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Police probe use of stolen credit card By MITCH SNEED Editor

An alert resident who noticed unusual activity at a gas station adjacent to Walmart may have helped police end illegal use of a stolen credit card Tuesday. Alexander City Police Department investigators are looking into a number of transactions on a stolen fleet fuel card that spanned several days at the Murphy USA station on Highway 280. According to reports, a resident called the police after repeatedly seeing a group of cars parked in

the Walmart parking lot and a woman who would go to a gas pump, talk to a motorist and swipe the card, then cars would flow into the pumps one after another. The witness said it had been occurring since the weekend. “We responded to the area and the cars scattered, but after a traffic stop on Spring Hill, they were able to locate a card that was stolen,” Alexander City Deputy Chief Jay Turner said. “As they looked into it, the woman who had the card was offering to buy gas for .50 cents on the dollar. So you may get $40 worth of gas in your tank if you gave her a $20 bill.”

Turner said they were able to determine that the card was stolen, but investigators are still working with the issuing company to determine charges in the case. “We’ve identified the people we believe to be involved and conducted some interviews and it’s an ongoing investigation,” Turner said. “Charges could result when they complete their work.” Fraudulent use of a credit card and possession of a stolen credit card is classified as a Class C felony in Alabama and a conviction is punishable by between one and 10 years in prison and fines and court costs to be determined by the court.

Preliminary hearing set for murder suspect

Daviston man injured when hand caught in fan By MITCH SNEED Editor

Daviston man was rushed by ambulance to the University of Alabama-Birmingham after losing a portion of his hand in an accident Wednesday morning. According to New Site Public Safety Director John McKelvey, first-responders received a call about a serious injury where a 60-year-old man had been injured when his hand became caught in a running exhaust fan at a chicken house near Daviston. “At the time of the accident, the weather prevented LifeFlight from flying, so the man was transported by an ambulance from the Alexander City Fire Department to Birmingham,” McKelvey said. “Philip Weddle from our department responded and was able to locate the part of the hand that had been severed and was able to help get that to medical personnel.” The man, whose name was withheld, is listed as being in serious, but stable condition at UAB.

MITCH SNEED Editor

Cliff Williams The Outlook

Judge Kim Taylor has granted a defense motion and set a preliminary hearing for Sept. 15 in the murder trial of the man accused of shooting his neighbor as he mowed his lawn on a riding lawn mower. Taylor set the preliminary hearing date for accused killer Franklin Price Jr. in an order issued on June 1 at the request of court- Price appointed defense attorney Mitchell Gavin. Price lived across Highway 63 from 49-year-old Clyde Wilson, who died after being shot once while cutting his grass on a riding lawnmower Wednesday, April 20, at about 9:30 a.m. Wilson died shortly after being shot on his property at 3823 Highway 63, just outside the Alexander City limits. Investigators said that Wilson suffered a single gunshot wound that passed through his arm and into his chest with no visible exit wound. He

Area children have been spelunking in the ‘caves’ of the halls in First United Methodist Church of Alexander City this week as they attend Cave Quest Vacation Bible School.

CAVE QUEST VBS First United Methodist learners gets scientific By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer

More than 200 children have been lost in the caves at First United Methodist Church of Alexander City. They have not been left alone to spelunk in the dark cave. K.T. Cavern and her friends are guiding the children along an adventure in Cave Quest Vacation Bible School. FUMC’s Family and Discipleship Minister Tammy Wendling said it could not be done alone. “We have a lot of folks here to put it together,” Wendling said. “It has been a huge team effort. But we always do Bible school See BIBLE • Page 3

See HEARING • Page 2

Lake Levels Auburn University research team to study area ticks 490.46 Lake Martin

