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McDaniel found guilty of traffic offenses Charges that prompted bond revocation on murder charge in municipal court
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer Accused killer Matthew Clate McDaniel is due in court Wednesday for a motion hearing in advance of his trial in the Jan. 17, 2016 shooting death of Norman Dean Crayton. But Monday he appeared in Alexander City Municipal Court on new charges of running a red light, improper tag, driving while suspended and arrested for attempting to elude
law enforcement – charges that landed him back in jail for violations of his bond conditions on the murder charge. McDaniel was found guilty of running a red light, driving with improper tag and driving without a license from a Jan. 17 incident Monday by Alexander City Municipal Judge Randy Haynes. McDaniel was transported from the out of county where he was being held Monday after his bond was revoked for murder charges following the traffic incident. McDaniel’s attorney Davis Whittelsey admitted that McDaniel was driving with an improper tag and without a license but those charges would never have happened if he didn’t run the red light. Whittelsey’s argument was that
McDaniel never ran the red. Whittelsey’s argument was on his interpretation of video from the Alexander City Police Department Police vehicle used to chase the green truck McDaniel was driving. “If you conclude that the light was green, we never get to the stop,” Whittelsey said. The video turned on as Officer Jeremy Hamlet began to pursue McDaniel for running the red light. Whittelsey argued the video showed there was a green arrow when McDaniel turned. Hamlet was being escorted by ACPD Training Officer
See MCDAMIEL • Page 3
State GOP drops Tapley
Schools celebrate black history By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer In recognition of February being Black History Month, schools in the Alexander City and Tallapoosa County systems have been holding special programs. Featuring music, art and student projects, these presentations help celebrate the contributions members of the AfricanAmerican community have made to American and world history. In recent weeks, Reeltown Elementary School and Alexander City Middle School have held their respective Black History Month programs, while other schools are planning to host events during the final days of February. During Friday’s program at Alexander City Middle School, the choir presented special musical selections, the drama department gave a special dramatic reading and the middle school band performed “Ain’t Misbehavin” and “When the Saints go Marching In.” 2012 Benjamin Russell graduate Chris Graham was the special keynote speaker for the event, and a step team gave a special stepdance presentation, “A Stroll Through Black Greek Fraternities.” See HISTORY • Page3
File / The Outlook
HAPPY BIRTHDAY ABBY
Complete with thousands of cards, tiara, gifts and cupcakes, teen battling illness enjoys a 17th birthday fit for a queen
Benjamin Russell student Abby Brown celebrated her 17th birthday Monday in a big way. The young lady who is battling was diagnosed with a rare disease called Mitochondrial Disease, became the center of attention when her family asked friends to send birthday cards to make the day. The request went viral and she has received more than a thousand cards and Monday she was serenaded by the entire student body at school, got a police escort to Alexander City Hall where she was the guest of honor at a gathering to celebrate the day. “I can’t believe everybody is doing all this for me,” Abby said. Above, Abby opens cards and gifts at a party at city hall, while right she gets a hug from Alexander City Fire Department Chief Reese McAlister. “The show of support and love has been overwhelming,” Abby’s mom Shawn Brown said. “We can’t thank everyone enough. Se had an incredible day.”
Former Commissioner Frank Tapley said he was given very little information on what led the Alabama GOP Candidate Committee to deny him a spot on the primary ballot for the District 3 seat after a meeting Saturday.
Candidate says details of allegations were not disclosed at meeting By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
The Alabama Republican Party told Frank Tapley Saturday that he can’t run in the GOP Primary for the District 3 seat on the Tallapoosa County Commission. Tapley was informed of the decision after a Saturday evening meeting. He had been asked to appear before the state party after a challenge to his candidacy, which was denied at the county level, was appealed to the state panel. “They told me they didn’t want me,” Tapley said. “They didn’t tell me much. They gave me a letter that Joseph Fuller sent them challenging my candidacy. He said that before the election four years ago that I had gone to the Outlook and said some bad things about the party. That’s not true. “I even had a letter from paper saying that wasn’t the case. I asked See TAPLEY • Page 3
AU’s Hansen tells Horizons Unlimited about Neil Armstrong By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer Retired Auburn history professor Dr. James Hansen closed out another exciting semester of Horizons Unlimited, talking to the seniors gathered at the Alexander City Board of Education building about Neil Armstrong, the astronaut’s biography Hansen wrote in the early 2000s and the recent efforts to turn this book into a movie. “I’ve been pretty busy the last six to eight months, which mainly has centered on work with this film,” Hansen said. Having always been interested in historical drama, Hansen said he wanted as many people to hear Armstrong’s story, which led to him writing the first and only authorized biography of the Apollo 11 astronaut, “First Man.” “‘First Man’ has been through three editions,” Hansen
Today’s
said. “There will be a new edition coming out around the time the movie does. Through the first three printings, around a quarter of a million copies have been sold.” What makes getting this story out there even more important, Hansen said, is not only the fact that 2019 will mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 Moon landing, but also the fact that a number of the NASA officials and astronauts involved with the Apollo program have been dying in recent months, estimating that only five of the 12 men who walked on the moon are still alive today. “Making this film will bring in so many more people,” Hansen said. “I want people to pay attention to these men and their stories.” Hansen said efforts to turn Armstrong’s story into a movie began even before he had written the astronaut’s biography. Early on, Warner Bros. and director Clint Eastwood exercised an option to make the film, but let See HORIZONS • Page 3
Lake Martin
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Donald Campbell / The Outlook
Retired Auburn history professor Dr. James Hansen educated the Horizons Unlimited group about the life of astronaut Neil Armstrong.
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DEAR ABBY: My husband and I are 15 years apart in age. We have been together for six years, married a year and a half. He is my entire world, my best friend and soul mate. When we first met, he told me he didn’t think he wanted another child (he has a daughter). I learned to accept it if I wanted to be with him. I had to be OK with being a stepmom and not having a child of my own. Fast-forward: It’s six years later. His daughter (now 14) no longer comes around. (The exwife discouraged any relationship between my stepdaughter and me.) I’m finding it harder and harder to cope with the fact that I don’t have a child of my own. When I bring this up to my husband, he tells me, “I told you in the beginning I didn’t think I wanted another child.” How do I deal with this? It’s breaking my heart because she is not around anymore and I
DEAR ABBY Advice
don’t feel like a mom of any sort. -- LONGING TO BE A MOM DEAR LONGING: Tell your husband that in the beginning when he told you he didn’t think he wanted another child, you agreed because you thought you could accept it, but that as time has gone by, you no longer can. Then tell him you feel an important part of being a woman is being a mother. If he refuses to relent, then as much as you may love him, you may be married to the wrong man, and you will have to move on if you need to follow your biological imperative. DEAR ABBY: Can you please educate your readers about supermarket etiquette? Every
time I buy groceries, I encounter people who push or park their carts in the middle of the aisle with no consideration for other shoppers. I also see them blindly blast through intersections in the aisles and barely avoid colliding with each other. A few weeks ago, I said to a gentleman, “Pardon me, may I go around you? Thank you.” He responded that I was the first person who had ever said that to him! I’m surprised there aren’t more cases of road rage in supermarkets. My suggestion: Why don’t we follow basic traffic rules in the supermarket? For example, stay to the right unless you are passing. Yield at intersections to the shopper on the right, etc. Abby, what do you think? Also, what’s your take on big kids riding in the grocery carts? -- DISGUSTED SHOPPER IN ILLINOIS DEAR DISGUSTED: What you describe happens when
folks fail to consider how their behavior affects others. When someone blocks the aisle with a grocery cart, the logical way to deal with it is to say, “Excuse me, please,” which alerts the “offender” that there are others in the store besides him or her. Your suggestion that shoppers observe basic traffic rules is a good one -- particularly when it involves observing the speed limit. Charging through the intersections of the aisles could cause an accident in which another shopper is harmed. As to “big kids” riding in shopping carts, as long as they aren’t bothering other shoppers and the store doesn’t care, I mind my own business and don’t judge. 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.
