SAFETY FIRST
OPINION: CANDIDATE VARIETY GIVES VOTERS MANY CHOICES PAGE 4.
THURSDAY
THE
Rule changes impact high school baseball Sports, Page 8
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 July 21, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 146
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Man killed in construction site fall An ambulance leaves the scene of a construction mishap Wednesday transporting a man who had fallen to Russell Medical Center where he was later pronounced dead.
By MITCH SNEED Editor
An Alexander City man died Wednesday after a tragic fall at a construction site. Officials say that a 46-year-old Alexander City man was pronounced dead at Russell Medical Center shortly after arriving there by ambulance shortly after 3 p.m. After initially withholding the victim’s name to allow for notification of all his family, the
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
victim was identified as Tommy Baker of a Campground Road address. A 911 call came in at about 2:25 p.m. with reports that a man had fallen from a board that was being used as a catwalk on the construction of a new home on Elkahatchee Road. One person on the scene estimate the fall to be from “at least 10 feet onto a concrete surface.”
When first-responders arrived they found the man unresponsive and struggling to breathe. They began life-saving measures as they prepared to transport the victim to meet a LifeSaver helicopter for transport to a trauma center. Baker’s condition worsened and he was taken into the hospital as the helicopter arrived. A short time later, doctors pronounced Baker dead.
Ballot set for Alexander City election
IT’S JUST PLAIN HOT Beware of the dangers of extreme heat, dehydration
Hardy, Spraggins set to earn spots on council running unopposed
By MITCH SNEED Editor
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Scott Hardy and Tommy Spraggins will be two of at least three new faces on the Alexander City City Council after municipal elections are held on Aug. 23. Qualifying ended on Tuesday at 5 p.m. and in District 3 and District 5, Hardy and Spraggins were the only candidates to qualify. Not facing opposition, both will be elected to the council provided they collect at least one more vote than any write-in candidate that could surface. While two seats are all but settled, most talk has been about the mayor’s seat where three challengers are looking to unseat incumbent Charles Shaw. Shaw will face two of the same candidates he did four years ago, plus a wellknown resident who is making his first run for elected office. Mark Lamborne and Mark Fuller qualified to seek the mayor’s office and have been aggressively campaigning and blanketing the city with signs. Jim Nabors was a late qualifier for the seat. Nabors announced Sunday that if he is elected, he won’t take a salary. In the three districts where incumbents are seeking another term, all three face multiple opponents. See ELECTION • Page 3
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
ToatBoatU.S. operator Jackson Dozier looks on as firefighters douse the remains of his boat that was badly burned Wednesday afternoon. It is believed that gas fumes along with a spark from a charging battery caused the explosion and subsequent fire.
RESCUING THE RESCUER
The digital thermometer on the sign outside the Express Oil Change location on Highway 280 was beaming with some bad news for people who were stuck outside Wednesday afternoon. At 3:08 p.m. the sign indicated that it was a blistering 98 degrees. No matter how you measure it, that’s just plain hot. Alexander City Street Department Superintendent See TEMPERATURES • Page 3
Tow boat explodes, bursts into flames
By MITCH SNEED Editor
A man who has made it his business to help others in distress on the waters of Lake martin found himself and a co-worker in a frightening situation Wednesday afternoon. A Twin Vee boat owned and used as a part of Jackson Dozier’s TowBoatU.S. business exploded and burst into flames as the two worked to get the boat ready for what is expected to be a busy weekend.
“We have gas cans on the boat and with the heat, the vapors build up and leak off,” Dozier said as he watched firefighters douse the charred remains of his boat. “We went to put cables on a battery to charge it up and it just went up. It was unbelievable.” Neither of the two men working on the boat were seriously injured, although there was some singed hair and minor burns. Dozier said they both hit the water and See BOAT • Page 3
Man facing multiple charges after Cherokee Road incident By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Joshua Loudermilk is searched by officers prior to his arrest for drug possesion Tuesday night in the 500 block of Cherokee Road while another officer talks with a man that was allegedly run over by the 26-year-old Fort Payne man.
A Fort Payne man is facing multiple drug charges and potentially more troubles after a bizarre incident Tuesday evening that was called in as a pedestrian hit by a vehicle on Cherokee Road. Joshua Nathan Loudermilk, 26, of Fort Payne was arrested for possession of a controlled substance, possession of drug paraphernalia and driving under the influence. He remained in the Tallapoosa County Jail Thursday. At about 8:45 a motorist called police to report
that a man was on his back in the roadway in the 500 block of Cherokee Road and a white SUV appeared to have run over the man. Witnesses report hearing loud screams, shouting and banging noises. One witness said that not only did he see the SUV run over the man, it appeared that he backed up and struck the man again. “When officers got there and began to talk to the victim and the driver, they got conflicting stories about what had happened,” said Lt. James Easterwood of the See CHEROKEE • Page 3
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
The digital thermometer on the sign outside the Express Oil Change showed how high temperatures reached Wednesday afternoon.