By DEAN BONNER Special to The Outlook

The ticks in Alabama have reason to be nervous: Emily Merritt and a research team from Auburn University are beating the bushes to collect them to further tickborne disease research in the state, including collecting samples here in Tallapoosa County. They don’t actually beat the bushes. They lay a one-metersquare pad on the ground with a cooler filled with dry ice in the middle. Carbon dioxide emitted from the dry ice mimics the air exhaled by animals, drawing the ticks to sticky tape on the pad. The largest sample they’ve caught in a one-day period was 110 ticks, and they will likely catch many

more over the course of their project. They collect ticks carefully. Dr. Graeme Lockaby, the Associate Dean for Research, professor and lead researcher for the project, is a tick magnet. He collected more ticks on his person than in the trap on a recent outing. The team from Auburn University’s Forestry and Wildlife Sciences and Department of Entomology and Plant Pathology are conducting this research all across central and south Alabama every month for the next three years. So far, they’ve collected Lone Star ticks, black-legged (deer) ticks, American dog ticks, and Gulf Coast ticks. Ticks are active See TICKS • Page 3

Reported on 6/15/16 @ 8 p.m.

LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443

laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL

Today’s

Weather

93 73 High

Low

Emily Merritt / Special to The Outlook

Research technician Sam Morris sets a tick trap in a wooded area near Camp Hill. The collection is part of Auburn-based research to help with learn more about how ticks carry disease.

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Couple caught in the middle of impending family affair

Friday

98 71 Low

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Staff

Directory Mia Osborn Assistant Magazine Editor, Ext. 227 mia.osborn@alexcityoutlook.com Cathy Higgins Sports Editor, Ext. 228 cathy.higgins@alexcityoutlook.com

Telephone: (256) 234-4281 Fax: (256) 234-6550 Website: www.alexcityoutlook.com Management Steve Baker Publisher, Ext. 218 steve.baker@alexcityoutlook.com Mitch Sneed Editor, Ext. 213 mitch.sneed@alexcityoutlook.com David Kendrick Circulation Manager, Ext. 204 david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook.com Lee Champion Production Manager, Ext. 220 lee.champion@alexcityoutlook.com

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

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 Cliff Williams Staff Writer, Ext. 212 cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com David Granger Staff Writer, Ext. 210 david.granger@alexcityoutlook.com

Composing Audra Spears Graphic Artist, Ext. 219 audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com Darlene Johnson Graphic Artist, Ext. 203 darlene.johnson@alexcityoutlook.com Hallie Holloway Graphic Artist, 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.

How to Submit Obituaries

Thursday, June 16, 2016

The Outlook

DEAR ABBY: My fiance, “Rick,” and I have been together for years and recently got engaged. We are over the moon about it, and genuinely in love. However, this exciting time in our lives has been met with some difficulties. We recently learned Rick’s mother has been having an affair, which makes for a very uncomfortable situation. My future mother-in-law doesn’t know we know. Rick’s father came to us for help because he suspects she’s cheating. She engages with this man publicly by texting, calling, etc. when we spend time with her, so I avoid her because I don’t want any part of it. It’s hard to ignore because we live with Rick’s family. He believes we should say nothing. I spoke to our priest about it because I am so deeply disturbed by her behavior and was told to “pray for them.” I’m worried this will be a negative influence on my fiance and me, and that by remaining quiet we have become part of her lie.

DEAR ABBY Advice

What should I do? -- CLEAN CONSCIENCE IN THE EAST DEAR CLEAN CONSCIENCE: Listen to the advice you received from your priest. Pray for your almost inlaws, but do not involve yourself in their marital problems. If Rick’s father approaches you again for help, tell him that he needs to discuss his suspicions with his wife because that’s the only way his problems will be resolved. DEAR ABBY: I lost my favorite cat a year ago to kidney disease. I had noticed she wasn’t doing well, but when I told my parents, so we could take her to the veterinarian, they insisted she was fine. They said she didn’t need to see the vet because her ailments were just

age. They refused to have her examined until it was too late, and by then, the vet’s attempts to help her only weakened her. She died in my arms on the way home. I am devastated. She was my therapy animal and she helped me combat my anxiety disorders for over seven years. When she died, my family seemed to be suddenly struck with grief, even though they ignored her most of the time. This makes me angry because I feel their hesitation to take her to the vet and refusal to listen to me are what killed her. I’ve forgiven them for what happened, but I still feel upset and angry toward them whenever I see my cat’s picture by her urn on my memory shelf. Am I wrong for feeling this way? -- NOT FEELING PURRFECT DEAR NOT FEELING PURRFECT: Please accept my sympathy for the loss of your cat. What happened to her is regrettable, but holding a grudge won’t help. What might help would be for your parents to get you another therapy cat,

