McCormick, 33, of Dadeville. Was arrested and charged with unlawful distribution of a controlled substance, possession with intent to distribute, possession of controlled substance, possession of marijuana 1st degree, illegal possession of prescription drugs and possession of drug paraphernalia. McCormick was out on bond for trafficking methamphetamine after
Page 3
go as a backup location in case Strand Park was unavailable for tonight. Along with the prayer led by Harris, Ross said he would try reaching out to other local ministers to join in, some of whom might also want to lead a special word before the balloon release. Right before the balloons are released, Ross said she and the
continued from page 1
his arrest in August of last year, Teresa Handley, 26, of Dadeville was arrested and charged with possession with intent to distribute, possession of controlled substance, possession of marijuana 2nd degree and possession of drug
paraphernalia. The investigation of the possession, distribution and trafficking of illegal narcotics is ongoing in Tallapoosa County, according to Sgt. Fred White of the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force.
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other two women who have been instrumental in getting the vigil organized would be calling out the names of the 17 victims, ensuring that each one would be remembered by those gathered at the park. Overall, Ross said she has received a lot
of support from the community, but has also heard from those who have raised concerns over releasing balloons, which can be harmful to the community. Ross said biodegradable balloons have been purchased for the release, and that the strings
holding the balloons prior to the release would be cut to keep the strings from traveling with the balloons while in flight. “The community support has been amazing. Everyone has been very supportive of this,” Ross said.
Opinion
MITCH SNEED EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X213
editor@alexcityoutlook.com
EDITORIAL BOARD Steve Baker Mitch Sneed
Page 4
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Our
Seatbelt use is I a no-brainer
A
labama seatbelt law currently requires each front-seat occupant of a “passenger car” to have a safety belt properly fastened about his/her body any time the vehicle is in motion. In the backseat, the law isn’t as demanding. We all know that seatbelt use is a good idea, but the surprising portion of Alabama’s law are the words “front-seat occupant” that appear in the law. As the law states now, backseat passengers are not required to wear what most experts call the most important safety device in a passenger vehicle, unless they are under the age of 15. That makes no sense at all. Wearing a seatbelt is a no-brainer. For adult drivers, seatbelts reduce the risk of death by 45 percent, statistics show. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration thousands of lives could be saved annually if all passenger vehicle occupants older than four years used safety belts. Also, a total of 55 percent of all of the state’s traffic fatalities in 2016 involved victims who were either wearing no restrains or were using restraints improperly, according to statistics released by the Alabama Department of Transportation. So what that tells us is that despite stats that show 90 percent of Alabamians wear seatbelts, we still have many who gamble with their lives as well as the lives of others. While a backseat seatbelt law should be passed and signed into law, why should we have to be forced to do the smart thing that could save the lives of passengers on our vehicles? We should make sure everyone is buckled up regardless of what the law says. Saturday in Camp Hill, we had a family of five riding together in a pickup truck when another car came into their path. A father and daughter were killed. Both of the victims were thrown from the vehicle at impact and two others were also ejected. Lee County Coroner Bill Harris said that it didn’t appear that the victims were wearing their restraints at the crash. The pain and sorrow that this family is dealing with is tragic, but rather than allow that hurt to be without meaning, we should take the loss as a lesson. Buckle up and make sure everyone in the vehicle with you does the same. We have the power to stop this unnecessary loss of life.
Officials Communication with elected officials is the key to good government. To let your most local representatives know how you feel about state or local matters, contact any of the following.
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.
was impressed by Lake Martin. I was impressed by the crowds. I was impressed by the fish that were brought to the scales. But most of all, I was impressed by the class shown by the on-the-water spectators who wanted to catch a glimpse of the best professional bass anglers in the world. They were pure gold. I spent a big part of the Bassmaster Elite at Lake Martin presented by Econo Lodge covering Takahiro Omori — and as the chances of Tak winning grew, so did the gallery of spectators following him. But not once did I see anyone inch even the slightest bit too close to him. No one came in hot and caused waves to crash over the area he was fishing. Instead, they all handled it perfectly, watching from a distance and cheering every time he put a fish in the boat. Leave it to the folks from Alabama to understand that encroachment is still a foul — even if it doesn’t happen on a football field. Giving a guy some space used to be one of the most sacred unwritten rules of bass fishing on every level from club tournaments all the way to the Elite Series. But slowly through the years, that invisible ink has
BRYAN BASHER Guest columnist faded. I don’t think it’s faded so much in local tournaments, where the guy you’re trampling on might come and find you back at the boat dock. But in Bassmaster events — where everyone knows the anglers are bound to certain code of conduct — some people have gotten shamefully pushy. It doesn’t happen on every lake — and even on those lakes where it does happen, it’s usually just a tiny percentage of the crowd. But when it happens, it stinks. I’ve seen people fall in two boat lengths behind an Elite Series pro, throwing the same bait he’s throwing in an obvious show of spite. I’ve seen people watch an Elite angler on an offshore spot and then swarm that spot before the pro’s boat was even out of sight. The defense is always the same: “It’s a public lake.” That’s a hollow excuse when you consider all of the things that are public these days. Tailgating on a public
roadway is inexcusable. So is knocking someone over at a public grocery store. Forcing the word “public” into your response doesn’t automatically make something right. The good people of Lake Martin don’t need to make any excuses. They gave Takahiro Omori the space he needed to do his job — and if they did fish his spot after he was gone, they didn’t do enough damage to keep him from winning the $100,000 first-place prize. I’ve always joked that Tak’s English sort of goes in and out when you ask him how he’s catching his fish. But after Sunday’s weighin, with that heavy blue trophy in hand, he spoke as clearly as anyone about the Lake Martin crowd. “The people who were with me were obviously fishermen,” he said. “They were great the whole time.” I agree — and they set the standard everyone should follow. Bryan Brasher is editor of B.A.S.S. Times and a senior writer for B.A.S.S. Publications. Brasher has covered the outdoors since the mid-1990s for three newspapers and was named Best Outdoors Writer four times by the Tennessee Sports Writers Association.