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
489.37 Reported on 7/20/16 @ 8 p.m.
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Husband wants long-lost sister to remain that way
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Directory Telephone: (256) 234-4281 Fax: (256) 234-6550 Website: www.alexcityoutlook.com
Mia Osborn Assistant Magazine Editor, Ext. 227 mia.osborn@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
Advertising Sales Tippy Hunter Advertising Director, Ext. 206 marketing@alexcityoutlook.com Doug Patterson Newspaper Advertising, Ext. 205 doug.patterson@alexcityoutlook.com Emily Gregg Advertising Sales, Ext. 225 emily.gregg@alexcityoutlook.com Donna Jones Advertising Sales, Ext. 217 donna.jones@alexcityoutlook.com Jaylan Reynolds Advertising Sales Intern, Ext. 232 jaylan.reynolds@alexcityoutlook.com
Accounting Angela Mullins Bookkeeping, Ext. 202 angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com Mary Lyman Boone Bookkeeping marylyman.boone@alexcityoutlook.com Newsroom Betsy Iler Magazine Managing Editor, Ext. 221 betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com Cathy Higgins Sports Editor, Ext. 228 cathy.higgins@alexcityoutlook.com Cliff Williams Staff Writer, Ext. 212 cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com David Granger Staff Writer, Ext. 210 david.granger@alexcityoutlook.com
DEAR ABBY: My husband and his sister had a rough childhood in foster care. Long story short, they lost contact for 10 years -- until now. She found us on Facebook and was desperate to know if she had found her brother or not. My husband ignored her. He isn’t sure he ever wants to rebuild a relationship with her. I know that’s his decision to make, and if he doesn’t want her in his life, that’s fine. But I couldn’t live with myself if I ignored her, too. I just wanted her to know she could stop looking and wondering if her brother is still alive. So I told her. She was grateful to have some closure and know that he is doing well, and she reassured me that she wouldn’t contact him again unless he reaches out to her. Even if they never talk again, I think she deserved to know she had found him. Now I feel guilty for going behind his back and meddling in things that aren’t my
DEAR ABBY Advice
business. But I can’t imagine spending my whole life searching for a family member, when someone could have been honest with me and given me peace of mind. Did I make a terrible mistake, and should I come clean to my husband about what I did? -- FEELING GUILTY IN GEORGIA DEAR FEELING GUILTY: You failed to mention the reason for your husband’s ambivalence about re-establishing a relationship with his sister. Now that she has found you on Facebook, she can follow his whole life, unless you block her. Whether you made a terrible mistake remains to be seen. If the sister contacts
your husband again, you will have to tell him what you did. He may have wanted to protect his privacy. As long as she doesn’t, I think you should keep your mouth shut. DEAR ABBY: My 18-yearold daughter has just finished school. She now wants to take a gap year and work to save enough to travel overseas. The problem is, she’s so eager to get away from home that she wants to move to another city to work. I have advised her that staying home and working will allow her to save more to travel, and she would have to pay for her food, accommodation and transportation, and would have little left over to save to travel. She got upset with me and could not understand why I wouldn’t want to pay her rent or support her. Am I being unreasonable saying that she should pay her own way if she moves out
of the home? -- MOM IN JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA DEAR MOM: If anyone thinks that an attitude of entitlement is strictly a problem in the United States, your letter should banish that notion. What you told your daughter makes perfect sense. If she wants independence, she should be prepared to accept the responsibility for living that way. I would, however, encourage you to continue the dialogue with her so you can understand why she feels the need to live apart from you, on the chance that a compromise might be possible. I’m sure it would be enlightening. Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Obituaries
Composing Audra Spears Composing Department, Ext. 219 audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com Darlene Johnson Composing Department, Ext. 203 darlene.johnson@alexcityoutlook.com Hallie Holloway Composing Department, Ext. 203 hallie.holloway@alexcityoutlook.com Alethia Russell Graphic Artist, Ext. 231 alethia.russell@alexcityoutlook.com Circulation Linda Ewing Asst. Circulation Manager, Ext. 201 linda.ewing@alexcityoutlook.com
Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. manages The Alexander City Outlook, The Dadeville Record, Lake magazine, Lake Martin Living, (USPS: 013-080, ISSN: 0738-5110) Kenneth Boone The Outlook is published five times Photography and a week, Tuesday through Saturday a commercial web mornings, by Tallapoosa Publishers, printing press. Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL, 35011.
Postal
Information
POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Post Office Box 999, Alexander City, AL 35011.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
The Outlook
© 2011 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. Reproduction of any part of any issue requires written publisher permission.
Barbara Jones 1955 - 2016
Mr. Marcus L. Milford 1927 - 2016
Memorial Service for Barbara Jones, 61, of Alexander City, will be Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 2:00 pm at the Trinity Branch of First United Methodist Church. Rev. Gene Lankford will officiate. Ms. Jones passed away on Sunday, July 10, 2016 at her residence. She was born on January 19, 1955 in San Antonio, Texas to Oliver and Dorothy Feltus. She served as a Boy Scout Den Leader and Girl Scout Leader. Ms. Jones was Alexander City’s first female police officer. In lieu of flowers the family requests donations be made to Vested Interest in K9s Inc, PO Box 9, East Taunton, MA 02718, or online at www.vik9s.org. It is an organization that provides tactical vests to dogs of Law Enforcement and related agencies throughout the country. She is survived by her son, M. David Jones of Alexander City; daughter, Amanda M (Scott) Jones of Alexander City; sisters, Elizabeth Glade and Janet Feltus; brother, Oliver (Joann) Feltus, III; and grandchildren, Logan Jones, Connor Jones, and Shannon Jones. She was preceded in death by her parents. Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneyfuneralhome.com.