By COREY ARWOOD TPI Staff

An Eclectic town council member was arrested earlier today by the Elmore County Sheriff’s Office on what was said to be charges of criminal coercion. Eclectic police confirmed the arrest of Wanda Estes, who holds the council place 5 seat. ECSO served the warrant on behalf of the Eclectic Police Department, which went through the county circuit clerk’s office to grant the warrant. An assistant in the circuit clerk’s office said it was awaiting service charges from the ECSO, which should

arrive Thursday, before it could release any information on Estes’ charges. Eclectic Estes Police Chief Robert Head said an EPD officer signed off on Estes’ warrant. Head said he could not say much surrounding the detail involving the arrest, and the origins of the charges, however he said the investigating officer was Christopher Lindsay. Lindsay said he was only able to give limited details surrounding the incident, but said the

charges came from a call he had responded to last week, and which Estes at some point became involved in. Lindsay said the call was in reference to a verbal altercation at a residence on the 1100 block of Georgia Road, around June 10. He described it as a kind of “sticky situation” in which he said the victim became the victim twice. Lindsay emphasized that the warrant against Estes was signed on behalf of the victim. The account, according to Lindsay, was that Estes was not initially involved in the incident that he was responding to at the residence, the

Hearing

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.

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lead investigators to consider him a person of interest in the crime. On April 22, a search warrant for a wooded area adjoining Price’s residence turned up a .22 caliber rifle that was determined to be the weapon used in Wilson’s murder. Judge Taylor had earlier granted a motion for discovery in the case,

 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.  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.  Camp Hill Town Council meets the first and third Mondays of each month. Meetings are held in town hall at 6 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.

Education holds called meetings at least once a month.  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.

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meaning the prosecution was to produce and share all the evidence gathered by investigators and the state during their work following the death of Wilson. Price remains in the Tallapoosa County Jail with a total bond of $280,000, $250,000 of which is on the murder charge.

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verbal altercation, which he said had no connection to her criminal coercion charge. However, he said the victim in that incident was the same person who accused Estes of criminal coercion, and that Estes became involved as a result of the verbal altercation call. Estes, Lindsay said, went to the scene and got involved According Alabama Code 13A-6-25, criminal coercion is a Class A misdemeanor, which essentially deals with the act of threatening someone in a number of ways to either act in an unlawful manner or to not act in a lawful manner.

continued from page 1

was pronounced dead at Russell Medical Center. Price indicated that he saw a red truck stop in the roadway, heard a gunshot and then saw Wilson fall from the mower. Investigators cited inconsistent statements and physical evidence obtained during a search warrant of Price’s residence as factors that

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DEAR ABBY: My daughter recently had her first child (my first grandchild), and I am wondering if there’s any protocol regarding the first visit. Should I wait until my daughter invites me, or should I just tell her I want to come? I’m afraid it would be rude to just invite myself before she’s ready to show off her newborn. -- BABY STEPS IN VIRGINIA DEAR BABY STEPS: Give your daughter some time to rest and for her and her husband/ partner to establish a routine, and then ask when it would be convenient for you to come and if she’d like you to help out in any way. I’m sure that approach would be better received than an announcement.

Eclectic town council member arrested

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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Thursday, June 16, 2016

The Outlook

Bible

Cliff Williams / The Outlook

Volunteer Katie Dark, left, hands out crayons as young children get ready to color in one of the ‘caverns.’ Right, K.T. Cavern sings with the children in the Cathedral Cavern during a group activity.

Ticks

Page 3

www.alexcityoutlook.com

continued from page 1

like this.” The huge production did not happen overnight. “We did the children’s wing last week,” Wendling said. “Then we had about 90 people here Sunday afternoon to convert the fellowship hall. They put it all together. I showed them what I did last week in the kid’s wing.” Normally, FUMC has vacation Bible school across the street at the Arbor, but this year used the fellowship hall and children’s wing to that has been converted in an enormous cave system. “We have cave-like rooms with Bible lessons and science lessons with a mad scientist,” Wendling said. “The last room is the kid video room. The kids rotate about every 15 minutes. They also have an activity area and food.” And this does not include the huge cathedral cavern in the middle of it all. There, children sing along with K.T. Cavern and volunteers like who helps reinforce a godly message. If you hear children talking about this huge cave in Alexander City, do not worry. The children will be happy to share with you what they have done and learned this week Sunday at FUMC’s Arbor at 9 a.m.