Kay Ivey
Steve Marshall
Quote
“Good people are good because they’ve come to wisdom through failure. We get very little wisdom from success.” —William Saroya
Today’s
Scripture
“Dear friends, since God so loved us, we also ought to love one another. No one has ever seen God; but if we love one another, God lives in us and His love is made complete in us.” —1 John 4:11-12
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Daily Poll Weekend Question: Are you giving something up for Lent?
No — 85%, 40 votes Yes — 15%, 7 votes
Tuesday Question: Are you guilty of driving or riding in a vehicle without wearing your seatbelt? 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.
Spending by lake residents important to economy Dear Editor, I appreciate the Outlook’s coverage of the presentation on Feb. 8 by RCLCO’s Managing Director Gregg Logan of the results of a study conducted by his firm estimating the fiscal and economic impact of Lake Martin to the counties of Tallapoosa, Elmore and Coosa counties, as well as the state. The Outlook did a good job of summarizing the results of the study, which indicated $4.7 billion of land value and improvements, approximately 1,250 full-time jobs, $100 million in retail sales when you include building material sales related to new home
Dear Editor,
Tom Whatley
Today’s
The Outlook strives to report the news honestly, fairly and with integrity, to take a leadership role and act as a positive influence in our community, to promote business, to provide for the welfare of our employees, to strive for excellence in everything we do and above all, to treat others as we would want to be treated ourselves.
construction and over $10 million in tax revenues primarily benefitting our local governments. One important takeaway from the study I felt was not emphasized in the Outlook reporting is lake residents, both permanent and part time, account for $200 million in annual retail spending. When you allow for the $50 million that is spent by these individuals at businesses located on the lake, or in close proximity, that leaves $150 million I believe is mostly being spent outside the three-county area. This represents an enormous opportunity for those of us who call the Lake Martin area our home.
I believe the expansion of retail opportunities that would better serve the growing lake community is a key piece of the puzzle for sustainable economic growth, more jobs and higher incomes, and an overall better quality of life. The coordinated efforts of community and business leaders as well as elected officials will help make this a reality. Developing a long-term strategic plan that recognizes Lake Martin as the key to our community’s future economic well-being would be a good start. Tom Lamberth President & CEO Russell Lands, Inc.
Negative comments lead to negative results for Olympians Mark Tuggle
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
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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.
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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.
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“US team largely an Olympic flop,” says Associated Press writer, Tim Dahlberg. I will say the US Olympic Team of 2018 is a total disaster. After the first undesirable quote or damaging actions from one of our team members about his/her country and president, I knew the showing was not going to be good and my time of watching these malcontent amateurs was going to be done.
I have not seen any TV viewing numbers, but I would dare say they are down. As an old time preacher once said, “I’m not discouraged, I’m a little disgusted.” As a true patriotic veteran, I cannot stand to see our flag denigrated, nor our president disrespected. It didn’t happen when the president that I disapproved of was in office. The negative feelings about our country and president carried over into their negative performances. In any sport,
one must maintain a positive attitude and performance to win. If you did not want to go and represent your country, why in the word did you go and why did WE send you? I hope by the time the next Summer Olympics are scheduled, our “athletes” are in a better frame of mind, or my TV viewing will also be done. Dale Bain Millbrook
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All About The Game Of Tennis
Famous Players Word Search
Tennis is a two- or four-player game. In a two-player match, the players play against one another. In a four-player match, two players play on each side of the net as teams. Each player uses a racquet to hit the ball over the net. When a player hits the ball out of play, or fails to hit the ball back to the opposite player, D SRLQW LV VFRUHG $ JDPH RI WHQQLV FRQVLVWV RI WKUHH WR ¿YH VHWV 7KH SHUVRQ ZKR ZLQV WKH PRVW VHWV ZLQV WKH JDPH (DFK VHW LV VFRUHG ZLWK D VHULHV RI IRXU SRLQWV 7KHVH SRLQWV DUH FDOOHG RXW E\ WKH RႈFLDO ZKHQ VFRUHG ORYH ¿IWHHQ WKLUW\ DQG IRUW\ :KHQ D SOD\HU VFRUHV IRXU SRLQWV WKH\ ZLQ WKH VHW 7KH ZRUG WHQQLV comes from the French word tenir which means to “watch out.” Its origins date back thousands of years to an ancient form of the game played in many parts of the World, including the Royal Courts of England. The modern sport of tennis comes from England and France in the 1800’s. A woman by the name of Mary Ewing Outerbridge is credited with bringing the sport to America from Bermuda in 1874. Upon her arrival in America, she constructed a tennis court at the Staten Island Cricket Club. The game became popular and has been a popular American sport ever since. The most popular tennis tournament in the World is :LPEOHGRQ LQ /RQGRQ (QJODQG ,W ZDV ¿UVW KHOG LQ DQG PDQ\ WUDGLWLRQV FRPH ZLWK LW 2QH WUDGLWLRQ LV spectators always eat fresh-cut strawberries and cream, while another involves all women in attendance wearing a hat. Other popular tennis competitions include the U.S. Open and the French Open, as well as ym mpics. the Summer Olympics.
Tennis Crossword
Across Clues: 2. The second point scored in a set. 3. The third point scored in a set. 7. The most popular tennis tournament. 8. This is used to hit the tennis ball. 9. The last regular point scored in a set. 10. Women wear these at Wimbledon. 7KH ¿UVW SRLQW VFRUHG LQ D VHW Down Clues: 1. These are eaten at Wimbledon. 3. A game played since ancient times. 4. French term that means “watch out.” 5. Tennis was played in which court? 6. Tennis came to the U.S. from where?
Racquet Maze
Andre Agassi, Arthur Ashe, Boris Becker, Chris Evert, Jennifer Capriati, John McEnroe, Maria Sharapova, Martina Navratilova, Monica Seles, Pete Sampras, 6HUHQD :LOOLDPV 6WDQ 6PLWK 6WHႈ *UDႇ Tracy Austin, Venus Williams
Color C Co o It!