Search underway in 20-year old disappearance By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer Authorities began the preliminary stages of a search of 300 acres in the Friendship community related to the disappearance of Traci Pittman Kegley, last seen at a gas station on U.S. 231 on April 26, 1998. Kegley’s daughter was found unharmed in Kegley’s abandoned 1993 Geo Storm on Alabama Highway 170 the next day. On Sunday, law enforcement and other search-and-rescue resources from several states began gathering at the Friendship Fire Department in preparation for the search of the property. According to Elmore County District Attorney Randall Houston, the search could take up to five days. Houston said the search grew out of a tip following a 2015 interview he did with CrimeStoppers. “In 2015, we participated in a CrimeStoppers program that Mr. (Tony) Garrett (executive director of CrimeStoppers) set up with WSFA,” Houston said. “As a result of that interview, the chief investigator, the lead investigator in this case received some information. We have been tracking it down, ALEA has done a
tremendous job following the leads and it’s led us here today. This is probably the best lead we’ve had in this case in a number of years, but it’s just another lead and when we finish doing this, we’ll check off the next box that comes up. “We have secured the property. It was secured this morning. A search warrant was served. ALEA and the other law enforcement agencies that are involved in this operation have made sure that the property is secure. We’ve been on there. We’ve looked at it. We’ve got dog teams that are coming. They’ve looked at it and they feel certain that we can conduct this search within the time limits that we have. … We hope to have some good results, but if we don’t, all I can say is if there’s any evidence there we’ll find it. If there’s not, then we searched every bit of it.” Linda Pittman, Kegley’s mother, said she was surprised when she heard about the search. “I was absolutely surprised,” Pittman said. “I knew they had been working on this since Traci disappeared and of course it’s been 20 years or will be this April. So I was really surprised, as long as it’s been, that they would come up with something that might lead us to her.” Houston would not
Carmen Rodgers / The Outlook
Elmore County District Attorney Randall Houston said he believes whoever is responsible for Traci Pittman Kegley’s disappearance is still in the area during Sunday’s press conference at the Friendship Fire Department just outside Tallassee.
be specific as to the location of the property being searched except to say that it was in the Friendship community. But a source told The Herald the site was in the Chalk Hill area near Friendship. “We have moved a great deal of equipment and resources from around the country to assist in the search,” Houston said. One van for a K-9 search-and-rescue unit had a Florida tag. On hand for Sunday afternoon’s announcement by Houston were ALEA’s State Bureau of Investigation Incident Commander Joe Herman and Criminal Division Chief Clay Barnes, Chief Deputy Ricky Lowery
of the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office, former Elmore County DA Janice Clardy, who was DA at the time of Kegley’s disappearance, Garrett and Linda and Steve Pittman, Kegley’s parents. According to a news release from the DA’s office, law enforcement agencies involved in the search include Autauga, Blount, Chilton, Elmore, Lee and Tallapoosa County sheriff’s offices, SW Panhandle Search & Rescue K9, ALEA SBI, Auburn, Opelika, Prattville and Wetumpka police departments, Prattville Fire Department, Alabama Emergency Management Agency, ESRI, Haynes Ambulance and CrimeStoppers.
Obituaries Mr. Robert ‘Bobby’ Simpson Funeral Services for Mr. Robert “Bobby” Wesson, of Jacksons Gap, will be Wednesday, February 28, 2018 at 2:00 PM at Wright’s Funeral Home Chapel. Interment will follow in Eagle Creek Cemetery. Pastor Lonnie Phillips will officiate. The family will receive friends on Tuesday, February 27, 2018 from 5 to 7 p.m. at
Wright’s Funeral Home. . Mr. Wesson passed away Saturday, February 26, 2018 at the Bethany House, Opelika, Alabama. He was born on August 10, 1942 to Robert and Ella Mae Wood Wesson. His precious memories will be cherished by his daughter, Sheila (Bobby)Davis, Siblings: Billy (Doris) Wesson, Jimmy Wesson, Dorothy Lindsay, Sue Pitts, and Rita (Stanley) Davis; Grandchildren Tessi
Mr. Johnny H. Spivey
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Washburn, Kambri (John) Foshee, Chelsea Davis and seven great grandchildren and an Goddaughter Penny (Doug) Hooks a host of aunts, uncles, nieces, nephews, cousins and special friends He was preceded in death by his wife of 54 Lois Wesson and his parents Professional Service provided by Wright’s Funeral Home
Ms. Lillian Mae Dye Saltsman 1922 - 2018 Funeral Service for Ms. Lillian Mae Dye Saltsman, 96, of Alexander City, will be Monday, February 26, 2018 at 1:00 p.m. at the Chapel of Radney Funeral Home. Rev. Tim Harris will officiate. Burial will follow in the Hillview Memorial Park. The family will receive friends on Monday, February 26, 2018 from 11:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Radney Funeral Home. Ms. Saltsman passed away on Friday, February 23, 2018 at Adams Nursing Home. She was born on January 25, 1922 in Hayden, Alabama to Luther Dye and Eula Hardwick Dye. She was a member of Victory Baptist Church. Ms. Lillian served as a nurse’s aide for a many years at Russell Hospital and was passionate about caring for others. She loved to “cut up and pick on” others. She always said what she thought and had no filter. She enjoyed playing rook, dominos and bingo. She loved to watch wrestling and Wheel of
Fortune. She also loved her family very much and made everyone feel a part of her family. She is survived by her daughter, Linda Cannon (Cris) of Wilsonville; grandchildren, Debra Orr (Charles), Tim Whatley (Teresa), Natalie Richter, Craig Floyd (Dawn), Brad Floyd and Heath Johnsey (Vickie); greatgrandchildren, Tyler Johnsey, Billy Baker, Tanya White, Adam Carlton, Shane Carlton, Chris Whatley, Wesley Godfrey and Billy Newman; several great great grandchildren; brother, James G. Dye of Bonifay, FL; and numerous nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her parents; husband, Howard Saltsman; daughter, Mary Jo Newman; son, Steve Johnsey; daughter-in-law, Lynn Johnsey; sisters, Mary Hamlet and Jewel Allen; and brother, Edward Dye. Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneyfuneralhome. com. Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Horizons
McDaniel
this option lapse without finalizing any action. Once the option with Warner Bros. expired, Universal picked up the rights and decided to move forward within the past few years. “First Man” had no shortage of talent involved in acting and producing the film. Director Damien Chazelle, who directed the films “Whiplash” and “La La Land,” signed on to direct the movie. Ryan Gosling, the lead actor in “La La Land” will portray Armstrong, while Kyle Chandler (Coach Eric Taylor in the television series “Friday Night Lights”) plays Donald Kent “Deke” Slayton, one of the original Mercury Seven astronauts and long-time NASA Director of Flight Operations, and Lukas Haas (eight-yearold Samuel Lapp in the 1985 film “Witness”) portrays Apollo 11 Command Module Pilot Michael Collins. The screenplay was written by Josh Singer, who also wrote the screenplay for “Spotlight” (a film about The Boston Globe investigative team that broke the story about the Catholic Church sex abuse scandal in the Boston area), and also assisted with “The Post” and several episodes of the television show “The West Wing.” Steven Spielberg and Amblin Entertainment were financially involved with production as well. What makes “First Man” even more impressive is that technical expertise that got involved with the making of the movie, including former astronauts, members of Mission Control and the Armstrong family. “There was no stock footage used in this film,” Hansen said. “For example, the scene where Armstrong nearly loses his life in the incident with the Lunar Landing Research Vehicle, there is stock footage of that, but Chazelle wanted it filmed.” Hansen concluded his talk Monday mentioning that, while he spent most of his time serving in more of an advisory role, he was chosen to have a small part in the film, playing one of the NASA officials at the Kennedy Space Center who helps transport the Apollo 11 crew to the launch pad. He even included a photograph in his slide show taken on set that included himself, Gosling, Haas and Corey Stoll (Buzz Aldrin) in their spacesuits. A handful of senior citizens in the crowd had questions for Hansen, while many expressed a great sense of interest and excitement to see the film when it premiers. Hansen said the movie is currently slated for a midOctober release, but could be pushed back to December, depending on how long the editing process takes. With the spring semester of Horizons Unlimited having wrapped up, the seniors were reminded the next semester would begin again in September, and could bring with it guest speakers just as thrilling and interesting as Hansen and the others who presented in the spring.