continued from page 1

year-round in Alabama. The research will explore the incidence of Lyme disease, Rocky Mountain spotted fever, Southern TickAssociated Rash Illness, and Ehrlichiosis in Alabama’s ticks. While they will not be looking into this illness, the “red meat” allergy is an emerging threat that causes those infected to become allergic to red meat. This is caused by the lone star tick, a very common and aggressive tick species here in Tallapoosa County and Alabama. Ticks like tall grasses; shrubs; low-lying branches; leaf litter; rotten logs; wooded areas and tree lines; moist, humid areas; and, stone walls and woodpiles where small mammals live. Do your best to avoid these areas. Ticks can attach to any animal (humans and pets included!), but deer, rodents, and birds play a significant role in their spread. Ticks do have natural enemies. Opossums eat a lot of ticks. Snakes eat the small mammals that ticks attach to, and chickens and guinea fowl eat ticks in yards. However, ticks are everywhere and personal protection measures year round are very important. How can you counter ticks? Wear light-colored long pants and long-sleeved shirts. Tuck your shirt in, and tuck your pants into your socks or boots. Use a DEET repellent that’s 20 percent or greater and treat gear with 0.5 percent Permethrin spray, available at outdoor stores. Treat your pets with products recommended by your veterinarian so pets don’t bring ticks into your house. Check yourself, others, and pets over the entire body after being in areas likely for exposure. Use a mirror. Check your shoes and clothing. Remove ticks from your body with tweezers, grasp-

ing close to its head. Pull slowly and straight out. Don’t use matches, fingers, or apply any substances to the tick—just pull it off. Wash and disinfect the bite. Ticks can climb back up a sink drain, so flush them down the toilet. If you’ve been bitten and suspect a tick-borne illness, see your doctor IMMEDIATELY. Most tick-borne illnesses are treated with antibiotics if properly diagnosed early. If treatment is not immediate, infection can spread to organs and joints and become very difficult to treat. In these cases, lifelong illness or death can occur. General symptoms include rash, fever, chills, stiff neck, headache, nausea, fatigue, mental fogginess, swollen lymph nodes, muscle ache, and joint pain. Symptoms can appear days or weeks after a bite. Lyme disease sometimes presents as an expanding red rash on the skin that may look like a “bull’s-eye.” Rocky Mountain spotted fever usually presents an expanding, spotted rash often beginning around the wrists and ankles. The rashes don’t always appear at the bite location, and diseases don’t always present a rash. Auburn’s research effort is one of few in the South, particularly in Alabama. Other studies focus on the West Coast and Northeast. Their results will be published in academic journals in a couple of years. They are currently spreading the word through outreach programs and on their website: cws.auburn.edu/TickResearch. You can reach them at TickResearch@auburn.edu. This being an election year, chances are your mental health is already compromised by Politics (from the Greek Poly (many) Ticks (blood-sucking parasites). Don’t let inattention lead to a lifetime of physical health problems.

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MITCH SNEED EDITOR (256) 234-4281 X213