Crossword Ans: Across-2)Fifteen 3)Thirty 7)Wimbledon 8)Racquet 9)Forty 10)hats 11)love Down-1)strawberries 3)tennis 4) tenir 5)England 6) Bermuda
How Many Words Can You Spell From The Word WIMBLEDON?
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CommunityCalendar Need Insurance? Call me.
Today is February 20, 2018 Today’s Events
DEADLINE TO RSVP TO STATE OF CITY: If you would like to attend the State of the City event, you must RSVP by today. RSVPs should be made to the Alexander City Chamber
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
The Outlook
Submit calendar items:
Participate in your Outlook by calling 256-234-4281, faxing them to 256-234-6550, sending your event to calendar@alexcityoutlook.com or logging on to http://www.alexcityoutlook.com/.
of Commerce by calling 256-2343461 or emailing kim.dunn@alexandercitychamber.com The event is set for Thursday, Feb. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Central Alabama Community College’s Betty Carol Graham Center. It is open to the public and costs $10 to attend, which includes lunch.
Daniel, Jedd Martin, Danielle Jones, Toby Forbus, Jerry Sewell, Bill “Big Bill” Mask, Karen Harper, Donna Michele Hammett, Robbie Messer, Misty Goodson, Ann Towns, Patricia Brown, Robbie Atkisson and Linda Mask are celebrating their birthdays today.
Today’s Birthdays
Glenn and Sharon Pemberton celebrate their anniversary today.
Today’s Anniversaries
Fran Cassiano, Scottie Knox, Paul
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Cliff Williams / The Outlook
AL 96175
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Come Visit Us! Cecily Lee, Administrator Angela Pitts, Director of Nursing
Thursday, February 22
SENIORX: Deborah Jones of SenioRx will be at the Alexander City Chamber Thursday, Feb. 22 from 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. to help seniors determine if they are eligible for assistance with diabetic supplies, liquid supplements and medications. This event is sponsored by the East Alabama Regional Planning and Development Commission (Area Agency on Aging). For more information, contact Jones at 1-800-361-1636 or 256761-3575. STATE OF THE CITY: The Alexander City Chamber of Commerce will host its inaugural State of the City event Thursday, Feb. 22 from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Central Alabama Community College’s Betty Carol Graham Center. Local officials will take turns updating the audience on key issues facing the community and what their priorities are for 2018. The event is open to the public and costs $10 to attend, which includes lunch. RSVPs should be made to the Chamber by Tuesday by calling 256-234-3461 or emailing kim.dunn@alexandercitychamber. com
Saturday, February 24
PANCAKE BREAKFAST: There will be a pancake breakfast on Saturday, Feb. 24 from 6 to 11 a.m. at Faith Temple Church Gym located at 425 Franklin Street. Tickets are $6 for all-you-can-eat pancakes in house and sausage, juice and coffee. Carry out is also available. This is a fundraiser for the Faith Christian Academy’s Robotics team, which will compete in the National WWII Museum’s Robotics Challenge in New Orleans in May. Tickets are available from FCA students and at the door. FAMILY GAME NIGHT: Bibb Graves High School Alumni and Friends in Millerville will have Family Game Night Bingo from 5 p.m. until 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 24. Begin with hot dogs, pizza, chips and soft drinks. AUCTION: The Weogufka Center is hosting an auction benefit for the gym roof Feb. 24 starting at 5 p.m. For more information, call Melvin Palmer at 256-249-8885, Gayln Adams at 256-487-1304 or Margret Thornton at 256-234-2186.
Monday, February 26
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HORIZONS UNLIMITED: Dr. James Hansen will present “Neil Armstrong” to Horizons Unlimited Monday, Feb. 26 starting at 1:30 p.m. at the Alexander City Board of Education. Horizons Unlimited membership is $20 per person or $30 per couple. Registration for winter quarter began Jan. 8. ROOK TOURNAMENT: The New Site Senior Activity Center will be holding a rook tournament Feb. 26 beginning at 9 a.m. Prizes will be awarded to the 1st, 2nd and 3rd place finishers, and a luncheon will be provided. All participants must register by Feb. 22. The registration fee is $5, and players must bring their own partner. For more information or to register, contact Senior Activity Center Director Jan Kennedy at 256-794-1933.
February 28 - March 2
CHURCH REVIVAL: The Family Worship Center at 1676 Sewell Street is hosting revival services Feb. 28, March 1 and March 2 at 6:30 p.m. with Evangelist Apostle W.T. Traylor. Everyone is welcome.
Sunday, March 4
PASTOR ANNIVERSARY: New Style Baptist Church on Coosa County Road 20 in Equality is celebrating Pastor Richard Ellis Taylor’s third anniversary Sunday, March 4. Rev. Yeasive Ware of Opelika is the featured speaker at 11 a.m. and Pastor Robert L. Harbrove III of Mt. Sinai Baptist Church in Alexander City is the featured speaker at 2 p.m. PASTOR ANNIVERSARY: Corinth Baptist Church in Kellyton is hosting the 26th Pastoral Celebration for Pastor Jimmy Brooks Jr. and wife Patricia March 4 at 11 a.m. The guest speaker will be Pastor Jeffrey Wilson of First Baptist Church in South Pell City. CHURCH ANNIVERSARY: The Bread of Life Apostolic Church of Promise is holding an anniversary observance Sunday, March 4 at 3 p.m. Elder Netherland Tuck is pastor.
Saturday, March 10
PANCAKE BREAKFAST: The Alexander City Kiwanis Club is hosting a pancake and Conecuh sausage breakfast March 10 from 6 to 10 a.m. at the Benjamin Russell High School cafeteria. Tickets are $6 and include all you can eat. Carry out is also available. FLEA MARKET: The Town of Camp Hill Flea Market will start back up March 10 and continue on the second Saturday of each month through Nov. 10. The hours of operation are 30 minutes after day break until 2 p.m. Spaces are for rent for $10 and are 20 by 20. For more information contact James Woody at 256-749-8270.