Funeral Service for Mr. Marcus L. Milford, 89, of Alexander City, Alabama, will be Friday, July 22, 2016 at 11:00 am at the Chapel of Radney Funeral Home. Randy Anderson will officiate. Burial will follow in the Hillview Memorial Park. The family will receive friends on Thursday, July 21, 2016 from 5:00 pm to 7:30 pm at Radney Funeral Home. Mr. Milford passed away on Wednesday, July 20, 2016 at Chapman Healthcare Center. He was born on June 1, 1927 in Clanton, Alabama to Marcus Milford and Amanda Milford. Mr. Milford was an avid Alabama fan and enjoyed Cubs Baseball. He is survived by his daughter, Brenda (Terry) Whatley of Alexander City; son, Jerry Milford of Alexander City, AL; daughter-in-law, Jeannine Milford of Alexander City; grandchildren, Marcus Wayne Milford, Gina Turner, Adam Whatley, and Shane Wall; great-grandchildren, Alyssa Milford, Whit Milford, Brannon Wall, Milam Whatley, and Shana Turner; sister-inlaw, Doris Milford; nephews, Donald Hill, Wayne Hill, and James Roberts. He was preceded in death by his wife; Leola Milford; son, Harold Milford; parents; brothers, Buster Milford, Alex Milford, and Warren Milford; and sister, Eula Mae Hill. Memorial messages may be sent to the family at www.radneyfuneralhome.com.
Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Radney Funeral Home is in charge of the arrangements.
Many a small thing has
been
How to Submit Obituaries
made Obituaries can be submitted to The Outlook from funeral homes by e-mail at obits@alexcityoutlook.com or by fax at (256) 234-6550. For more information, call (256) 234-4281.
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Members of Tallapoosa County Retired Education Association (TCERA) held a Quarterly Meeting at the offices of ACBOE and were presented a program for safely driving where there are trains by Lt. James Orr with ACPD.
Public Meetings at 6 p.m. Alexander City Board of Education meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the board office at 375 Lee St. or local school at 5 p.m.
Community Action Agency of Chambers, Tallapoosa, Coosa will holds its regular board of directors meetings every other month at the Central Office in Dadeville.
Alexander City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. Meetings are held in the courtroom at the old city hall at 5:30 p.m.
Coosa County Board of Education holds called meetings at least once a month.
Camp Hill Town Council meets the first and third Mondays of each month. Meetings are held in town hall
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Coosa County Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the Coosa County Courthouse in Rockford at 9:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday and at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday. Coosa County Industrial Development Board will hold its regularly scheduled meeting the third Tuesday of each month at 7 p.m. in the Commissioners’ Board Room in the courthouse in Rockford. All meetings are open to the public. Dadeville City Council meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month at 5 p.m. in city hall. Daviston City Council meets the third Monday of every month at 6:30 p.m. at the Daviston Fire Department. Goldville Town Council meets the second Monday of each month at 5:30 p.m. at the town hall. Goodwater City Council meets on the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are
held upstairs in the courthouse at 6:30 p.m. Jackson’s Gap Town Council meets the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in town hall at 6:30 p.m., all Jackson’s Gap citizens are encouraged to attend. Kellyton Town Council meets on the first Tuesday of the month at 6:30 p.m. at the community center in Kellyton. New Site City Council meets the second and fourth Monday of the month at 5 p.m. in the Conference Room in the Town Hall. Ray Water Authority meets on the second Tuesday of every month at 6 p.m. at the Ray Water Authority Office. All customers are invited to attend. Rockford Town Council meets the second Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in town hall at 7 p.m. Tallapoosa County Board of Education meets on the second Monday of each month. Meetings are held in the new central office at 679 East Columbus Street, Dadeville, AL 36853. Tallapoosa County Commission meets the second Monday of the month at 9 a.m. in the courthouse in Dadeville, with a pre-meeting also open to the public 30 minutes before each regular session.
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Temperatures
continued from page 1
Mitch Kendrick said the city’s public works employees are in the heat most of the day. In his department, they are sealing cracks in the roads, which means using a piece of equipment that stays at 500 degrees. That heat, on top of the nearly triple-digit temperatures and a heat index that reached 113 in Alexander City Wednesday, prompted Kendrick to stress protection. “When it gets that hot you have to take precautions,” Kendrick said. “We reminded the guys to load up on liquids before they went out and told them to drink plenty of water throughout the day. We also have them to rotate working around the machinery to reduce exposure to that extra heat. Constant exposure to that kind of heat is very dangerous, so we try to stress being careful and conscious of what they are doing.” The extreme temperatures increase the risk of heat exhaustion and heat stroke also goes up. The American Medical Association recommends wearing lightweight, lightcolored, loose-fitting clothing and a wide-brimmed hat. Use a sunscreen with a sun protection factor (SPF) of 30 or more. Drink extra fluids. AMA recommends staying hydrated with water, Gatorade or Powerade and avoiding drinks that contain caffeine or alcohol. Symptoms of heat exhaustion include cool, moist, pale or flushed skin, headaches, dizziness and weakness. The AMA says the best thing to do with someone showing heat exhaustion symptoms is to move them to a cooler environment, put compresses on the skin to try and gradually lower their temperature and give them plenty of water. Signs of heat stroke include extremely
high body temperature, red skin which may be dry or moist, changes in consciousness, rapid, weak pulse, rapid, shallow breathing, confusion, vomiting and seizures. In case of heat stroke, officials say to call 911 and seek immediate medical attention. In this time of extreme heat it is also a time for pet owners to keep close watch on their pets that spend time outdoors. Mia Chandler, director of the Lake Martin Humane Society Animal Shelter, said last year that it’s important not to leave pets in a vehicle for an extended period of time. “First, do not leave your pet in a vehicle. The temperature is usually around 40 degrees higher inside than the actual outdoor temperature is,” Chandler said during last summer’s 90-plus degree weather. “A simple 15-30 minutes might not seem like a long time as you are running an errand to the store, but that could be a fatal mistake.” Chandler also recommended people with outdoor pets provide the animal with drinking water and shelter out of direct sunlight at all times. If an animal is showing signs of being overheated, Chandler said they should be taken to a veterinarian immediately. Chandler also recommended seasonal shave downs for pets at a local veterinarian or local groomer, especially for outdoor dogs, in order to help keep the animal cool and comfortable. This summer swelter was not just a one-day wonder. There appears to be no real relief in sight as hit temperatures are expected to remain in the mid to upper 90s through the weekend.