editor@alexcityoutlook.com

EDITORIAL BOARD Steve Baker Mitch Sneed

Outlook Higher education scam: The Clintons trump Trump The

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Page 4

Get

Involved

Hats off to law enforcement for working together

n Tallapoosa County, residents are blessed to be protected by some of the most dedicated law enforcement officers that can be found anywhere. Time and time again we have found that they go above and beyond to make sure that residents are as safe as possible and leave no stone unturned to try to bring those who do bad things to justice. In the newspaper business, being tuned to a police scanner and responding to incidents where law enforcement is involved is a way of life. It is rare when a day passes when you don’t hear examples of how one agency responds to help another as incidents spill from one jurisdiction to another. You have a hit and run accident in Dadeville and they make a call and the vehicle is located in New Site. Alexander City Police respond to a call and help Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department track down a suspect who has fled after a traffic stop and weaved in and out several police jurisdictions. Get the picture? The legislature, in an attempt to stop small agencies from going far beyond their town or city limits to set up speed traps on main roads, passed a new law that asks larger municipalities to approve the size of their police jurisdictions. It also limits the areas that smaller municipalities can patrol. In theory, that’s a good idea, but the law shouldn’t be used in a manner that would keep law enforcement officers from helping each other and doing the very things that we see almost every day here in Tallapoosa County. On Tuesday Alexander City had the chance to save thousands of dollars and roll back the area its police cover, but they opted not to do that. They will leave their jurisdiction at three miles from the city limit, just as it has been. It was a great decision. We applaud the council for taking that step and we applaud all the officers in every part of the county for showing that they put the people they protect above any lines drawn on a map.

Know Your

Officials

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.

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.

ecause it is largely government-funded, higher education has become an overpriced and failing proposition, full of left-leaning political cronies. And bloated colleges with tenured professors who seek to indoctrinate, rather than educate, diminish our country. H.L. Mencken said, “Government is a broker in pillage, and every election is like an advance auction on stolen goods.” It’s also the Clinton family business model. Higher education fraud is built on student loan debt. Since any 18-year-old who can fog a mirror can now get a Sallie Mae loan, our nation has more student loan debt than credit card debt ($1.2 trillion, with 7 million debtors in default). Parents’ basements are full of millennials with tons of debt, and employers in a weak job market are unwilling to hire knuckleheads. If the tenets of free market economics were applied to education, kids would not be tenants in their parents’ basements. When you graduate from many colleges, it just means your check cleared. If you get into an Ivy League school these days, it generally means your parents or affirmative action got you in. Trump saw something missing in this racket of a government-funded education system: he wasn’t getting a cut. He tried to get into the business, doing a better job at it than most universities for a lower price. The students, including the lead plaintiff in the politically motivated case against his Trump University, gave him positive reviews. Partisan prosecutors in NYC blast Trump University as a scam. But say what you will, a degree from Trump U. is worth more than a gender studies degree from Wellesley. What the media are not

Billy Ray Wall

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.

James Spann

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.

Tony Goss

RON HART Guest Columnist

telling you about is how the Clintons, smelling money, shook down the “higher education” system with the grift teamwork for which they are so well known. While Hillary tries to paint Trump as a greedy businessman, all Trump has to do is make Hillary out to be a Clinton. The Daily Caller (and a few other organizations still willing to practice journalism), offered a detailed report on how Bill Clinton was paid $16.5 million from a shell company that runs for-profit colleges. Hillary Clinton’s State Department funneled 55 million tax dollars to Laureate Education, Inc. founder’s non-profit in return. Aside from the obvious (Why is our State Department giving money to a college shell company “non-profit” that paid the Clintons millions ?), where’s the media on this? “Charities” fit liberals perfectly. It’s like being a Democrat: you act like you are doing for others, when in fact you are taking from others to do for yourself. One can only imagine why Bill Clinton was paid $16.5 million by Laureate’s colleges. Was it to develop an internship program? In 2015 Slick Willie abruptly resigned as “honorary chancellor” when the report came out. The con was up. The Clinton scam was for a for-profit college, Laureate Education’s Walden University. According to Forbes, Walden was the biggest beneficiary of student loan borrowing in 2014, at $756 million. All of this detailed in Peter Schweizer’s book “Clinton Cash.” The game is easy. Like

Freddie Mac and Fannie Mae’s government-backed loans, which caused the great recession and the housing meltdown, easy federal money fuels the disaster. You just get regulators (government cronies) to approve your school. The feds then feed loan money to any stoner whom the college can talk into enrolling. There is no accountability as to your outcome. You keep the money, and the student and government (i.e., taxpayers) take the loan risk. Laureate’s Walden schools have also been sued for dishonest practices. Trump’s “swing and a miss,” by a private sector businessman with his own money, had better intentions than the Clinton Crime Family. Walden funneled money to Bill Clinton via the nefarious WJC, LLC bank account so it would be hidden. Walden University seems like such a sham that its commencement speaker should be Bernie Madoff. Laureate has been “ensnared in controversy all over the globe,” says Eric Owens, education editor for The Daily Caller. The $16.5 million paid to Bill Clinton on the side was for him to legitimize the school and to get the State Department to fund it. He got his money’s worth; the company has been valued at $3.8 billion. In a Senate investigation of Laureate, the Miami Herald noted that “more than half of Laureate’s online Walden University revenue went to marketing and profit.” For most colleges, especially Laureate’s Walden University, the school mascot should be a virtual pigeon. Ron Hart, a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, is a frequent guest on CNN. He can be contacted at Ron@ RonaldHart.com or @ RonaldHart on Twitter.