Tuesday, March 13
GREATER TUNA: Alexander City Arts is hosting “Greater Tuna,” Tuesday, March 13 at 7 p.m. at the BRHS Auditorium. It is a hilarious comedy about Texas’ third smallest town where the Lion’s Club is too liberal and Patsy Cline never dies.
March 16-17
SPORTING CLAY SHOOT: The 12th annual Ronald Koon Sporting Clay Classic benefiting the Boys and Girls Club of the Lake Martin Area will be held March 16 and 17. Friday night there will be a Calcutta and steak dinner at the Alexander City Elks Lodge and the shoot will be Saturday at the Lower Wetumpka Shotgun Sports Club. If you would like to participate or sponsor a sign please contact Stacey Jeffcoat by calling 256-2344757 or emailing at staceyj1229@ gmail.com.
Saturday, March 17
PANCAKE BREAKFAST: Comer Methodist Men’s Club is hosting a pancake breakfast Saturday, March 17 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. It is eat in or carry-out and is $6 a plate.
Saturday, March 24
EASTER EGG HUNT: Wind Creek State Park is hosting an
Easter egg hunt Saturday, March 24 at 10 a.m. Most eggs will have small prizes and prize eggs will be hidden for each age division. The age divisions are 0-2 years old, 2-4 years old, 5-8 years old and 9-12 years old. The event will take place in the north picnic area across from the beach. There is a park entry fee for non-campers.
Wednesday, March 29
VIETNAM VETERANS WELCOME HOME: The Auburn Veterans Project is celebrating and reflecting on the service and sacrifice of Vietnam veterans March 29 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Auburn High School auditorium. Speakers will be Joe Galloway and Medal of Honor recipients Bennie Adkins and James Livingston. Family is welcome to accompany their veteran and there will be a light reception afterwards. Visit auburnveteransproect. weebly.com/east-alabama-vietnamveterans-welcome-home-cermony. html. Attendees are asked to RSVP in advance by either emailing Blake Busbin at wbbusbin@auburnschools. org or by calling Auburn High School at 334-887-2120.
Saturday, March 31
FULL MOON HIKE: Wind Creek State Park is hosting a full moon hike Saturday, March 31 at 7 p.m. The hike will begin at dark in the north picnic pavilion. There is a fee for non-campers.
The Learning Tree Helping Children Learn and Grow
The Learning Tree, Inc. is Accepting Applications for 2nd, 3rd, and Weekend Shifts for Direct Care. Applications can be picked up at: 101 S. Dubois Street Tallassee, AL 36078 Or contact Shatia Carr (334) 252-0025, Ext. 101 Email: Scarr@learning-tree.org
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April 6-8
GREASE: The Dadeville High School Theater program is producing “Grease” April 6 at 7 p.m., April 7 at 7 p.m. and April 8 at 3 p.m. at the Dadeville High School auditorium.
Tony Guy, Owner Over 40 Years Experience
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 the Alex City Annex at 395 Lee Street, Double Bridges on Highway 63, the Old Daviston School on Highway 22, the Camp Hill Town Hall at 309 Holley Ave. and the Union Community Center at 4191 Highway 50. Dumpsters will be available at no charge to residents.
Thursday, April 12
AIN’T MISBEHAVIN: Alexander City Arts is hosting “Ain’t Misbehavin,” Thursday, April 12 at 7 p.m. at the BRHS Auditorium. It is a tribute to African American musicians of the 1920s and 30s who were part of the Harlem Renaissance.
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 the Alex City Annex at 395 Lee Street, Double Bridges on Highway 63, the Old Daviston School on Highway 22, the Camp Hill Town Hall 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, February 20, 2018
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Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
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Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Goodwater’s Arnzer Lee Johnson, right, turned 105 Friday. To honor him, a crowd of 109 family and friends, left, gathered at the Goodwater Community Center for a surprise party and celebration. Johnson, who still looks surprisingly young and gets around very well, took the big day in stride. “I’m just another day older, that’s all,” Johnson said. Johnson was born in Clay County and spent several years in Florida before returning to make his home in Goodwater. Johnson, who is still very sharp and possesses a quick wit, shared his secret to a long life. “I worked hard, I laugh a lot and I bow my head every day,” Johnson said. “Tell everybody to pray for me and I will see you all in five years when I’m 110.”
Many a small thingg
Council still handle all non-custodial bookings in house and will still be able to handle fingerprinting for area businesses and schools at the police headquarters. The council also voted 6-0 to approve a resolution to authorize the mayor to execute an agreement with attorney Tom Whatley and Beasley, Allen Crow, Methvin, Portis & Miles, P.C. to represent the city’s interest in a lawsuit against the manufacturers of opiates. The idea is to recover a portion of the cost being incurred by cities that are seeing the use of the drugs manifest itself in increased medical costs that include medical runs. Another item cited in the suit is the costly burden to law enforcement as they deal with theft of drugs and problems associated with the abuse of opiates. The firms will work on a contingency basis, collecting 33 percent of any awards that result from the legal action. In other items, the council also voted
continued from page 1
unanimously to approve: • A resolution to award bid 18-04 to Samson Equipment Co., Inc. of Birmingham for an amount not to exceed $268,234. The contract calls for the company to supply a sewer vacuum truck that will be used in the sewer department. The item was part of the budget’s fleet line item, but the budget still had to be amended due to a slightly higher than anticipated cost for a vehicle that met all the required specifications. • A resolution to authorize the mayor to execute an agreement with EEFS Company P.C. to provide construction, engineering and inspection services on the Sportplex Bridge Replacement Project for an amount not to exceed $63,395. The company will serve as managers of the project and lend engineering support. • A resolution to accept funds from the Tallapoosa County Commission to fund recreational programs for county
youth. The commissioners made the donation to help offset costs for many underprivileged children who may not be able to participate in the programs otherwise. • A resolution to authorize the mayor to donate a permanent easement to BellSouth Telecommunications, LLC, d/b/a AT&T Alabama across the 17-acre parcel it purchased along Lee Street earlier this year so the company can continue to provide telecommunications services. • A resolution to oppose HB110 and SB130 unless the bill includes the Alabama League of Municipalities’ Proposed Amendments. The bills deal with taxes on ecommerce sales from state residents. Currently as online sales are made the city gets just 2 percent of what is voluntarily paid by companied like Amazon. The hope is that the cities could get an amount that is more in line with what is the standard cut on retail sales – 4 percent.