Tyler Lashley since Hamlet was new to the police department and observed McDaniel running the red light as well. “The truck approached the light,” Lashley said. “I do believe he stopped and they went through the red light.” The traffic stop occurred at Dean Road and a female was at the wheel who finally admitted that McDaniel was driving. McDaniel could be heard on the video saying “I didn’t know he was back there. I was attempting to elude? You are kidding me.” Hamlet gave basically the same account as Lashley and added that McDaniel passed a field sobriety test during his testimony. MAPCO employee Kelly Morris testified that McDaniel came sliding into the store’s parking lot on the snowy and icy day and that she called
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continued from page 1 the police department about it. “He came into the parking lot sideways,” Morris said. “Our parking lot was a big sheet of ice.” Morris explained that McDaniel and a passenger came into the store talking about it as they purchased coffee, gas and snacks. “He came in bragging about it,” Morris testified. “They came in laughing about it. He (McDaniel) said they were going to pull others out of the snow.” Morris also testified she saw McDaniel driving when they left MAPCO and observed him running the red light at Cherokee Road and Highway 280. “There was no green light,” Morris said. “He ran the red light.” Morris said employees of the store had called the police department a couple of times that day for similar
Tapley if they could show me what I supposedly said and they said it wasn’t given to them. I guess it didn’t matter if it was true or not. I just don’t understand why they opted not to let the voters decide.” During the last election, Tapley was the incumbent for the District 3 seat. But after several issues following qualifying with other candidates, he opted to run as an independent and was beaten by current District 3 Commissioner John McKelvey in the general election. Outlook editorial staff went through every word written in the paper’s electronic archives about the issues surrounding that election, reviewed notes and talked to employees who covered that situation and the election. Staff found no statements that could been taken as disparaging made by Tapley about the Republican Party. Alabama Republican Party Chairman Terry Lathan issues a statement Monday in regards to the decision to remove Tapley from the ballot. “The challenge was heard on Saturday, February 24, 2018, by the members of the Alabama Republican Party Candidate Committee,” Lathan said in an emailed statement. “Both sides had time to speak to the committee and present their cases. The state party does not release internal party documents and the decision was made in executive session. The ALGOP Candidate Committee takes these issues very seriously and focuses closely on all materials, conversations and answers given.” Tallapoosa Republican Party Chair Denise Bates did confirm that Tapley would not be allowed to run. “Overruling the vote of the Tallapoosa GOP Executive Committee, ALGOP has upheld the primary challenge of Frank Tapley for the June Republican Primary and he will be removed from the ballot,” Bates wrote in an email. “Talk to Joseph Fuller for further information. ALGOP chief of staff is Harold Sachs. Terry Lathan is ALGOP chair.” A staffer at Fuller’s Alexander City law office said that Fuller was not going to answer questions
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issues. Haynes found McDaniel not guilty of attempting to elude based on a lack of speed, no evasive maneuvers and the ice on the side of the road not giving him a chance to pull over. McDaniel did not take the stand in his defense. Present for the Monday trial was Assistant District Attorney Kevin Hall. McDaniel was to face trial for the incident Feb. 15 but was not brought from the jail from another county where he is being housed. It is unclear what impact this will have on Wednesday’s hearing in the murder case. Whittelsey has filed a number of motions, again asking that bond be reinstated as well as a change of venue motion on March 22, 2017. The motion claims that due to the attention that the case has garnered
continued from page 1 on the matter and sent all inquiries back to the Alabama Republican Party. “He’s not going to talk to you,” the woman who declined to give her name said. The letter that Tapley was given at the conclusion of the meeting was signed by Fuller and indicated that the local party is concerned. “He has now qualified as a Republican,” Fuller’s memo to the ALGOP Candidate Committee reads. “On 2/15/2018 I challenged Mr. Tapley’s candidacy. This challenge was not successful at the local level, The party is concerned that he will go to the paper again, and that his son – an attorney from Birmingham – will sue the local party.” Bates she was unaware of what may or may not have been said. “Who the heck knows,” Bates said. “We aren’t in those meetings. Like I said this was ALGOP overruling the will of the county party. I’m disappointed. I’m a firm believer in letting the people decide.” The decision means that incumbent commissioner John McKelvey, Leon Archer and Brad Thomas will be on the ballot in the June Republican Primary. McKelvey said Saturday that he was disappointed in the situation. “I was in that same situation last election and I hate that Frank was put through that,” McKelvey said. “I’m disappointed. I had said all along that I hoped he would be allowed to run.”
Ironically it was four years ago when McKelvey and retired 26-year highway department employee George Carleton Jr. of Union were told the day after party qualifying closed that the county’s Republican Executive Committee had denied them a spot on the ballot. At that time, Tapley told The Outlook that the controversy over county GOP officials denying a ballot place to two potential challengers led him to decide to forego the June 3 Republican primary and run in the general election as an independent. “I don’t want anyone to think I got elected because I got something (from a majorparty ticket),” Tapley said four years ago. “I want them to think I got elected because I’ve done a good job.” Shotrtly after Tapley made that decision four years ago, the Tallapoosa County GOP Executive Committee reversed its decision and allowed McKelvey and Carleton to stay on the Republican primary ballot. Tapley said Saturday that due to the decision that was handled down, he may have no other choice but to run as an independent again. “I have had a lot of people ask me to run again and I still feel like have a lot to offer the citizens of this county,” Tapley said. “My beliefs are in step with the Republican Party. I may not always agree with what is done, but I don’t recall bad-mouthing anyone. If I did, I just wish they would have showed me.”
in the media, McDaniel would not be able to get a fair trial here. He also filed a motion seeking immunity from prosecution on the charges under Alabama’s “stand your ground law.” The motion says McDaniel “asserts his plea of immunity and defense of self-defense and demands an evidentiary hearing on said plea as required by law.” Motions to have statements made by McDaniel and all evidence collected from his vehicle at the time he was stopped by law enforcement is also the focus of a motion to suppress. The motion maintains that the evidence should not be admissible because the traffic stop was illegal because he had broken “no rules of the road,” and that there was no warrant when the evidence was collected.
History Wrapping up the month of special recognitions, both Radney and Stephens elementary schools will be holding their programs on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The program at Radney will begin at 1 p.m., with Stephens holding its presentation at 1:45 p.m. “Our program will feature the Radney choir, the beginner band and ‘The Studio’ arts and education,” teacher Kenyatta Simmons said. “We will also be announcing the winners from the student essay contest on African-American achievers. The winners will tell us about the person they wrote about and why they chose to write about them.” During the program at Radney, the choir will present a tribute to Whitney Houston, while the beginner band will be playing a special song they have spent a great deal of time practicing and members of local Girl Scout Troop 9965 will lead the Pledge of Allegiance. Simmons also said there will be a special themed round of Radney Family Feud, with a special guest coming to play the role of Steve Harvey. “Our students have been working for the past month to prepare for this,” Simmons said. “The students began the research for their essays in January, and Wednesday, we will recognize the six students who were named winners of the contest.” Stephens’ program will center around the theme of “Arts Down Through the Ages,” and will feature music, dance, poetry and art, according to teacher Evelyn McClendon. During the event,
continued from page 1 the Stephens Show Choir will perform musical pieces like “This Little Light of Mine” and “Free at Last.” Other students will be participating through dance and reading poetry, including the Maya Angelou work “Arise.” “There’s also a group coming from the middle school to perform,” McClendon said. The choir department at Benjamin Russell will also be participating in a celebration of Black History Month Wednesday afternoon at 2 p.m. in the high school auditorium. Choir Director Molly Cross said the concert and gospel choirs would be presenting musical tributes to Louis Armstrong, Sam Cooke, Etta James, Smokey Robinson and John Legend among other African-American artists. The musical event will also have a multi-cultural aspect, with the choir presenting a traditional Zulu song, “Singabahambayo.” “We are doing a tribute to black history through music, highlighting the influence traditional African and African-American music have had on the music and culture of America,” Cross said. With approximately 50 choir students singing music from the genres of traditional, gospel, blues and Motown, Cross said her students are excited to be able to present this concert to the general student body. As Black History Month draws to a close, the upcoming programs at local schools will be a moving way to wrap up a month of special recognition and celebrations.