It’s never too late to forgive

n 1997, I was student at Southern Union State Community College. I’d just completed my first stint in the Army a year earlier. I was working full time and using the G.I. Bill to get through school. I was moving right along at a snail’s pace—a snail with a bum leg, that is. I did the best I could and transferred to Auburn University at Montgomery (AUM) in 2000. I graduated the next year, but this story isn’t about any of that. It’s about a single chapter, pun intended, which took place at Southern Union. I took World Literature, which wasn’t exactly my cup of tea at the time. In fact, it’s not my cup of tea at this time, either. I don’t even like to see it as a category on “Jeopardy.” Give me sports, capitals, or potent potables for a thousand, Alex, but you can keep the world lit for yourself. We had to write a paper on a book of our own choosing. In October of 1997, I went to the Lewis Cooper Jr. Memorial Library in Opelika and selected Bram Stoker’s “Dracula” for one reason and one reason only; I’d seen the movie. When I was in training at Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio, I went to the movies just about every weekend. It was there where I saw “Dracula”, “A Few Good

JODY FULLER Guest Columnist

Men,” and “The Body Guard” starring Kevin Costner and Whitney Houston — twice. I’m not making that up. Don’t judge. I will always love you. I should have known better than to choose Dracula, because I actually fell asleep during the movie. That should have been a sign, because I only read a single chapter. There’s the pun. In fact, I’m quite certain I dropped the class. In May of 2016, I still had the book. I’m not sure why I never carried it back. It had become a running joke with one of my buddies. I can’t remember what brought it up, but another friend told me that Fine Forgiveness Day was coming up at the library. Naturally, I was intrigued, and on a Tuesday afternoon in May, I made the walk of shame into the library with book in hand. It was overdue just shy of 19 years, yet I still had the original check-out receipt. It was in the book. I never got that far, so of course it was there. Fines stop accumulating at $5 per item, but if they didn’t,

my fine would have been $1733.75. Count Dracula added up quickly — One, two, three batty bat…ah, ah, ah. The ladies were tickled that I still had the book and the receipt. It was old and not in the best condition, so after a few clicks on the keyboard, the director asked if I wanted to keep the book. In all likelihood, I’ll never read the book. There are just way too many pages, in small print, no less, but of course I wanted to keep the book. It only makes the story more interesting. There’s a good lesson in life here, too. It’s never too late to forgive, and when you do, you’ll be rewarded, and it won’t be in the way of waived fees or free books, either. You’ll be rewarded with intangibles that are priceless yet have no monetary value whatsoever. Forgive today and forget tomorrow for nothing else will free your mind, body, and soul from needless anger. Now, what did I do with that “Dirty Dancing” VHS tape I checked out from Movie Gallery? 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.

Thursday, June 16, 2016

Today’s

Quote

“In the End, we will not remember the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” – Martin Luther King Jr.

Today’s

Scripture “Even when there was no reason for hope, Abraham kept hoping – believing that he would become the father of many nations. For God had said to him, “That’s how many descendants you will have.” – Romans 4:18

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Thursday, June 16, 2016

The Outlook

CommunityCalendar Season Speaks Express Blowout • Highlight Ombre • Gloss • Color Make-Up • Keratin Adult & Children Hair Cuts Bridal & Bachelorette Packages

Today is

June 16, 2016 Today’s Events

DAY OF ACTION: The Lake Martin United Way is hosting the 2016 Day of Action Thursday, June 16 from 8 a.m. to 12 p.m. You can participate at Alexander City Middle School, Jim Pearson Elementary School, Central of Coosa Elementary School and Reeltown High School. Download the volunteer registration

form at unitedwaylakemartin.org and return by June 13 to shardy@unitedwaylakemartin.org, fax to 256-3290110 or mail to United Way P.O. Box 876 Alexander City 35011. WINE TASTING: Emporium Wine will be hosting a wine tasting June 16 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.. Lana Jackson from Grassroots Wine will lead a tasting with Sancerre and Chablis from France, Italian Prosecco, Pinot Nior from New Zealand and a California Cabernet Sauvignon.