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Local news Outlook The
Tuesday, February 20, 2018 www.alexcityoutlook.com
HUGE SUCCESS Local church has good turnout for Brunswick stew fundraiser By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
The First United Methodist Church’s Trinity campus was a busy hive of activity Saturday during the annual Brunswick stew lunch. Church members arrived before 5 a.m. to start warming up the food and dividing it up into plates and pints for sale. “Today has been fantastic,” Trinity campus Pastor Mike Densmore said. “We had about 1,200 pints and a number of plates made up.” By around 1:30 in the afternoon, the church had sold more than 1,000 of the pints and virtually all of the plates that had been prepared. A handful of other pints were sold over the next half hour before the members began closing down the sale. However, the church did more than simply sell all of the food they prepared. “We gave 50 plates to the hospital,” Densmore said. With all of the stew that was sold during Saturday’s lunch, the church took in more than $5,000, leading Densmore to declare this a successful fundraiser, while adding that there were more important things than the money raised to come out of the event. “It was a good day financially, but the fellowship is far more important than the money,” he said. As the church members began wrapping up the annual sale just before 2 p.m., Densmore asked the
Members of the First United Methodist Church came together on the Trinity campus Saturday for the annual Brunswick stew lunch fundraiser. The church sold nearly 1,200 pints of stew and a multitude of plates that included chips, bread, cole slaw and pound cake in addition to the stew. Above, 7-year-old Jaxon Bradford helps stir one of the stew pots Saturday morning. Jaxon was the youngest stirrer at the fundraiser. Donald Campbell / The Outlook
members of his congregation how they would describe the event. Some of the descriptives used included “fantastic,” “gratifying,” “thankful,” “blessed,”
“fun,” “a great day,” and “wonderful fellowship.” “The best part was stirring the pot,” said 7-year-old Jaxon Bradford, who was
the youngest pot stirrer at Saturday’s fundraiser, and also joined his family’s tradition as a fourth-generation pot stirrer. “My wife said earlier that she could feel the saints here with us,” Densmore added. Desnmore said the church will be having a debriefing session within the next few weeks to review in greater detail how Saturday’s fundraiser went, along with helping determine what worked and what didn’t to continue improving the event for the future. No matter what they determine, Densmore said the church members will continue to hold the Brunswick stew lunch in cooler weather, with colder temperatures being the perfect time to offer such a meal to the community. The pints that remained after the end of Saturday’s Brunswick stew lunch were taken into the church to be frozen in case they were sold at a later date, or the church could give them to those in need, such as feeding those who had come to Alexander City fleeing some of the hurricanes that impacted the Gulf Coast last year. “The people who have been working here today have demonstrated two things,” Densmore said. “They have shown that they love Jesus and that they play well with others.”
Motown Magic a hit at BRHS Kenneth Boone / The Outlook
Alexander City Arts hosted ‘Motown Magic’ Friday at the BRHS Auditorium. The show celebrated 50 years of numerous hits and moves through the decades of Motown chart topping hit artists and groups like The Temptations, The Four Tops, Stevie Wonder, Marvin Gaye, The Supremes, Martha Reeves and the Vandellas, Smokey Robinson, Tami Terrell, The Marvelettes and Gladys Knight. Here the group wraps up its show before a packed house, thanking the crowd after their finale.
A not so polar leap Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Wind Creek State Park hosted its Third Annual Polar Leap Saturday and about 30 people ended up going into the 55 degree waters from the beach at the park. Campers and visitors lined up at 2 p.m. to run into the water. While some were content to just get their feet wet, many took a chilly swim. The weather was friendly to the leapers as temperatures were in the 70s. After the time in the water was done, park officials had warm towels and hot chocolate for the participants.
LIZI ARBOGAST SPORTS EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X228 lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
Sports Outlook The
www.alexcityoutlook.com
EIGHT IS GREAT
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Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook
Central Coosa’s Jovon Richardson races down the court against Greene County on Monday afternoon.
Central Coosa boys fall in regional semifinal By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook
Gordo defenders swarm Central Coosa’s Eunique McKinney (32) as she goes up for a shot in the Cougars 55-47 victory Monday afternoon.