GOT NEWS? We have nine publications covering the lake & river region.
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Page 3
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The Outlook
Election
continued from page 1
face multiple opponents. In District 1, Councilman Bobby Tapley has drawn opposition from retired banker and local activist Steve Crowe and political newcomer Beverly White. In District 2, Council member Sherry Ellison-Simpson faces a challenge from Audrey “Buffy” Colvin and Jacob Meacham. Colvin is new to politics but has been active in a number of civic endeavors including organizing the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Parade. Meacham is a vice-president of the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce. In District 4, Councilman Billy Ray Wall is joined on the ballot by challengers Eric Brown and Frank Tapley. Brown is new to the political scene but owns and operates a successful local business. Tapley is a veteran in the political game, having served on the council as well as a county commissioner previously.
2016 LOCAL ELECTION CANDIDATES Alexander City Mayor Mark Fuller Mark Lamborne Jim Nabors Charles Shaw (Incumbent) Council District 1 Steve Crowe Bobby Tapley (Incumbent) Beverly White
Boat
District 2 Audrey “Buffy” Colvin Sherry Ellison-Simpson (Incumbent) Jacob Meacham District 3 Scott Hardy District 4
Eric Brown Frank Tapley Billy Ray Wall (Incumbent) District 5 Tommy Spraggins District 6 Jason Cromer Tim Funderburk Tony Harris
continued from page 1
sprinted to get away. “We’ve helped some others who had fires, that one just a few weeks ago,” Dozier said. “I never thought it would happen to us, but you never know. It doesn’t take much with gas fumes.” Black smoke could be seen billowing up into the air for miles away from the Eiland Drive area off Shady Point where the boat was in the water. The boat, which had been the main one used and the fastest Dozier used in his business, appears to be a total loss.
Cherokee
continued from page 1
Alexander City Police Department. “The vehicle was registered to the victim, but witnesses said at some point he got out of the car and Loudermilk got behind the wheel.” Multiple witnesses indicated that they saw the SUV roll over the man twice, first going forward and then backing over the man again. After he was found laying on the ground and checked out by paramedics, he got up and stood under his own power and was found to have no injuries that he wanted to have treated. There was a third man seen running from the vehicle, but there was no mention of locating him in the report. A search of the vehicle found suspected narcotics and other items that led to Loudermilk’s arrest. Court records show that Loudermilk has multiple arrests for drug related charges, with most of them being handled in pre-trial diversion programs. He has three other cases that are pending grand jury indictment currently.
Your Lake Lender. Melanie Foshee is now at River Bank.
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MITCH SNEED EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X213
editor@alexcityoutlook.com
EDITORIAL BOARD Steve Baker Mitch Sneed
www.alexcityoutlook.com
Page 4
Our
View Candidate variety gives voters many choices
P
erhaps it’s the fact that it’s a presidential election year and politics is on everyone’s mind. Perhaps it’s some amount of dissatisfaction with the status quo that seems to exist at every level of government, from city hall to the White House. But, for whatever reason, this year’s municipal elections in both Alexander City and Dadeville offer the voters plenty of choice. In Alexander City, 18 candidates have tossed their hats in the ring for the mayor’s job and the six city council seats. In Dadeville, the races are even more crowded, with 22 candidates having qualified for the mayor’s race and the five city council contests. We’re proud to see it, because more choice is always a good thing. But we hope that all of the candidates are prepared for the significant and important tasks they face. Earlier this month, The Outlook asked three former mayors of Alexander City – Barbara Young, Ben Cleveland and Don McClellan – about some of the most important qualities for a person to effectively serve in a public office. Among the things they mentioned were selflessness, open-mindedness, the abilities to lead, manage, surround yourself with good people and intelligence. Young said even after serving on the city council for several years, the things she had to learn as mayor made her “head hurt.” In the end, regardless of whether it’s the folks of Dadeville or the good people of Alexander City, what the people want most of all is someone they can trust. “They want to know if they have a problem, you will be there,” Cleveland said. “They want to know that even if you don’t always agree, you’ll be fair.” Sounds easy enough. But McClellan says it’s not. “It’s not an easy job and anyone who is considering a run for office should know that,” McClellan said. “But, even with that, it can be very rewarding knowing you helped make your town a better place.” The candidates have qualified. We have plenty of choice. Now it’s up to us to make the right ones.