Opinion
MITCH SNEED EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X213
editor@alexcityoutlook.com
EDITORIAL BOARD Steve Baker Mitch Sneed
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The
GOP’s Tapley decision leaves unanswered questions Our I Opinion t’s becoming more and more apparent in Alabama that these groups with aligned political beliefs and philosophies are called parties for a reason. Why? Because you aren’t allowed if you didn’t get an invitation. The latest is that the Alabama Republican Party’s Candidate Committee trumped an appeal of a county level decision allowing Frank Tapley on the ballot. Just like that, Tapley was given the boot. Just so you remember, Tapley pulled himself off the GOP ticket four years ago to run as an independent. We don’t know what Tapley did that was so bad that a room full of party honchos felt he didn’t deserve to have the ‘R’ beside his name. Outside a vague letter they gave to Tapley after they told him to take a hike, no one is saying a word. The explanation sent to The Outlook from party head Terry Lathen basically says we can do what we want and you don’t need to know. Joseph Fuller who filed the complaint wouldn’t even take a call. The appeal letter written by Fuller said they are afraid Tapley will talk to the newspaper again and he may sue them. We will
say that Tapley has never avoided a question asked by the Outlook and as far as we know he answers them honestly. Isn’t that what you want from an elected official – to be responsive and straight up? Four years ago, two other local candidates about got the boot at the county level because they had hung out with some Democrats. One worked for a Democratic commissioner and the other had the gall to cook barbecue for a Democrat. But after they bowed up, the county GOP officials back-tracked and they were allowed on the ballot. Both were eventually elected to office. Isn’t it amazing what happens when you let the people decide? The same group allowed Bobby Brite to stay on the GOP ballot for the District 2 seat in Congress despite a challenge because he was a Democrat until he got beat by Martha Roby in 2010. But because Roby had the nerve not to endorse Donald Trump after sexist remarks he made on tape were released, this will teach her a lesson not to break with party ranks, or at least that’s the way it looks.
This is the same party that allowed a man who was twice removed from office for not obeying a law that he took an oath to uphold run for U.S. Senate. They didn’t even back off when allegations that he had inappropriate relationships with young girls decades ago surfaced. In fact, they even sent word to local party chapters that they needed to stand behind Roy Moore. The Tallapoosa County Republican Party sent out a letter signed by many party officials saying they endorsed the former Alabama Supreme Court judge before Doug Jones beat him when the people actually got to have their day last December. Is it because Tapley went independent last time around? We really don’t know. Switching parties isn’t new in Alabama. The GOP has a history of welcoming candidates from other parties. Alabama. Gov. Kay Ivey and Sen. Richard Shelby were once both Democrats, before switching several years ago as the state electorate began to lean towards the GOP. Locally, Circuit Court Clerk Patrick Craddock switched to the Republican party shortly after the last election. Longtime state senator Gerald
Dial of Lineville was a Democrat from 1974 until 2006 when he was beaten by Republican Kim Benefield. He then ran as a Republican in the next election and regained his seat in 2010. Attorney General Steve Marshall didn’t switch parties to become a Republican until 2011. Before you start circling the wagons and building a fire, it’s not just the GOP. The Democrats have had some questionable occurrences where it appeared they were trying to stack the deck to keep seats blue. It’s just unfortunate that at a time when there is so much divisiveness along party lines, it would seem that all parties would work to be inclusive. This kind of backroom dealings is what has turned so many people off to the whole process. Fortunately, there are still some great people who rise above that and do what is right when elected to office. That’s why it’s so important for voters to get to know the person instead of just looking at labels. That’s the only way to make sure the person you trust with your vote will do what’s right for constituents and the community they serve rather than always following the party line.
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Today’s
Quote
“Great dancers are not great because of their technique, they are great because of thier passion.” – Martha Graham
Today’s
Scripture
“This how God showed his love among us: He sent his one and only Son into the world that we might live through him.” – 1 John 4:9
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Daily Poll Weekend Question:Do you thing the city has made progress within the last year?
No: 24 Yes: 18
Tuesday Question: Are you going to plant a garden this year?
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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.
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13 Russians indicted; Boris and Natashia next What’s your H Opinion? ere is what has happened so far in Special Counsel Mueller’s collusion probe and how government has spent our $20 million. As the FBI was ignoring specific and spoton citizens’ tips that could have stopped the Florida school shooting, it continued to chase around political campaign volunteers for not filling out their paperwork just right. In short, President Trump is now being chased down for obstructing the investigation of a crime that never occurred. Punishment for Trump could range from one to five years in prison to being forced to get an age-appropriate haircut. The whole thing is as confusing as a Trump family Mother’s Day at Mar-a-Lago, so let me sum it up. Special Counsel Bob Mueller probe’s mandate was supposed to be the Trump campaign’s collusion with Russia. VP Pence has distanced himself from it because he doesn’t believe in man dates. Since there was never
any evidence of Trump colluding with Russia to begin with, Mueller’s year-long investigation is morphing into anything he can find. Leaks said that Donald Trump Jr. met alone with a Russian lawyer before the election. The media was giddy for a week until they found out that nothing happened and that eleven people were in that meeting room. Now they are looking into getting Donald Jr. for fire code violations. This whole time the Russians are laughing at us, because all they wanted to do is “sow discord.” We really took the bait. Like bin Laden did to us with 9/11, we react by spending money and giving up freedoms to Homeland Security and the TSA; we spend trillions of dollars on wars of choice. We shouldn’t flinch. Thirteen Russians with fake Facebook accounts? That’s it? The Russkis equally supported Trump and Bernie Sanders/ Hillary. There was no clear favorite in this de minimus bot campaign. Only $3,000
RON HART Columnist
were spent in swing states, mostly after the election. Obama’s State Department spent $300,000 in Israel trying to defeat Benjamin Netanyahu. Obama hated Yahus. Trump was sent to Washington to be indelicate. He harvested voters’ frustrations about Washington pettiness like this. His supporters like his firing of entrenched government dolts. He also goes against the PC nothingness diplomacy of his predecessors. We like that, too. He is the wrecking ball we sent there. Wrecking balls have balls and they wreck things. He was sent there to drain the swamp. Democrats’ breathless barrage of baseless accusations paints Trump as a Russian James Bond-type villain, “Gold Hair.” They want all Republicans who have ordered a vodka-based drink in the last year
to be investigated. Anyone who has ordered a Moscow Mule should be hauled before Bernie Sanders (who honeymooned in Russia) and asked to explain himself. It feels like the McCarthyism they purport to abhor. Trump was right about Comey. Saying the government spied on Trump Tower evoked cackles from the media, but he was spot-on. Trump called Comey a “showboat” and a “nut job,” and that is proving to be correct as well. Comey is proving to be a drama queen, which may not be fair since it sounds like they are describing FBI great J. Edgar Hoover. Like the Whitewater investigation of Bill Clinton, the only punch Mueller lands on Trump will probably be a “blue dress” indictment. Rob Porter, Trump’s Staff Secretary, had to resign over old spousal abuse allegations that the FBI should have uncovered in his background check. And The Donald faced anger from Melania as details surfaced over Trump’s purported affair with porn star Stormy
Daniels. Taking down famous men by women who all-of-a-sudden remember everything has become a fashionable trend. After the Stormy Daniels news broke, the press made a lot of gossip about Melania not attending the economic summit in Davos, Switzerland; a bold stand, since we all know how much Melania enjoys herself at economic summits in Europe. In short, the Mueller investigation has produced information we already knew: The Russians like to monkey with other countries’ elections. The media now feigns outrage! They do not like that Russians use their position in the media to misinform, propagandize and only give the side of a story that fits their narrative. That’s the mainstream media’s role. A libertarian op-ed humorist and awardwinning author, Ron can be contacted at Ron@ RonaldHart.com or @ RonaldHart on Twitter.
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, February 27, 2018
Great Canines!
