Weekend The Outlook
Lighting h the h way for f Alexander l d City & Lake k Martin since 1892
July 7-8, 2018 Vol. 126, No. 134 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
SPECIAL INSIDE
New assessment test options?
Local superintendent weighs in on upcoming decision as state school board narrows list of options
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Following the 2016-2017 school year, the Alabama Department of Education made the decision to discontinue using the ACT Aspire test as a measuring stick of how the state’s schoolchildren were doing in the classroom. Recently,
the state board of education listened to presentations from three testing providers, giving the board options to choose from for a new assessment test to be given starting in the 2019-2020 school year. Since axing the Aspire, which did not correlate with the state’s education standards, schools across Alabama have
been using the Scantron battery of tests. Scantron was one of the three testing firms to present their proposals to the state board and task force created for the purpose of finding a new assessment test. The other two presenters at the meeting were Data Recognition Corporation, who works to provide certain forms of specialized testing for stu-
dents, and Measurement, Incorporated, a partner group with well-known testing firm Pearson, according to a recent article from al.com. “State Superintendent (Eric) Mackey presented all of us with information about this at the recent state superintendents’ meeting,” Alexander City See ASSESSMENT • Page 3
No cause yet in Outlook editor’s fatal accident
MORE THAN THE NEWS
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The investigation continues into the cause of the automobile accident that led to the death of Outlook editor Mitch Sneed. “We are waiting on toxicology reports,” Alexander City Deputy Chief of Police James Easterwood said. “We are also waiting for the data from the airbag module of the Honda Accord to come back.” Sneed was driving a Ford F-150 last Saturday when he was stopped at a traffic light on Highway 280 and Highway 63. His vehicle was struck from behind by a white Honda Accord. The rear bumper of Sneed’s truck was pushed under the crushed bed of the truck. The Accord sustained major damage to the front of the car and the driver sustained minor injures. Sneed was airlifted to UAB Hospital for treatment Saturday morning before succumbing to his injuries Sunday evening about 8:30 p.m. See ACCIDENT • Page 3
Sneed loved old cars, fishing and his family By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
O
n the front of the boat he was casting the same Zebco 88 rod and reel his father used on creeks, rivers and lakes of Georgia and North
Carolina. He took the time to figure out how to take it apart, clean it and put it back together. He would cast under a catalpa tree into drop off near Big Beach on Lake Martin. “Just last week, I saw catalpa worms falling in there,” he said reeling in the bait. “My dad used to love to fish under those trees. He would catch fish like crazy.” There was a grin. His eyes came to life as he set the hook. It was the same look he had when he See SNEED • Page 3
Sports were in Mitch Sneed’s blood
Local leaders share thoughts following Sneed’s passing
By LIZI ARBOGAST Sports Editor
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Fair. Honest. Professional. These words were repeated multiple times over the past few days as local officials weighed in and shared their comments on the experiences they had with Outlook editor Mitch Sneed. When Mitch Sneed came to The Alexander City Outlook in 2014, he brought with him a great deal of experience in working with local officials, examining city governments and investigating matters that needed See LEADERS • Page 10
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In Mitch Sneed’s multi-decade journalistic career, he often covered sports. He covered Friday night football games as an editor when he wasn’t even required to cover sports. He’s pictured above in Georgia Bulldogs attire and his camera — two things he loved.
Lake Martin
It’s clear Mitch Sneed was a great writer and a great journalist. You could cover the walls of the Georgia Bulldogs’ Sanford Stadium with the awards he’s won during his multi-decade career. But there’s one thing Mitch would always tell his budding sports writers. “One night we missed deadline, and I was a young kid then,” said Mike Szvetitz, who was the sports editor at Opelika-Auburn News while Mitch was managing editor. “I was about 25, and I was trying to do my thing. I went to him, and I said, ‘How do you get these young guys to go faster?’
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“He said simply, ‘No one is winning a Pulitzer on Friday night.’ I’ve got 85 people in my newsroom now (at Richmond Times-Dispatch), and we’re still not winning a Pulitzer on Friday night.” Mitch had sports in his blood. “As you move on in your career, you can’t get it out of your blood,” Szvetitz said. “It’s just like when newspaper ink gets in your veins, you can never get it out.” Mitch didn’t spend most of his career as a sports writer or sports editor, but he spent all of his life loving sports. A 1983 graduate of the University of Georgia, it’s hard to decide if Mitch’s Bulldog woof or his cousin, Rich Sneed, had See SPORTS • Page 10
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