Officials
Charles Shaw
Bobby Tapley represents District 1. His phone number is 256329-9671. His address is 1821 LaVista Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Chairman of the Public Safety committee.
Bobby Tapley
Sherry Ellison-Simpson represents District 2. Her phone number is 256329-0516. Her address is 2879 Old Dark Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Chairman of the Parks and Recreation committee.
Sherry Ellison Simpson
Bob Howard represents District 3. His phone number is 256-2342225. His address is 241 8th Street West, Alexander City, AL 35010. Chairman of the Buildings and Property committee.
Bob Howard
Billy Ray Wall represents District 4. His phone number is 256329-8060. His address is 101 Scott Road, Alexander City, AL 35010. Chairman of the Public Works committee.
James Spann represents District 5. His phone number is 256-3299758. His address is 314 Auburn Drive, Alexander City, AL 35010. Chairman of Finance committee. Tony Goss represents District 6. His phone number is 256-7493355. His address is 647 Shady Point, Alexander City, AL 35010. Chairman of Utilities committee.
The
Thursday, July 21, 2016
Second rare case for chances in Vegas
F
or the second straight year, I performed at the Non-Commissioned Officers Association’s annual conference in Las Vegas with my pals The GI’s of Comedy. Our shows usually go pretty well, but last year was a stinker for me. I got really drunk before the show. If Forest Gump had something like 14 Dr. Peppers at the White House, then I must’ve had something like 14 beers before that show, and the first seven were high gravity beers. That was a lousy decision on my part. I was going through a difficult stretch last year and often chose to drown my sorrows in beer, but then I’d go three weeks without one. I didn’t drink all the time, but when I did, I made up for lost time. I wasn’t and I’m not an alcoholic, but one doesn’t have to be an alcoholic to have a problem. I’m not a gambler, but after the show, I gambled by going to have a beer with the guys. It was my first beer since Feb. 8, although I did have one glass of wine after dinner a couple of weeks ago. That one beer could’ve turned into one more followed by one more followed by one too many. If that had
JODY FULLER Guest Columnist
happened, would anyone back home have ever known? After all, what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. The great thing is that I did stop at one and had no desire for another. There was no pressure to drink that beer, and there was no pressure to drink another, not from me or anyone else. Along the journey of keeping my alcohol intake in check and not drinking, I’ve always thrown in the disclaimer “not that I’ve quit.” I enjoy beer or a good glass of wine but honestly feel that it will never again become habit. I won’t let it. I feel too good. There will never be any type of routine. I know guys that only drink on weekends, which is great compared to the alternative, but it’s still a routine. For all I know, it’ll be three months before I have another or it may be next week. It may be never. I don’t know. Last year, when I was leaving Las Vegas, I was
feeling miserable. When I got to the airport, I tried to find somewhere to lie down but then had to go the restroom, because I was sick. My flight was to Portland for another gig. As soon as I landed, I got sick again. That’s just no way to live. I hadn’t seen my pals in a few months. In fact, I hadn’t seen one of them in three years. They all commented on how good I looked. They weren’t saying that last year. But, I do feel good. I’ve never felt this good in my life, and it’s 100 percent attributed to what I have and have not put into my body. We seldom get second chances at things, so we must make the best of those rare opportunities but have to make better decisions along the way. We can’t possibly expect to improve our situation if we continue to make the same lousy choices. By the way, the show this year went incredibly well. Jody Fuller is a comic, speaker, writer and soldier with three tours of duty in Iraq. He is also a lifetime stutterer. He can be reached at jody@jodyfuller.com. For more information, please visit www.jodyfuller.com.
Billy Ray Wall
James Spann
Tony Goss
Today’s
Quote
“Love is when the other person’s happiness is more important than your own.” – H. Jackson Brown, Jr.
Today’s
Scripture When people commend themselves, it doesn’t count for much. the important thing is for the Lord to commend them.” – 2 Corinthians 10:18
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Thursday Question: Have you looked into any of the candidates running in the local elections? 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.
Our
Mission
Summarizing news stories I didn’t get to write about
Know Your Charles Shaw is mayor of Alexander City. His phone number at city hall is 256-329-6730 and his home number is 256234-7395 His address at city hall is 4 Court Square; Alexander City, AL, 35010. His home address is 98 Heritage Drive Alexander City, AL, 35010.