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The Outlook
Who is Man’s Best Friend? Dogs are, and they have been companions to humans since prehistoric times. Dogs are also known as canines, and they are the descenGDQWV RI ZROYHV 7KHUH DUH RYHU GLႇHUHQW FDQLQH EUHHGV RU VSHFL¿F W\SHV $ GRJ WKDW KDV SDUHQWV IURP WZR GLႇHUHQW EUHHGV LV FDOOHG D PXWW 7KH ODUJHVW EUHHG RI GRJ LV JHQHUDOO\ FRQVLGHUHG WR EH WKH 0DVWLႇ $OWKRXJK GRJV RI RWKHU EUHHGV FDQ VRPHWLPHV JURZ VOLJKWO\ WDOOHU RU KHDYLHU WKH 0DVWLႇ LV ODUJHVW RYHUDOO 7\SLFDOO\ the smallest breed of dog is the Chihuahua, although there are other breeds that VRPHWLPHV SURGXFH VPDOOHU LQGLYLGXDO SXSSLHV $OO GRJV DUH PHDW HDWLQJ PDPPDOV with sharp teeth and excellent senses of smell and hearing. Each has four paws with soft pads on the bottom and a coat of fur to keep it warm. Dogs do not sweat; to keep cool, they pant (sticking out their tongues and breathing quickly). Many GRJV DUH VSHFLDOO\ WUDLQHG IRU VSHFL¿F MREV VXFK DV WUDFNLQJ SHRSOH VPHOOLQJ LWHPV to locate illegal substances, helping disabled persons, and herding animals. Dogs can also be trained to do many tricks, and they are very good company. Dogs make JUHDW SHWV 2Q 6XQGD\ $XJXVW SHRSOH LQ $PHULFD ZLOO FHOHEUDWH 1DWLRQDO 'RJ Day! Connect The Dots
Dog Breed Word Find
&URVVZRUG $QV $FURVV PXWW &KLKXDKXD )ULHQG 'RZQ SDQWV PDVWLႇ WULFNV PHDW &DQLQH IXU
Beagle, Boxer, Bulldog, Chow, Collie, Dachshund, Dalmatian, Hound, Labrador, Maremmano, Pointer, Pomeranian, Poodle, Pug, Retriever, Rottweiler, Schnauzer, Sh Sheepdog, Shepherd, Shih Tzu, Spaniel, Terrier
Canine Crossword
Find 6 Differences
Across Clues: $ GRJ ZLWK WZR GLႇHUHQW SDUHQWV 6. A small type of dog breed. 7. A dog is Man’s Best _____. Down Clues: 1. How a dog sweats. 2. A large type of dog breed. 3. Some dogs are trained to do ___. 4. What do dogs like to eat? 5. Another word for dog. 7. This keeps them warm.
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Today is February 27, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
The Outlook
Today’s Birthdays
Dr. Rick Worthy, Charlee Ann Peppers, Anna Reed, Amber Dawn Gonzalez, Carol Washburn, Amber
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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/. Sims, William Dial Reaves Jr. and Donna Greene are celebrating their birthdays today.
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Cerynity, Ka’Nyzia, Telissa, Carnaeja, Ry’Mylliyuna and Rihanna, students at Radney Elementary School recently attended “Black Panther” at Playhouse Cinemas in Alexander City, dressed in traditional Dashiki dress.
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Wednesday, February 28
PUBLIC SAFETY ACADEMY: The Alexander City Police and Fire Departments are hosting a public safety academy. Applications are due by Feb. 28 and can be found at the Alexander City Police Department and online at http://www.alexadnercityonline.com/PDF/CPA.pdf. The academy meets on Tuesdays at 6 p.m. starting March 6 and runs through May 8.
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.
March 2-4
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Come Visit Us! Cecily Lee, Administrator Angela Pitts, Director of Nursing
PASTOR APPRECIATION: Pleasant Home Baptist Church in Goodwater is hosting the 21st Appreciation services for Apostle Thomas E. Bullock Sr. and Prophetess Margie N. Bullock March 2-March 4. Bishop Mary Ann Wilson will be the guest speaker March 2 at 7 p.m. Apostle Wayne Davis will be the guest speaker March 3 at 7 p.m. Bishop Demetrius Griffin is the guest speaker March 4 at 11 a.m. and Rev. Arthur Smith is the guest speaker March 4 at 3 p.m.
Saturday, March 3
CHURCH RUMMAGE SALE: The Alex City Methodist Church at 1020 11th Avenue North is holding a rummage sale March 3 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m.
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.
dB
Lawn Care Darrell Brooks, Owner Cutting •Edging Weed Eating •Mulch Weed Control
Tuesday, March 6
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 feet by 20 feet. For more information contact James Woody at 256-7498270. SINGING: Family Worship Center at 1676 Sewell Street will be hosting “Singing with the Walkers” Saturday, March 10 at 6 p.m. The pastor of Family Worship Center is Tony Harris.
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 14-16
CHURCH REVIVAL: GAP Fellowship Church at 721 Robinson Road is hosting spring revival services March 14-16 at 7 p.m. nightly. Pastor Berry Hoyett will speak Wednesday, Evangelist Shamika Thomas Thursday evening and Evangelist Joanne Shealey on Friday. Lou and Marilyn Benson are pastor of GAP Fellowship Church.
March 16-17
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 noncampers.
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.
April 9-10
Saturday, March 17
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.
Wednesday, March 7
PRE K REGISTRATION: Alabama’s Voluntary Pre-K Program is taking pre-registration. Forms can be found at https://alprek.asapconnected. com. Acceptance is through a random drawing to be held April 15 at 10 a.m. at the V. Robinson Head Start Center.
ANNUAL MEETING: The Lake Martin Area United Way is holding its annual meeting and 2018
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.
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.
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.
MONTHLY LUNCHEON: Bibb Graves High School Alumni and Friends in Millerville will have their Monthly Luncheon on Wednesday, March 7 from 11 a.m. until 2 p.m. Please bring a covered dish and a small donation.
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. ANNIVERSARY OF THE BATTLE OF HORSESHOE BEND: Horseshoe Bend National Military Park is hosting the 204th anniversary of the Battle of the Horseshoe Saturday, March 24. There will be demonstrations of Indian and frontier life in the year 1814. The program is free to the public.
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 256-234-4757 or emailing at staceyj1229@gmail.com.
BANQUET: Sav-A-Life is hosting is annual fundraising banquet Tuesday, March 6 at the First Baptist Church. Rick and Mick Vingeulle will be the featured speakers. Call Sav-A-Life at 256-329-2273 to make reservations.
Thursday, March 8
256.267.0518
Team United Campaign Celebration March 8 at Valley National Bank, formerly USAmeriBank. Wine and hors d’oeuvres will be served starting at 5:30 p.m. with an awards presentation at 6 p.m.
Now-March 23
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
Thursday, April 12
Satruday, April 21
FAMILY FESTIVAL: The Coosa County Family Fesitval, Keeping Coosa Connected will be April 21 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Coosa Central High School. Over 40 agencies will be taking part with lots of free activities for children. Vendor registration forms are available by emailing martyrittmann@ gmail.com or by contacting the Lake Martin United Way office at uw211@ unitedwaylakemartin.org or calling 256-329-3600.
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
SEE ME FOR INSURANCE
Harold Cochran 256.234.2700 haroldcochran.b2cn@statefarm.com
Tony Guy, Owner Over 40 Years Experience
H&A Installation, Charge Outs and Repair Sheet Metal Work
FREE Estimates on NEW installations Service a 30 mile radius of Alexander City Licensed and Bonded #:84887 guysheating@live.com 256–234–4198 196 Thompson Ridge Road Alexander City, AL
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
The Outlook
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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
Tuesday, February 27, 2018
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PULSE New Members Alexander City Chamber of Commerce January – February • Alex City Nails & Spa – 781Airport Road, Alexander City, AL 256-392-5505 • Badcock Home Furniture & More – 1227 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-392-5503 • Disabled American Veterans, Bill Nichols Chap. 13 – Alexander City, AL 35010 719-360-5027 • Henderson Glass – 355 11th Ave North, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-234-5464 • Henderson Towing – 355 11th Ave North, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-392-4554 • Kim Bellino-Attorney at Law – 107 Main Street, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-392-9060 • Martin’s Music – 363 Scott Road, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-496-6347 • New Water Farms – 460 Civitan Road, Dadeville, AL 36853 256-750-6333 • ALFA Insurance – Don Vinson/ Stephanie Phillips – 1977 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL 35010 256-329-0544 • Devi Forbus Creative Alexander City, AL 35010 256-392-0379 • Paradise Bed & Breakfast on Lake Martin – 98 Rainbow Road, Dadeville, AL 36853 512-516-1652 • S & S Office Furniture – Ashland, AL 36251 256-282-2016
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Our Community, Our Readers, Your Chamber
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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
The Outlook
PULSE
Our Community, Our Readers, Your Chamber
Lead Forward Women’s Conference headed towards sellout By KIM DUNN Chamber Staff
If you plan to attend the 5th Annual Lead Forward Women’s Conference presented by Valley National Bank, previously USAmeriBank, on Friday, March 9, don’t delay getting your tickets. According to Kim Dunn, Director of Marketing & Special Events for the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, only a handful of tickets remain for the event. Tickets are only $20 per person, or $160 for a reserved table of 8. Attendees will also receive an event t-shirt with the purchase of their ticket. The lunch conference will take place from 11:30 am – 1:00 pm at the Betty Carol Graham Technology Center. “This year’s keynote speaker Allison Black Cornelius, Founder & President of Blackfish, came highly recommended from a number of ladies in the community,” Dunn says. She is what the best of us aspire to be, but few have the grit to become. She’s not perfect, she’s quick to say. But she is definitely amazing. Allison met adversity early on. When she was only seven years old, she was raped and molested by her Sunday school teacher. Too small to do anything about it then, she tried
her best to forget it. She pushed past her trauma into adulthood, developing extraordinary compassion and actively volunteering in Birmingham’s nonprofit community. Twenty years later came Allison’s day of reckoning. She faced her attacker and told the world what he had done. In a landmark case that drew widespread attention from the national media, Allison put her rapist behind bars and became one of the nation’s strongest advocates for victims’ and community rights. She spearheaded the passage of Megan’s Law, creating the country’s first Sex Offender Registry. Champion and inspiration of many, Allison has carried the Olympic Torch, trained more than 700 nonprofit boards and raised more than $30 million for charity through her public presentations. She reminds us by her staggeringly honest example that forgiveness isn’t meant to be convenient – it’s meant to be unconditional. During the conference, we will also be recognizing the Tallapoosa County Woman of the Year sponsored by Exelon and Coosa County Woman of the Year. We received a number of nominees for each county and are looking forward to recognizing them during the event for their outstanding accomplishments and achievements.