Cougar girls advance to Elite 8 with win over Gordo By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
After the first 12 minutes of Monday’s South Central Regional semifinal, it looked like it was going to be another walk in the park for Central Coosa’s girls basketball team. The Cougars jumped out to a 13-point lead over Gordo midway through the second before the
Greenwave started to chip away at it. Coosa learned very quickly it wasn’t going to be so easy, but it dug deep and switched up defenses in the final four minutes to secure a 55-47 victory. “We were basically just doing our best,” Coosa senior Adrianna Flowers said. “We were getting motivated and trying not to let them back in it.” With 3:20 left in the game, Gordo actually held a 45-41 edge after
Keionni Prude grabbed her own missed free throw and laid it in. From there, Coosa went into a full-court press and completely shut down the Greenwave’s offensive flow. As the Cougars forced turnover after turnover, Ryesha Whetstone took advantage, scoring three straight field goals to once again take the lead, 47-45. For nearly three and a half See GIRLS • Page 12
See BOYS • Page 12
Wildcats get mercy rule win over Dadeville
LUKE ROBINSON Columnist
BRHS drops close opener to Valley, goes 1-1 on Opening Day
College basketball under recent scrutiny
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
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arious tidbits and opinions for you to waste 7-10 minutes on: • Based on recent reports and rumbling, it sounds like college basketball is about to get, metaphorically speaking, a much-needed colonic. National basketball scribes from various outlets all hinted at major issues for many of the sport’s elite and nearly-elite programs stemming from the ongoing FBI investigation. Ominous warnings about potential sanctions, forfeitures and overall bad public relations for many of the blueblood teams in college hoops ran rampant. I have no doubt that the FBI uncovered some underhanded wheelings and dealings in the sport, but until a penalty is actually handed down I am not going to believe the NCAA will euthanize its cash cow unless it absolutely has to. • It will be difficult for anyone other than Auburn to win the SEC regular season title at this point, but the SEC Tournament in St. Louis will be a total free-for-all. Parity like that certainly makes for better drama, but I prefer there be a designated favorite to shoot for. • Next week the AHSAA state basketball finals get started in Birmingham. The tourney last from Monday through Saturday. Do yourself a favor and make a point to check out at least one day’s worth of games. Sure, you will have to endure a few blowouts, but there will be some buzzer-beaters mixed in, too. It’s truly and incredible scene. • Benjamin Russell placed two former wideouts on AL.com’s list of “10 Best WRs from Alabama High Schools” in Terrell Owens and Jim “Red” Phillips. Tell me again why the Lake Martin area doesn’t have a Hall of Fame yet? • As a huge fan of football recruiting I am always looking out for the next bigtime prospect. Well, last weekend, I may have found him. In Ohio. This kid was electrifying, dazzling and tough. He had everything you want in a See ROBINSON • Page 12
The good thing about Central Coosa’s loss in boys basketball on Monday afternoon is that the Cougars aren’t graduating any starting players and they have a good shot at being right back in Montgomery next year. The bad thing is, they’ll have to wait an entire year to try to get there again. Central Coosa suffered a 53-45 loss at the hands of Greene County in the South Central Regional semifinals at Alabama State University, ending its season with a 17-5 record. “We didn’t reach our goal, and they’re disappointed,” Coosa coach Jeremy Freeman said. “I’m gonna still keep fighting and trying to get that elusive ring that I want so bad.” The Tigers had a clear size advantage over Coosa, but that’s not something the
Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook
Benjamin Russell’s Cade Brooks fires away against Dadeville on Monday evening.
After dropping a close 5-3 loss against Valley to open their season, the Benjamin Russell Wildcats turned around and put the pedal to the metal against the Dadeville Tigers to close out an Opening Day baseball doubleheader, winning 13-3 in five innings Monday. “One thing, I think we played with no intensity (against Valley). We
kinda played flat,” Benjamin Russell coach Richy Brooks said. “Between games, we talked about our youth not being an excuse. Against Dadeville, we did a little better.” Taking the mound in the second game, starting pitcher Cade Brooks threw four strong innings, giving up only one walk, four hits and one run, while striking out six Tigers. Offensively, the Wildcats See WILDCATS • Page 12
BRHS earns 2 silvers at state wrestling By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
A year has made a world of difference for Benjamin Russell’s wrestling team. This time last year, the Wildcats were coming home after putting just one on the podium and placing 22nd at the state championships. This year, they went above and beyond expectations with two silver medals, seven total placewinners and a secondplace finish in the team standings. “There’s a lot to be said about kids buying into the program,” BRHS coach Michael Ransaw said. “As long as they’re willing to work, I think we’ll continue to have several more.” Bobby Charsha and Saxon Coker were the top finishers for the Wildcats, taking second place at 106 and 145, respectively. Charsha was just barely ousted by George Vazquez, of Pinson Valley, in a 8-5 decision in the final. Spanish Fort’s Justin Ingram got the best of Coker, 5-1, in their championship bout. “Both had great matches, and both had great tournaments,” Ransaw said. “Both did exactly what they were
Submitted / The Outlook
Benjamin Russell’s Saxon Coker, left, placed second overall in the 145-pound bracket while Bobby Charsha, right, placed second overall in the 106-pound bracket at the Class 6A Wrestling State Championships on Saturday.
supposed to do to get into the finals, and that was beat tough opponents. Bobby had a guy in the semifinals that was 61-9, but he kept the pressure on
him and it ended up in Bobby’s favor. He beat somebody people didn’t think he’d beat. See WRESTLING • Page 12
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www.alexcityoutlook.com
Youth to be the fuel of BRHS tennis teams By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
There’s teams that call themselves young, and then there’s Benjamin Russell’s tennis teams. Between both the boys and the girls team, there are no seniors on the roster, and for the girls squad, the oldest Wildcat is a freshman. The entire top six lineup are seventh and eighth graders. “One of the biggest challenges so far has been that we do have a lot of girls (16 on the roster), and tennis is a really hard sport to coach across nine tennis courts,” BRHS girls coach Alan Lane said. “But one reason I felt comfortable having more players is because usually we play some teams that have a lot of girls. I talked to (boys coach Lewis) Daniel about it, and we decided it was a good idea to keep this many because if these girls want to be playing, then let’s get them some experience. I’ll also have several years with them, and they’ll really be ready.” Taking up the top six spots for the Wildcats will be Holley Humphrey, Paige Forbus, Valerie Tauro, Abby Gilliland, Tori Spann and Taylor Jones. Humphrey and
Forbus will likely make up the No. 1 doubles team; Tauro and Gilliland will play No. 2 doubles; and Spann and Jones will fill out the doubles roster. Daniel echoed Lane’s sentiments about such a young team with two juniors, one freshman and three eighth graders on the roster. Benjamin Russell has just six on the boys team, though, so everyone will get good playing time. Returning with the most experience will be Dylan Jackson at No. 1 singles, and Tanner Johnson is also a junior. He played his freshman year but did not play last year due to injury; Johnson will be at No. 4 singles. Taking up the Nos. 2 and 3 spots will be Danny Jeong and likely Richard Silver. Filling out the roster is Nathan Brown and Hyunjun Chae at Nos. 5 and 6, respectively. “We’re extremely young, so I hope we continue to grow and get better,” Daniel said. “We’re in a pretty tough area, but the advantage with a young team is you’re always getting better. Those kids, once they’re juniors and seniors, they’ll have a lot of experience under their belts.”