Outlook
1
. The historical musical Hamilton continues to win awards, including eleven Tonys. In fact, Hamilton has collected more Tonys in the NY area than Snookie from “Jersey Shore.” The cast of Hamilton has also teamed up with Hillary to raise money for her campaign, which is ironic since the title character carried a gun to duel, started the N.Y. Stock Exchange, and set the country on the path of free-market capitalism. In fact, the only way liberals in New York can handle watching such inconvenient truths is knowing there is a bar in the lobby. 2. Hillary Clinton was fired for dishonesty from her role in the Watergate investigation, but she learned a lot about the importance of destroying evidence. During the Watergate investigation, Richard Nixon gave his iconic “I am not a crook” speech. (By Clinton standards he wasn’t.) Once again, Hillary “Houdini” Clinton has escaped consequences, somehow even getting the FBI agents investigating her email crimes to sign non-disclosure statements. This is unheard of. Hillary was so pleased that she asked her staff to schedule her for five minutes of gloating. 3. Bill Clinton said he was playing golf at age 70 in the 108-degree Arizona heat. It was so hot in Phoenix then, and with Bill Clinton in the area, a warning had to go out to locals about the risks to the elderly in the heat. His jet just happened to be near Attorney General Loretta Lynch’s at the Phoenix airport, so they chatted about grandchildren (they say, but probably they chatted about grand juries). Bill and Hillary just had their second grandchild, and they had a focus group name it. They wanted to name it “Loretta
RON HART Columnist
Lynch-Comey.” 4. GOP and business leaders are starting to warm up to Donald Trump. Brilliant businessman Bernie Marcus and his Home Depot co-founder, Ken Langone, were two of the first to endorse Trump. But to be fair, their company colors are orange and white, so it seemed like a natural. 5. The GOP convention began in Cleveland, where LeBron James recently made history – by returning to Cleveland. He’s the first person ever to do so willingly and not under extradition. The left maligned Melania Trump’s speech and found trite the lines all our parents told us, like “Work hard for what you want in life.” The media said she plagiarized it. Yet in her 2012 convention speech, Michelle Obama stole the Vince Lombardi line without attribution when she said, “Being president doesn’t change who you are, it reveals who you are,” with nary a peep from the media. She could have said “Fourscore and seven years ago,” and the media would have applauded her. 6. Hillary, whose main campaign theme is that she is a woman, has been struggling to rewrite the history surrounding her defense of Bill’s womanizing. She has also lashed out against countries where she and Bill collected fat fees giving speeches. But then she singled out Qatar, Kuwait and the Saudi empire for supporting terrorism and not helping enough to fight it. This can only mean one thing: those countries’ checks to the
Clinton Foundation must have bounced. 7. The water wars continue in drought-stricken California. Texas, which has plenty of rivers to provide desperately needed water to Southern California via a proposed pipeline, has found that idea blocked by liberal Democrat regulators in D.C. They say it is an environmental issue because the pipeline might adversely affect the migratory flow of young Democrats from Mexico. 8. Internet security remains a problem, but it really matters when it affects football. The NFL’s Twitter account was hacked. The attackers posted that NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell had died, but real followers of pro football knew this was a fraud. They knew if someone had actually killed the NFL commish, he would have to face the certain and immediate punishment of a two-game suspension. 9. With his one-sided defense, unsupported by facts, of blacks shot by police, Obama and fellow liberals have ushered in a hunting season against cops. After every shooting, Obama gives whatever the opposite of a pep talk is to police and then calls America racist. Black Lives Matter’s Ferguson shootingbased mantra, “Hands Up, Don’t Shoot” is a lie. It never happened. Even a black Harvard professor’s study concluded that there is no racial bias in police shootings. But race-obsessed politicians say, “The struggle continues.” Apparently, their struggle is to understand the facts. A libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, Ron’s a frequent guest on CNN. He can be contacted at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @ RonaldHart on Twitter.
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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Alexander City’s Jeremy Mason competes in the first round of the Lake Martin Voice competition last weekend at the World Famous Rodeo Club in Dadeville. The rocker with the wide vocal range advanced to the finals after the first two nights of competition and will be back on the stage with the other finalists this Friday and Saturday beginning at 8 p.m.
July 22
FLAG RETIREMENT: The Clay County VFW Post 9581 is holding a flag retirement ceremony July 22 at 4 p.m. at the Bibb Graves School. FIRST RESPONDER APPRECIATION: East Dale Realty, Attorney A.G. Wilson and Sonny’s Hot Dogs are inviting first responders, firefighters and law enforcement to have lunch Friday, July 22 at the parking lot surrounding the Alexander City Police Department from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The meal is to show appreciation to the dedicated public servants and the public is invited to come purchase a meal and support the first-responders.
July 22-23
RODEO: The Boys and Girls Club of the Lake Martin Area is hosting its 10th annual Lake Martin Area Rodeo July 22 and 23. Gates open at 5 p.m. with the show at 7 p.m. at the Charles E. Bailey Sportplex. The PCA-sanctioned rodeo is run by Brett Woody, Bar W Rodeo Company.
July 23
BINGO NIGHT: Bibb Graves School is hosting bingo night July 23 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. GOSPEL SINGING: The Taylor Family Gospel Singers is celebrating 23 years of gospel singing at Centerview Missionary Baptist Church in Camp Hill Saturday, July 23 at 5:30 p.m. BACK TO SCHOOL JAMBOREE: Free school supply starter packs will be given to area children July 23 at 10 a.m. at DARE Power Park. You must attend to receive your packs - Only 1 pack per child. This event is hosted by Adams Chapter OES #685 and Community Sponsors. Everyone is invited! SUMMER CONCERT: The First Presbyterian Church Choir will present their Annual Summer Concert Saturday, July 23 at 5 p.m. in the sanctuary. This year’s program will feature a wide variety of music ranging from Handel to Frankie Valli.
Guest soloist will be Mr. Brink Norton from Charleston, SC (formerly from Alexander City). The church is located at 371 Jefferson Street. Admission is free. FOOTBALL CAMP: The 2016 Bridge Builders Youth Football Camp will be July 23 at the Sportplex. Former University of Alabama player Brad Ford and current University of Alabama linebacker Reuben Foster will be helping with the camp. The camp is for children ages 6-12 and cost $10. Lunch will be served and registration starts at 7:30 a.m. and the camp finishes up at 1 p.m. For mor information contact Hudson R. Hinton at 256-329-8782 or 256-750-1140.