One of everyone’s favorite parts of the day is the Business Expo that will take place from 10:00 am – 2:00 pm, except during the lunch conference time. The expo is FREE and open to the public. This year’s exhibitors include Valley National Bank, previously USAmeriBank; Russell Medical; Lake Martin Vascular; Main Street Family Urgent Care; Mason Law Firm; Brian E. Dix, MD; Dianne James Davis, Attorney at Law; Country Financial – The Lisa McClendon Agency; Gunn Homes & Land; A&M Plumbing; River Bank & Trust; Dark Insurance Agency; TowBoatUS Lake Martin; Hillabee Towers; Be.You.tiful Salon; Heritage South Credit Union; Brown Nursing Home; Inprint4U; Raymond James Financial Services; Allstate Insurance; Matte Blackham, HometownLenders-Lake Martin; Beyond Home Care; Home Depot and Adelia M. Russell Library. Even if you can’t make the luncheon, mark your calendars and plan to stop by during the day to visit with these local businesses. As an added value, Kevin Lanier Photography will be on site at the Business Expo from 10–11:30 a.m. and 1-2 p.m. doing head shots for free for everyone that purchases a ticket to the lunch conference. Everyone will receive a digital copy of their
head shot that you can use as needed. The Professional Head Shots are being sponsored by Lake Martin Dock Company. This event wouldn’t be possible without the support of our many additional sponsors. Gold Sponsors include Russell Medical, Lake Martin Vascular and Main Street Family Urgent Care. Our T-shirt Sponsor is Steve Robinson, Tallapoosa County Commissioner, District 2. Silver Sponsors include Mason Law Firm; Brian E. Dix, MD; Dianne James Davis, Attorney at Law; Country Financial – The Lisa McClendon Agency and Gunn Homes & Land. C&T Electric is our Goody Bag Sponsor and Madison House Restorations is the Ladies Lounge Sponsor. Table Sponsors include Russell Lands On Lake Martin, Lee Marketing Group, River Bank & Trust, Dark Insurance Agency, Alexander City Housing Authority, Cloud Nine, First United Methodist Church, Adams Health & Rehab, Lila’s Engraving, SL Alabama, Security Pest Control, City of Alexander City, Tallapoosa Publishers, Melissa Reynolds, Prime Health Management and cabi-Marsha Davis. Break Sponsors are Downtown Girl, Barbara’s Studio of Dance and BB&T.
Young Entrepreneur students prepare investor panel pitches Professional Development Worshop By JACOB MEACHAM Chamber Staff
Students taking part in the third year of our Young Entrepreneurs Academy have been working hard over the last several months on brainstorming business ideas and writing detailed business plans. The culmination of their efforts will take place in April when the students pitch their ideas to the YEA Investor Panel for the chance to have their businesses funded. If you’re not familiar with the program, it’s been one of our Chamber initiatives designed to help foster an entrepreneurial spirit among local high school students. That’s done through a combination of in-class instruction, taking the students on field trips to expose them to the business community, welcoming in guest speakers and pairing the students with mentors to help them fine tune their businesses plans and ready them for the pitch to the investors. The class is part of the students’ regular school day schedule at Benjamin Russell, led by BRHS business education instructor, Mrs. Mandi Durr. Our role at the Chamber focuses on lining up the “Shark Tank” style investor panel, pairing the students with mentors and coordinating other parts of the program like guest speakers and field trips. It’s a true partnership between the business community and the Alexander City School system, with the ultimate goal of building skills into our local youth that can help prepare them for a career in business or as business owners, while also providing them with an opportunity to have an entrepreneurial endeavor funded. Students that have
Hiring and getting hired in an online world By JACOB MEACHAM Chamber Staff
Submitted / The Outlook
Local businessman Daniel Yates talks to Young Entrepreneur Academy students about his experiences in coowning and operating several businesses in Alexander City.
taken part in the first two years of the class are still operating and running profitable small businesses to this day, either still in high school or recently graduated and pursuing their business goals as college students, members of the military or focusing 100 percent on building a business. Two students from the inaugural class, Cameron Tolbert (Tolbert’s Elite Mobile Detailing) and Devin Forbus (Devin Forbus Creative) operate businesses that have even joined the Chamber of Commerce as members. Talk about coming full circle! But back to this year’s students, we’re currently in the mentor phase, with the mentors coming into the classroom each week to work one-on-one with the students. John Howell, owner/operator of Madwind Craftsman & Co., is serving as a mentor in the program for the thirdconsecutive year. Scott Hardy, a city council member and digital marketing coordinator for Tallapoosa Publishers is in his third year of mentoring as
Submitted / The Outlook
Gilbert Woodcrafts & Home Décor is located at 1096 Airport Drive in Alexander City. The Chamber was honored to help celebrate with the Gilbert s at the Ribbon Cutting on February 1. Drop by to see the beautiful home décor and handmade furniture custom made by Lance Gilbert. Gilbert Woodcrafts can be reached at 256-750-1370.
well. New to the program this year are Jim Hardy, founder of the non-profit Outdoor Friends Forever, and John Hall, a fitness specialist at Russell Medical’s Total Fitness. Without dedicated individuals like this, the program could not serve its goal. The students will pitch their business ideas to the investor panel on April 10, where family and friends will gather at the Lake Martin Innovation Center to watch them put months of hard work on display as they sell their business ideas to some of the top business leaders in our community. Depending on the strengths of their ideas and presentations, the panel will then decide how to fund the businesses. Businesses and individuals representing this year’s Investor Panel are: Central Alabama Community College, Steve Robinson (Tallapoosa County Commissioner), Tallapoosa Publishers, T.C. Coley (Tallapoosa County Commissioner), and Valley National Bank (previously
USAmeriBank). Each investor panel member commits $1000 to pool together to fund the student businesses. What an amazing opportunity for these young people. We will be continuing the program for the 2018-19 school year, so if you know a BRHS high school student that might be interested, be sure to have them talk with Mrs. Durr about how to apply, or contact the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce at (256) 234-3461 to inquire. The 2017-18 Young Entrepreneurs Academy is presented by Valley National Bank (previously USAmeriBank). Gold Sponsors for the 2017-18 class are Central Alabama Community College and Steve Robinson (Tallapoosa County Commissioner, District 2). We thank these community-minded organizations and individuals for their support of this beneficial initiative to help build the next generation of business leaders in our community.