Tuesday, February 20, 2018
The Outlook
Boys Cougars are unfamiliar with. One thing Central Coosa isn’t used to seeing is just plain cold shooting. The Cougars went 15-for-46 (32.6 percent) from the field, and five of those 15 field goals came in the final quarter. Defensively, the Cougars did a nice job, holding Greene County to its 51 points, but they just couldn’t find their stride offensively. Heading into the final frame, Coosa had scored only 23 points and trailed 31-23. But the Cougars showed some fight, as they inched closer and closer. Jovon Richardson opened up the frame with an immediate 3-pointer, then added another longball after a pair of Greene County free throws. The Cougars cut the deficit to three points on two different
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Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook
Central Coosa’s Omar Gaddis, right, defends Greene County’s Jahkil Edwards on Monday afternoon.
occasions, both on buckets by Joshua McGhee, but they couldn’t get any closer than that. “Defensively, I was pleased for the most part, being as big as they were and the size they had,” Freeman said. “But we
gotta have help during this time of the year, especially when they start keying in on that guy that can do something.” The Tigers immediately took away Omar Gaddis and Noel Jones, who are typically two of the highest
Girls
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minutes, Gordo was held scoreless, giving Central time to build up a 51-45 lead it never surrendered. “I went to a man full court, and that’s something I knew we were going to have to visit at this level,” Coosa coach Syreeta McKinney said. “I was iffy about it because my girls had been battling some sickness and because of how hot it was in here. But we had to play through that because this where you want to be. Right now, it’s no excuses.” Rebounding played a big factor in
Coosa’s victory, as the Cougars held a 53-32 advantage on the boards. Despite fouling out with 3:58 left to play, Shae Suttles dominated inside, grabbing 16 rebounds, and Aliona McKenzie followed right behind with 14. Suttles capped off a doubledouble with 10 points. And although Coosa played such a strong post game, it was the guards who dominated the scoring. Whetstone contributed 27 points, and Eunique McKinney had 15 points, 10 rebounds, four assists and five steals.
Generals open season Wildcats with offensive showdown looked fairly sharp, with every batter reaching base safely at least once.
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Despite committing four errors, Horseshoe Bend’s baseball team was able to make up for its miscues with an offensive outpouring to start the season. The Generals racked up 14 hits against Prattville Christian and escaped with a 15-14 victory on Monday afternoon. By scoring four runs in the fourth inning and six in the fifth, Horseshoe Bend gained a big lead and held off PCA’s nine combined runs in the final three frames. Jace Rodriguez was the leader of the offense for the Generals (1-0) with four hits and three RBIs. Lee Norrell plated a teamleading four runs on a pair of hits, and Cade Worthy also had a trio of RBIs. Jordan Argo smacked three hits, while Worthy, Chandler Lewis and Norrell had two apiece. Grant Taylor, Worthy and Luke Yarbrough all went to work on the mound, scattering eight hits but allowing only four earned runs. They struck out 12 total, including six from Taylor and four from Worthy.
Trojans avenge loss with back-to-back wins
Coming off a 10-8 loss against Coastal Alabama South, Central Alabama Community College avenged it with a pair of wins on the baseball diamond on Friday and Saturday. The Trojans
won, 7-1 and 9-6. In Friday’s win, Griffin Fenn, Pryce Fletcher and Jeremy Almaguer all had a pair of hits. Mason Meyer and Clark Kinard combined for the victory. Although they allowed eight hits, they gave up only one run and combined for nine strikeouts. CACC exploded for six runs in the ninth inning to come from behind and win Saturday’s game. Garrett Takamatsu was the offensive powerhouse, racking up four hits and three RBIs. Emilio Morales and Gage Herring had two hits apiece.
CACC softball goes 1-3 at Sun Chief Classic
After three losses in a row, Central Alabama Community College’s softball team wrapped up the weekend’s Sun Chief Classic by eking out a 5-4 victory over LSU Eunice. In the victory, Courtney Ray notched a walk-off sac fly to seal the win for the Trojans. Amber Parker earned the complete-game victory, allowing just five hits and three earned runs in seven innings of work. She struck out four. The Trojans (7-7) had losses to Lamar State College, 13-3; Jones County, 5-4; and Highlanders, 6-0. Over the course of the four games, Shatima Smith racked up nine hits. Ashton Fielding had four, and Sierra Easterwood and Courtney Ray each hit three.
Wrestling “Saxon had to beat an even tougher kid, but got the last takedown. He stayed in the match, and that was key. That’s what I told all of them all year — if you can be in a situation where you can get to the third, it’s going to be tough for people to beat you.” Hezekiah Hunter also had a fine performance for Benjamin Russell, placing fourth overall at 170 pounds. Hunter started his tournament with back-to-back wins, including a tech fall in the opening round and a 5-4 decision to get to the semifinals. But he was ousted in the semis before climbing his way back up the consolation bracket ranks. “He has done a great job all year, but he had some hard losses in there,” Ransaw said. “He beat a guy earlier on Friday,
scorers for the Cougars and combined for just four points Monday night. Despite the loss, Central Coosa made strides this season under first-year head coach Freeman. Hopefully for the Cougar faithful, this’ll make them even hungrier next year. “I’d like to congratulate (Greene County) because they did what they do,” Freeman said. “They’re methodical, they’re physical and they made timely shots. Overall, it wasn’t anything they did that stood out, but they beat us. “The great thing about life is it shows you things you have to work on, and you have to keep improving. I can’t ask for anything more than coming down here and playing; it just wasn’t our day.”