July 24
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Wayside Baptist Church is hosting Vacation Bible School Submerged June 26, July 3, July 10, July 17 and July 24 from 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. Dinner will be served. CHURCH ANNIVERSARY: Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church in Goodwater is celebrating its 127th Anniversary Sunday, July 24 at 3 p.m. The guest speaker will be Rev. Dr. Emerson Ware Jr. The pastor is Melvin Irvin. BIBLE SCHOOL: New Salam Baptist Church in New Site will be hosting VBS starting on Sunday July 24 at 2 p.m. Join us as we “Submerge” ourselves in God’s word and teachings. We will hold VBS on July 24, July 31, Aug. 7 and Aug.14 starting at 2 p.m. until 5 p.m. Meals will be served every Sunday for the children. VBS is for ages 3 years to sixth grade. Mark your calendar and make plans to join us!
July 24- August 14
VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: New Salam Baptist Church in New Site is hosting Submerge Vacation Bible School July 24 and 31 and August 7 and 14 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. Meals will be served every Sunday for children. Vacation Bible School is for ages 3 years to 6th grade.
July 25
MINISTERIAL ASSOCIATION: The next meeting of the Alexander City Are Ministerial Association will be Monday, July 25 at 6:30 p.m. at Family Worship Center. The church is located at 1676 Sewell Street. There will be time for sharing, listening, learning, encouraging, strengthening, enjoying and praying. All Christian ministers are invited. For more information contact Bill Middlebrooks, secretary at 256-234-3371.
July 26-28
CHURCH REVIVAL: Mt. Olive Missionary Baptist Church in Waverly is hosting revival services July 26-28 at 7 p.m. nightly. Rev. Melvin Kelley is pastor. Guest speakers ill be Rev. Jimmy thomas, Rev. Henry Cooper and Rev. Clyde Fielder.
July 27
HEALTH FAIR: Weatherman James Spann will be at the Bibb Graves School July 27 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. for a health fair. BIBLE SCHOOL: A Communitywide Bible School will be held from 2-4 p.m. at the Cooper Community Center. The event is open to all in the community and Rev. Carl Kelly will be the featured speaker.
July 29
GOLF FUNDRAISER: The BRHS Boys and Girls Golf teams are hosting a golf tournament at Lakewinds Golf Course July 29 starting at noon. It is a four person scramble, each player gets three mulligans, a throw and a power drive. It costs $400 a team
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July 29 - July 31
BEREAVEMENT CAMP: Camp I Believe will be at Children’s Harbor July 29 - 31. It is a bereavement camp for children ages 7 - 14 that have lost a loved on. It is an overnight camp and is free for qualifying applicants. Contact Julia Bassett at Julia. Bassett@gentiva.com.
256.234.3481 KarenChannell.com
CATHY HIGGINS SPORTS EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X228
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Page 8
Thursday, July 21, 2016
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JOE MCADORY Sports Columnist
Alabama will likely dominate football season
SAFETY FIRST
H
ow many games do you think Auburn will win this season? Some hopefuls believe nine or 10. Some pessimists believe five or six. Against this brutal schedule, the Tigers will be hard-pressed to challenge for the SEC West title. However, this team has a great chance to be better than last year’s 7-6 bunch, but I don’t know if the win total will reflect that. Below are my game-by-game chances of Tiger victories for 2016. I’ll follow up next week with Alabama’s odds. Sept. 3 Clemson: The nation’s most heralded dual-threat quarterback, Deshaun Watson, invades JordanHare, fresh off of an amazing national runner-up finish in 2015. Clemson is a sexy pick to win it all, but the Tigers lost a lot of talent on defense. Auburn’s chance to win: 35 percent. Sept. 10 Arkansas State: Don’t sleep on the Red Wolves. This team returns 14 starters from a group that went 9-4 last season and TCU transfer and former Auburn High standout Cameron Echols-Luper. Plus, this game is sandwiched between Clemson and Texas A&M. Auburn’s chance to win: 80 percent. Sept. 17 Texas A&M: The Aggies have never lost at Jordan-Hare Stadium (2-0) and bring arguably the SEC’s best receiving corps into town. Auburn’s chance to win: 60 percent. Sept. 24 LSU: Many believe LSU will knock off Alabama this season and win the West. You can’t argue about the number of athletes these Tigers have. And then there’s Leonard Fournette. Auburn’s chance to win: 35 percent. Oct. 1 Louisiana-Monroe: Finally a breather. After that September schedule, Auburn deserves it. Auburn’s chance to win: 95 percent. Oct. 8 at Mississippi State: How is life without Dak Prescott? We’re about to find out. This Bulldog team should take a step back, but Scott Field isn’t always the friendliest venue for the Tigers. Auburn’s chance to win: 50 percent. Oct. 22 Arkansas: The Razorbacks are often a thorn in Auburn’s side, winning five of the last nine meetings at Jordan-Hare. Auburn’s chance to win: 60 percent. Oct. 29 at Ole Miss: The Rebels lost a handful of talent to the NFL, yet many believe they will contend in the SEC West. A rough early schedule could knock Ole Miss out of contention by October. Still, quarterback Chad Kelly is the best in the league. Auburn’s chance to win: 40 percent. Nov. 5 Vanderbilt: The last two times Auburn met Vandy (2008 and 2012), it had losing seasons. Not a good omen. But those games were in Nashville. This isn’t. Auburn’s chance to win: 75 percent. Nov. 12 at Georgia: The Bulldogs are a mystery team. What about Nick Chubb? Will freshman QB Jacob Eason be the savior in his first season? Plenty of talent here, but they might be a year away from moving to the next level. Georgia has owned Auburn for the last decade. Auburn’s chance to win: 30 percent. Nov. 19 Alabama A&M: You’ve got to fill the schedule with somebody. Why not an in-state school not named Jacksonville State? Auburn’s chance to win: 95 percent. Nov. 26 at Alabama: This figures to be the Tigers’ toughest test on the schedule, mostly because it’s in Twwuscaloosa and Clemson/LSU are at home. But … defending national champs, stonewall defense, winning mojo, etc. … Auburn’s chance to win: 20 percent. There you have it, a projected six wins, five losses and a toss-up. But teams often win or lose games they weren’t expected to. We’ll find out for sure in just a few weeks. Joe McAdory is communications editor at the Auburn University Raymond J. Harbert College of Business and is the former Sports Editor at the Opelika-Auburn News.