Please join us for our first Business After Hours event of 2018 on Thursday, March 1 from 5-7 p.m. at Holley’s Home Furnishing. Chamber members and non-members are all welcome to enjoy complimentary food, drink, networking and giveaways. Holley’s Furniture is located at 1660 Hwy 22 in Alexander City. If you are considering joining the Chamber, now is the perfect time. You can network with Chamber Members while browsing around the store. Ralph Holley will be happy to answer any questions you may have about their newest line of furniture. Be sure to bring your business cards to share with everyone. Call Carla Culligan, Membership Director for more information: 256-234-3461
One of our top priorities here at the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce is providing opportunities for our existing business community to learn and develop professionally. With that goal in mind, we host Professional Development Workshops every quarter at the Lake Martin Innovation Center featuring a variety of topics presented. Our first workshop of 2018, Hiring & Getting Hired in an Online World, will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 27th from 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m. at the Innovation Center. The workshop will be led by Mike Marschke, a recruitment leader for global online retail giant, Amazon. Mr. Marshke brings outstanding credentials to lead the workshop, having helped recruit and hire over 20,000 employees for Amazon’s east coast fulfillment centers in the fourth quarter of 2017 alone. The workshop will focus on helping hiring managers and HR professionals understand best practices for attracting employees through online job searches. The theme will center on effective job posting in an online world, including how to utilize keywords to search for resumes and LinkedIn profiles, how to write an effective job posting, and how to differentiate yourself from the competition. For people in the job market, the workshop will be beneficial as well, with tips on how to use keywords to help hiring managers find you, best practices in resume writing, and making sure you stand out from others who might be competing for the same opening. The workshop series is presented by A&M Plumbing, with the 2018’s first quarter workshop sponsored by Angie Hill, Attorney at Law. It is $10 to attend and includes lunch. To sign up, call the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce at (256) 234-3461. The Lake Martin Innovation Center is located at 175 Aliant Parkway next to USAmeriBank on Highway 280.
Sports
LIZI ARBOGAST SPORTS EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X228 lizi.arbogast@alexcityoutlook.com
Outlook
Weekend Edition, February 27, 2018
The
RUNNERS-UP
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Rebels take 2nd, BRHS goes 4-1 at tournament By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
In a tournament with some strong Class 6A, 5A and 4A schools, Reeltown’s softball team was more than happy to walk away as the runner-up of the Central Alabama Softball Classic at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex this weekend. On its way to second place, Reeltown, a Class 2A program, defeated the likes of rival Tallassee, 5A opponent Valley and the host squad, Benjamin Russell. “All the wins feel pretty good, but definitely the first day when we played Tallassee was big,” Rebel shortstop Kayli Hornsby said. “They’re a big rival, so that felt good for us.” Reeltown (5-1-1) was all but perfect in pool play, going 2-0-1 as its game with Sylacauga ended in a 2-2 tie due to time constraints. The Rebels then dominated Valley, 11-4 in tournament play and upended Benjamin Russell, 3-0 in the semifinals before falling to Eufaula, 8-4 in the championship. “I’m just very proud of them,” Reeltown coach Kelli Hilyer said. “You can always work on things here and there, but this was a good tournament for us. Nothing major jumped out at me; I just think we did great.” In the title game, Eufaula and
LOCAL SPORTS CALENDAR Tuesday, Feb. 27 High school baseball Benjamin Russell at Smiths Station, 4 p.m. Elmore County at Reeltown, 4 p.m. B.B. Comer at Central Coosa, 7 p.m. High school softball Horseshoe Bend at Childersburg, 4:30 p.m. St. James at Dadeville, 5 p.m. Reeltown at Holtville, 6 p.m. Randolph County at Central Coosa, 4:30 p.m. High school boys soccer Benjamin Russell at Stanhope Elmore, 7 p.m. High school girls soccer Benjamin Russell at Stanhope Elmore, 5:30 p.m. College softball Chattahoochee Valley at Central Alabama, 2 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 28 High school tennis Benjamin Russell at Opelika, 3:30 p.m. College tennis Marion Military at Central Alabama, 2:30 p.m.
Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook
Dadeville’s Tiffany Rice, left, makes a throw from the outfield as second baseman Jailee Kirkland waits to make the catch on Saturday morning. Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook
Reeltown’s Kayli Hornsby makes a throw to second base against Eufaula on Saturday.
the Rebels went scoreless for the first four innings before the Tigers broke things open with six runs in the top of the fifth. After not having a hit through the opening four frames, Eufaula nabbed six hits and capitalized on all of them to take a 6-0 lead. But instead of giving up, Reeltown immediately fought back, scoring four runs in the home half of the inning. Ashlynn Thomas started things off with a single and stole a pair of bases to get into scoring position. Two quick strikeouts followed, and it looked like it might be another scoreless inning for Reeltown. But then Kelsey Jaye drew a walk, and Hornsby smacked a single to centerfield to drive in both Thomas and Jaye and start the two-out rally. Katlyn Jaye followed by reaching on an error, and Makenzie Baker filled
the bases with a walk. Rebel ace Ayriana Stoneback then helped her own cause with a two-run single before the inning’s end. That was all Reeltown could muster, though, as Eufaula scored two more runs in the top of the sixth and the Rebels couldn’t find an answer again. “We played a long two days of ball, and they’re a very good team,” Hornsby said. “I’m really proud of us because we never got down. We knew this from last year’s tournaments that we played in, and we’re improving a lot on not hanging our heads after errors and mistakes. We have very short memories, and that’s a good thing.” Reeltown had a big win over Benjamin Russell to get to the championship. The Rebels racked up eight hits against the Wildcats. See REELTOWN • Page 12
Dadeville splits on final day of Central Alabama Classic By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
After going 1-1 on the first day of the Central Alabama Softball Classic at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex, Dadeville continued with an even record on Day 2. The Tigers had a thrilling 10-9 victory over Valley to start the day before ultimately falling to Tallassee, 5-3, in
the first round of tournament play. Horseshoe Bend, on the other hand, wasn’t so lucky, finishing the tournament 0-4. The Generals are still searching for their first win of the young season. On Saturday morning, the Tigers were coming off a victory over the Generals, but were See SOFTBALL • Page 12
Generals overcome early deficit for big win STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
After giving up four runs in the top of the first inning, Horseshoe Bend’s baseball team fought back to defeat B.B. Comer, 14-5 in five innings, on Saturday afternoon. The Generals scored two runs in home half of the first to cut Comer’s lead in half, then they exploded for five runs in the second to take a lead. They added five more runs in the fourth inning to break the game open. Grant Taylor led the Generals (2-1) with three hits, including a double and a triple, and plated a trio of runs. Chandler Lewis, Cade Worthy, Luke Yarbrough and Jordan Argo all had two hits apiece, as Horseshoe Bend totaled 14 on the day. Lee
Norrell and Jace Rodriguez each recorded two RBIs. Rodriguez had a fantastic day on the mound, giving up just five hits in the completegame effort. He struck out 10, didn’t walk any and allowed only one earned run.
Dadeville suffers 2 losses
In its opener Saturday morning, Dadeville struggled defensively, then it had offensive woes in its second game, and it resulted in a 0-2 day for the Tigers. Dadeville lost to Beauregard, 7-5, then Opelika, 4-0. Against Beauregard, Dadeville (1-3) actually led 5-3 heading into the sixth inning when a costly error allowed the Hornets to score three runs on a single play and take the lead. Three straight walks loaded the bases for Beauregard when
Nathan Johnson batted into an error, giving all three Hornets time to score. Johnson scored a run himself when he stole home to set the final score. For the Tigers, Jeff Rice had two singles, while Jake Outlaw and Alex Sims each smacked a double. Ab Abernathy had two RBIs. Dadeville managed only two hits in the shutout loss to Opelika, as Sam Stephenson and Alex Walker were the only Tigers with singles against the Bulldogs.
CACC goes 2-1 in series with Rend Lake
Now at 8-8 on the season, Central Alabama Community College went 2-1 in a three-game baseball series with Rend Lake over the weekend.
The Trojans started with an 8-4 victory over the Warriors on Friday night, then lost 4-1 on Saturday morning. But they avenged the loss with a 6-3 victory Saturday to close out the series. In the first game, Mossy Mueller led CACC with three hits and three RBIs, while Garrett Takamatsu and Jeremy Almaguer each had two singles. Struggling with errors in Game 2, CACC allowed a pair of unearned runs, and no Trojan had more than one hit. Despite out-hitting the Trojans 11-6 in the final game of the series, Rend Lake couldn’t earn the win. Luis DeLeon and Almaguer each had two hits for CACC, and Almaguer drove in two runs.