Page 7

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Today’s Anniversaries

Clarence and Leita Roberts and Justin and Sissy Lucas are celebrating their anniversary.

Today’s Birthdays

Betty Tapley, April Dudley, Kathleen Stansfield, Lauren Maria Wilson, Ecael Vazquez, Joshua Mixon, Colton Lee Powell, Kristina East, Dorothy Melton, Ashley Thornton, Shirley Gardner and Sharaven Hughley are celebrating their birthday.

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The June PATH Trash Walk is scheduled for Saturday, June 18. Volunteers will meet at Flint Hill Methodist Church at 8 a.m. to receive supplies and assignments. Please join your neighbors as we take the PATH to a cleaner healthier Lake Martin Community. June 13 - 17

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VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: New Beginning Baptist Church is hosting Vacation Bible School June 13- June 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the church at 1076 Coley Creek Road. Meals will be served every night. Call 256-750-0068 for more information or if you need a ride. TRAINING CAMP: Michael Taylor is hosting a free training camp for all school age groups every Monday and Tuesday starting at 5:45 p.m. at the Dadeville Elementary School playground. He will have everything you need to get you in shape for your favorite activity or sport – cheerleading, band, baseball, basketball, football, soccer, softball or tennis. Contact Michael Taylor at 334-549-2337 for more details.

June 18

SUMMER BAZAAR: Summer Bazaar to support the two non-profits Lake Martin Laubach Literacy Council (LMLLC) and Volunteer Connections of Central Alabama, Inc. (VCCA) behind Karen Channell State Farm Building and inside the office of VCCA. LMLLC will be selling softly used hard back and soft back books VCCA will be selling plants ($1-$3), baked goods, chances to win a handcrafted wooden Adirondack chair, and flea market items. Individual vendors will also have items such as jams and jellies, baby items, hair bows, travel bags and other handmade items. We still have a few spaces left so if you are talented and would like to set up a table with your goods contact Rita at literacylakemartin@yahoo.com or Carley at carleyatvcca@gmail.com. Please contact either to make donations – books or plants. PATH TRASH WALK: The June PATH Trash Walk is scheduled for Saturday, June 18. Volunteers will meet at Flint Hill Methodist Church at 8 a.m. to receive supplies and assignments. Please join your neighbors as we take the PATH to a cleaner healthier Lake Martin Community. CANCER SURVIVORS’ PICNIC: East Alabama Medical Cancer Center is hosting a Cancer Survivors’ Picnic June 18 from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Bottling Plant Event Center in downtown Opelika. Each survivor will receive a free lunch catered by Chuck’s Bar-B-Que and t-shirt while supplies last. Due to space limitations, the number of participants is limited to 750 and each survivor may bring one guest. While the picnic is free, pre-registration is required for survivors to attend the event. Officials ask that you register by June 10. Volunteers are also needed to work the event. For more information or to register for the event contact 334-528-2682. TRADE DAY: The Bibb Graves School is hosting a trade day June 18 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. SPECIAL WORSHIP SERVICE: Victory Holiness Church in Dadeville is hosting a special worship service June 18 at 7 p.m. Pastor Billy Crawford is the guest speaker. QUAIL FOREVER EVENT: The Alabama Covey Rise Chapter of Quail Forever along with students from the Elmore County 4H program will be releasing quail onto the habitat project beside Wind Creek State Park on Saturday June 18 at 10:30 a.m. This is a significant event for the chapter and its goals of developing habitat suitable for the survival of the Bobwhite Quail in the Southeast.

June 21

MEETING: The Artist Association of Central Alabama will meet June 21 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the First Baptist Church.

June 21 - 23

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Great Bethel Missionary Baptist Church is hosting Vacation Bible School June 21 -23 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. Bring a family member or friend. The van will be running. Just call ahead of time at 256-234-5513 or Sister Walker at 256392-4360.