File / The Outlook
Benjamin Russell High School pitcher Sean Rape struck out nine in a no hitter against Marbury in March. This season, the team’s pitchers will be limited to 120 pitches per game.
Rule changes to impact high school baseball season By CATHY HIGGINS Sports Editor
When baseball season ramps up next spring, a new pitch-count rule by the Alabama High School Athletic Association will go into effect. The rule restricts the number of pitches thrown during a varsity game to 120 pitches in order to give the pitcher a required rest period between times on the mound. This amends the previous rule, which counted innings instead of number of pitches when considering rest periods. “They’re changing it for the health of the kids,” said Reeltown High School baseball coach Mike Jones. “We’re having way too many pitchers getting injuries.” However, that’s not the case for the Rebels. “We haven’t had a whole lot of injuries on our team in the last couple of years,” Jones said. That’s because the coach already began taking precautions to keep his pitchers safe.
“When they start getting out on the field, I won’t let them pitch more than 65 pitches,” Jones said. As the pitchers gain experience, the coach still makes sure they stay within about 100 pitches at a time. And he’s not alone in this concept. “Most coaches I know keep pitch counts,” Jones said. He explained that this method of coaching pitchers is much different than when he was in school. “We didn’t know about pitch counts and guarding against injuries,” Jones said. But protecting pitchers’ arms is not the only safety measure that’s being adjusted in the coming school year. The AHSAA Central Board of Control is implementing the National Federation of State High School Associations recent rule change that affects sliding into home plate. According to the rule’s revision, “At home plate, it is permissible for the slider’s momentum to carry him through the plate in the baseline extended.”
MEET THE COACH
“They’re fine tuning the rule,” Jones said. The revision stems from the fact that home plate’s physical design makes it hard for a runner to stop when sliding into it, which is not the case for the other three bases. For Jones, this is a welcome change. “I’ve seen kids sliding head first and break fingers,” he said. However, Jones foresees the elimination of sliding altogether. “That part of the game is starting to go out,” he said. The Rebels coach pointed out that sliding endangers the catcher, as well as the runner. “If your catcher is one of your better players, you want to protect him,” Jones said. These are among several rule changes for the upcoming baseball season. According to Jones, they all have a single focus. “It’s all about the safety of the kids,” he said. “It’s also for the safety of the coaches.”
Glow in the Dark Golf Tournament full By CATHY HIGGINS Sports Editor
The final installment of “Meet the Coach,” part of the Summer Reading program at Mamie’s Place Children’s Library, featured Alexander City Middle School golf coach Bo Parks. Wednesday morning Parks read picture books focusing on the game of golf and sportsmanship, pictured above. He also helped attendees navigate their way through a miniature game of golf. At right, Parks helps Bella Westbrook make a putt through a makeshift course.
Cathy Higgins / The Outlook
If you haven’t already registered for the Sun Festival Hittin’ the Links Glow in the Dark Golf Tournament, the opportunity has passed. According to tourney organizer Jacob Meacham with the Alexander City Chamber of Commerce, all available spots have been filled. “We had accommodations for 11 teams in the fourman scramble, and it filled up pretty quickly,” he said Part of the nearly 60 Sun Festival events, the tournament tees off at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, July 26, at Lake Winds Golf Course. “We’re playing the first nine holes while it’s still light outside,” Meacham said. Then participants will take a break for dinner. “The golf course guys will be grilling hamburgers and hot dogs,” Meacham said. Then while attendees eat, the golf course will be set up for the glow-in-the dark portion of the event. “Everybody will have a glow-in-the-dark ball,” Meacham said, “and the flags at the holes will be illuminated.” Once the course is set and the sky is dark enough, participants will once again take to the fairway for the final nine holes — glow-in-the-dark style. “People get out their with flashlights in hand and wear headlamps so they can see where they’re going,” Meacham said. “I’m sure there will be plenty of people shouting, ‘Fore!’” This is the second year a golf event at Lake Winds has been part of Sun Festival but the first enabling participants to play after the sun goes down. “Because most people are working during the day and it is on a Tuesday, this is something people can take part in after work,” Meacham said. If the capacity registration is any indication, the event is already a success even before the first tee off. “It has been well received,” Meacham said.