High school basketball is on the mind this week
W
ith the AHSAA basketball championships this week (The Finals as they are formally called), our entire AHSAA Radio Network team will be spending a lot of time burning the road to Birmingham for the games. Given that fact, below are several hoops-inspired random thoughts about this week, the players involved and the college game. • There are several great matchups this week, but if you have to choose just one game to watch may I suggest the Mountain Brook versus Central Phenix City boys game Thursday at 1:30. CPC is crazy athletic (as it always is) and Mountain Brook probably plays the best team basketball in the state. • It doesn’t hurt that Mountain Brook also has Tendon Watford who is not only the state’s most highly
LUKE ROBINSON Columnist sought-after prospect (despite his having one more year of high school), but he may wind up being a top-five blue chip nationally. • Several schools have participants in the final four for both genders: Greensboro, McGill Toolen, Madison Academy, Sparkman, Lauderdale County, Hazel Green and Wenonah. The 3A games (Madison Academy and Greensboro) and the 7A games (McGill Toolen and Sparkman) feature both boys and girls teams, respectively. Quite the achievement. • By the way, McGill Toolen… Is there a sport the Yellow Jackets don’t play well?
It seems like they are always in the finals of everything. Hoover is usually there, too, but McGill deserves its recognition. • I am going to truly miss the Midfield boys’ team as it was disqualified before the tournament for playing too many games (how does that even happen?). The Patriots will have their girls vying for a title at the BJCC, but not having that well-dressed group of coaches for the boys side is a disappointment. • The Holt High School team may have fallen short to Greensboro in the Central Regional Finals, but that group of young men played through a lot of adversity and earned much respect after fighting through the loss of a teammate. Senior Jalen Merriweather was tragically shot and killed while trying to protect his sister a few weeks ago. The team rallied around his untimely death and fought until the final buzzer
sounded. • On the college side, I have no idea what to make of Alabama basketball anymore. Common sense says to always play your best players, but on occasion it looks like the Tide is a more cohesive unit when star Collin Sexton is not in the lineup. Sexton can be fantastic and will be a top draft pick, but other players seem to stand in concrete while he dribbles sometimes. Regardless, tonight’s game against Florida may have turned into a “must win” if ’Bama is to make the NCAA Tournament because I cannot see this team’s winning in College Station against Texas A&M on Saturday. • Auburn is certainly solidly in the NCAA field, but the Tigers seeding may take a small hit with games at Arkansas (which is suddenly very hot), South Carolina (which just beat AU a couple of weeks ago) and probably a sneaky-tough
SEC tournament opponent next Friday. • With Auburn’s recent injuries, I think the SEC’s best chance at a Final Four team is now … shocker … Kentucky. The Wildcats have issues, but they have a ton of talent. • On Sportz Blitz, we recently discussed Kentucky’s long-standing SEC dominance in terms of regular season titles, SEC tournament crowns, national championships, etc. But here is another eye-popping stat for you: The Wildcats have won 2,237 games all time. That’s the most in the NCAAs. The next closest SEC team is Arkansas at 1,648. Alabama is next as far as SEC teams at 1,637 (good for 31st nationally). Auburn, meanwhile, has 1,335 wins. Luke Robinson is a regular columnist and contributor to Lake Martin Living and BMetro.
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Tuesday, February 27, 2018
The Outlook
MORE THAN 300 PARTICIPATE IN 2018 RUSSELL FOREST RUN
Photos by Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook More than 300 runners participated in the 2018 Russell Forest Run 5K and 10K on Saturday morning at Russell Crossroads. The winner of the 10K was Auburn’s Connor Brown, who clocked in at 42:01, while the fastest female finisher was 13-year-old Abbie Brown, also of Auburn, who finished in 51:17. In the 5K, Matthew Fowler traveled from Concord, North Carolina, and was the overall winner with a time of 17:33. Alexander City’s Ashley Walker, who competes for Benjamin Russell’s cross country team, took first in the female division, crossing the finish line in 23:41. Top left: Runners went all over the trails as part of the Russell Forest Run. Top right: Alexander City’s Maxwell Lamberth comes around the final turn of the 5K. Above: Alexander City’s Jaxon Mask motors his way to the finish line of the 5K. Right top: Cameron Bice, far left, leads a group of runners in the Russell Forest Run 5K on Saturday morning. Right bottom: Alexander City’s Bridget Lewis celebrates as she comes around the final turn.
Softball trailing Valley, 4-2 after the first inning and 8-2 after the second. Suddenly, Dadeville came alive to score eight runs in the top of the third. Pearl Huff started things out with a walk, and Quanesha Presley moved her to third with a double. After a pop out, Dadeville’s Cali Jones batted into an error to reach first base and give Huff time to score. Jones then got into scoring position by swiping third, and Brittany Claybrook capitalized with a two-RBI single to cut Valley’s lead to 8-5. Following a strikeout, Dadeville started a two-out rally. Isis Johnson singled and Skye Foster was hit by a pitch to load the bases. Tiffany Rice then jumped on another Valley error, giving Claybrook and Johnson a chance to score. Another error scored Foster, and Presley played hero with her second consecutive double that scored Rice and Huff and ultimately gave Dadeville the 10-8 lead. Valley didn’t go down without a fight, though, as it scored a run in the bottom of the third, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Tigers’ lead. While Dadeville kept up its strong hitting against Tallassee, it once again struggled with errors that plagued it early on in the tournament. All of Tallassee’s five runs were unearned, as Dadeville committed six
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Lizi Arbogast / The Outlook
Benjamin Russell’s Madi Johnson, background, slides into third base against Horseshoe Bend’s Leighann McWhorter.
miscues. Claybrook had a single and RBI for Dadeville, while Huff smacked a double and Makya Johnson hit a double. Zoe Veres and Isis Johnson each had singles.
Dadeville got strong pitching for Makya Johnson against Tallassee. Johnson threw all four innings and allowed just four hits. She struck out one and walked three. For Horseshoe Bend, the Generals continued to struggled offensively after losing to Dadeville on Friday night. They had to turn around and play Eufaula late Friday, falling 8-2. Errors got the best of them in a 5-0 loss to Cleburne County on Saturday, and they couldn’t hold down Benjamin Russell’s fierce hitting in a 16-2 loss to the Wildcats to finish out the tournament. “I think they’re just playing too much in their heads,” Horseshoe Bend coach Hagen Vickers said. Horseshoe Bend had a total of just 12 hits in its final three games of the tournament. Cheyanna Howard, Hannah Adcock and Lilly Combs had two hits each. Caly Carlisle and Danielle Mitchell split time in the circle, but both gave up a slew of hits except against Cleburne County. Mitchell went the four-inning distance and allowed just six hits, but eight defensive errors gave up five unearned runs. Both Horseshoe Bend and Dadeville will be back in action today, as the Generals travel to Childersburg at 4:30 p.m. and Dadeville hosts St. James at 5 p.m.
Reeltown
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Morgan McGuire notched two singles for Reeltown, Katlyn Jaye drove in two runs and Hornsby contributed a double. Stoneback had a phenomenal outing against the Wildcats (5-1). She allowed just two hits, which came via Taylor McVey and Tayla Stowes, while striking out three and walking one in the shutout. “Everything was working for her,” Hilyer said. “Her pitches were working. I’m looking at some other pitchers, but for now, she pitched every inning for us this tournament.” Over the course of the tournament, Stoneback threw 19 2/3 innings, allowing a total of just 12 hits and one earned run. She struck out 19 and walked only three. Earlier in the day, Benjamin Russell posted its biggest win of the tournament, defeating Horseshoe Bend, 16-2, to earn the top seed in its pool. The Wildcats immediately tacked on four runs in the top of the first inning, and although the Generals cut the deficit in half in the bottom of the frame, BRHS kept coming with six runs in both the third and fourth innings. Thirteen hits were the recipe for Benjamin Russell’s success. Madi Johnson led the way with two doubles and a single, and she drove in three runs. Jayme Marbury also plated a trio of runs on a pair of doubles. Baylee Adkins, Asia McWaters and Taylor Latham each had two hits apiece as well.