“I thought he (Cade Brooks) threw good, but I thought he got a little bit tired out there,” Richy Brooks said. Dadeville coach Kyle Caldwell said “Their pitcher was throwing good. Our second go-round through the lineup, we competed at the plate a lot better. The pitcher we had out there against Benjamin Russell (Zander McClendon), that was his first varsity start, and I thought he worked hard.” Leadoff man Bradley Stewart recorded the first Wildcat hit of the game before stealing second base. After shortstop Brett Pitts was hit by a pitch, Brooks helped his own cause, knocking a double and bringing Stewart and Pitts in to score. Benjamin Russell netted two more runs in the second inning before having an offensive explosion in the third, batting around and plating five runs, widening the lead to 9-1. Dadeville seized a little of the momentum back in the fifth inning against Wildcats relief pitcher John Johnson, scoring two runs on two hits from leftfielder Jake Outlaw and pinch-hitter Seth Broome and three walks, but also left the bases loaded after Johnson started to find his rhythm, recording a strikeout and a flyout to centerfield to end the inning. However, Benjamin Russell stormed back out in the bottom of the fifth, scoring four runs on three walks and three base hits, while also being aided by a balk from Dadeville relief pitcher Alex Sims to take the mercy rule victory.
“I’m so grateful for this win here,” Syreeta McKinney said. “We stayed together, and I told them to keep their eyes on the prize. We had to fight all the way to the end. We had to learn how to feed off of one another, and we didn’t do that well in the second quarter. But this win right here feels good, but this is just strike one.” Central Coosa advances to face Midfield in the regional final on Thursday at 12:30 back at Alabama State University.
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We’re just going to keep working on the fundamentals and getting better.” Caldwell said, “We definitely need to keep working on our pitching and bullpen. We’ve also got to work on consistency at the plate and being sure of ourselves on defense. I felt we were second-guessing ourselves in the field.”
BRHS, Dadeville split with Valley to open season
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Dadeville’s Jacob Outlaw fields a short fly ball in left field against Valley.
With his strong outing, Brooks picked up the win, while McClendon was saddled with the loss, giving up nine runs on nine hits, three batters hit by pitches, two walks and a balk. “Hopefully we can build on this and get better,” Brooks said. “Our pitching today was OK, but we can attack the zone better. We didn’t do a good job baserunning, and our defense wasn’t great, but it was not a weak point. Honestly, I think we got what we deserved. We went 1-1, and I feel we played like 1-1. “Tomorrow we will go back to work. We have three good practice days before we play again on Friday.
Also on Monday, Benjamin Russell and Dadeville’s baseball teams played Valley as part of a tripleheader. The Tigers got off to a great start, winning 22-12 in six innings, but the Wildcats weren’t so lucky, falling 5-3. Benjamin Russell did well with the bats, racking up 11 hits, but Valley matched that and more with 12 hits of its own. Nick McGhee, Brett Pitts, Cade Brooks and Ryan Willis each had two hits apiece against the Rams. As for Dadeville, the Tigers put on an offensive show from the get-go, scoring 11 runs in the opening inning en route to the victory. “We hit some adversity, putting up 11 runs in the first inning, but then they got six runs there in the second,” Dadeville coach Kyle Caldwell said. “We just kept working, and we didn’t stop.” Jeff Rice and Justin Meadows each had three hits apiece for the Tigers, while Slade McCullers smacked two doubles and drove in four runs. Sam Stephenson, Seth Broome and Cameron Hall each had two hits as well. Rice, Brennon Wright and Hall were all credited with three RBIs apiece.
Robinson
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football player. At least, he had everything you want in a flag football player. You see, this kid is only eight years old and stands only about 45 inches tall. His name is Max and he is far and away the superstar of The Bandits, my son Walker’s flag
football team. Max caught two touchdowns, ran for another and had a pick-six to boot. He absolutely had the crowd of 25-30 parents and grandparents on the sidelines in awe. I have no idea what Max’s list of college favorites
is (heck, I don’t know what his last name is), but if he grows just a little bit, you’ll be hearing about him on Saturdays in the future. Luke Robinson is a regular columnist and contributor to Lake Martin Living and BMetro.
LOCAL SPORTS CALENDAR continued from page 11
then came back Saturday going for third or fourth and the same guy beat him. It’s tough to beat a guy twice in two days. But he’s only a sophomore, he’ll be back next year and be right back on the podium.” At 138, Ryan Spradley matched his place of last season, taking fifth, and freshman Damien Lawry matched that with a fifth-place finish at 220. Curtis Norris also climbed the podium in sixth place at 285, and senior Isaiah Holloway went out on a high note, taking sixth at 195. “He wasn’t able to do it last year, but he got it done this year,” Ransaw said. “We’re just ecstatic with how we did. It’s a great success story for the community as a whole and for the wrestling program.”
Tuesday, Feb. 20 High school baseball Horseshoe Bend at Elmore County, 4 p.m. Vincent at Central Coosa, 4:30 p.m. High school softball Benjamin Russell at Tallassee, 6 p.m. Horseshoe Bend at Sylacauga, 4:30 p.m. Dadeville at Beauregard, 4:30 p.m. Talladega at Central Coosa, 6 p.m. High school girls golf Benjamin Russell at Auburn Invitational, TBA High school tennis Benjamin Russell at Sylacauga, 4:30 p.m.
p.m. High school baseball Central Coosa at Fayetteville, 4 p.m. High school softball Wednesday, Feb. 21 Chelsea at Benjamin High school baseball Russell, 5 p.m. Beulah at Reeltown, 6:30 Trinity at Reeltown, 4:30 p.m. High school boys soccer p.m. Winterboro at Central Benjamin Russell at Coosa, 6 p.m. Smiths Station, 7 p.m. High school girls soccer High school boys soccer Benjamin Russell at Benjamin Russell at Trinity, 7 p.m. Smiths Station, 5 p.m. High school girls soccer Trinity at Benjamin Thursday, Feb. 22 Russell, 7 p.m. High school girls College softball basketball Class 3A Regional Final Central Alabama at Central Coosa vs. Midfield Coastal Alabama North, 1 p.m. at Alabama State, 12:30 College softball Lurleen B. Wallace at Central Alabama, 2 p.m.