June 24

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: River Road Baptist Church at 148 Dean Road is hosting vacation Bible school June 24 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. for ages 3 to 11. A meal will be provided.

June 24-25

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Kellyton Chapel United Methodist Church is hosting vacation Bible school June 24 from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. and June 25 from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. Please join as we enjoy Joy in Jesus.

June 25

LAKE FEST: New Water Ministry is hosting Lake Fest June 25 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. with arts and crafts, food vendors and more. The event will be at New Water Ministry, 460 Camp Civitan Road, in Dadeville. PASTORAL ANNIVERSARY: Word of Truth Ministries is hosting 10th anniversary services for Pastor and Elect Lady John L. Cook Jr. Sunday, June 26, at 2:30 p.m. Guest speakers are Bishop and Elect Lady Larry Johnson of Temple of God Church. Please RSVP by June 15. WATERCOLOR WORKSHOP: The Artist Association of Central Alabama is hosting a watercolor workshop June 25 from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at Wine Emporium. The cost is $40 for members and $50 for non-members. The class is limited to 12 prepaid students. The workshop will cover dogwoods, pink and white. It is good for beginners or advanced watercolor artists and is led by Dottie Holdren. Supply list is given on payment of workshop. Call 256-3774918 with questions. FAMILY GAME NIGHT: The Bibb Graves School is hosting a family game night June 25 from 5 p.m. to 8 p.m. CHOIR ANNIVERSARY: Peace and Goodwill Missionary Baptist Church in Kellyton is having a combined choir anniversary June 25 at 5 p.m. MUSTER DRILL: Horseshoe Bend National Military Park is hosting a muster drill June 25 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Visitors will get a front row seat to what it was like for militia members during the Creek War of 1813-14 and the War of 1812. At 11 a.m. Michael Seibert from Southeaster Archeological Center will provide a presentation on the many techniques used to identify the location of Creek barricades used during the battle of Horseshoe Bend.

June 26

MANN FAMILY REUNION: All descendants of John Branch Mann will meet the fourth Sunday, June 26, for the 99th family reunion at Rocky Mountain Primitive Baptist Church. Festivities begin at 11 a.m. with a covered dish lunch to follow at noon. There will be more fellowship to follow in the afternoon. The church is located three miles southwest of Daviston on County Road 79. For more information contact Judy Burgess at 256-216-6108. FRIENDS AND FAMILY DAY: GAP Fellowship Church at 1600 Highway 22 West is celebrating Friends and Family Day June 26 at 2:30 p.m. with special guest Pastor Curtis Seals of Lily Hill

Missionary Baptist Church. PASTORAL ANNIVERSARY: Centerview Baptist Church in Camp Hill is celebrating the 10th pastoral anniversary of Pastor Gary and First Lady Petrena Hardy June 26 at 2 p.m. Pastor Shawn Jones Sr. of The New Thing Empowerment will be the guest minister.

June 29

OPEN HOUSE: Bodyworks Massage and Spa is hosting an open house June 29 from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. at 2828 Dadeville Road in Alexander City.

July 2-3

ARTI GRAS: Russell Lands is hosting Arti Gras at the Russell Lands Town Green July 2-3.

Call 256-234-4281 or stop by our ofÚce at 548 Cherokee Road, Alexander City, AL

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July 7

STRAND SESSION: The Lake Martin Young Professionals are hosting Rexton Lee for the next Strand Session at Strand Park, July 7 from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. GOSPEL SINGING: Oak Chapel Baptist Church in Goodwater is hosting a gospel singing July 9 at 6 p.m. with the McKameys.

How to add a calendar item: Participate in your

July 10 - July 13

VACATION BIBLE SCHOOL: Calvary Heights Baptist Church is hosting Vacation Bible school July 10 - 13 from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. There is a kickoff party and pre-registration July 9 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m.

July 14 - July 30

WETUMPKA DEPOT PLAYERS: Calendar Girls will be presented by the Wetumpka Depot Players July 14 - July 30. For ticket information call 334-8681140 or go to wetumpkadepot.com.

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July 16

SUMMER BOOK SALE: The Friends of the Dadeville Public Library will host a book sale in the library basement at 205 North West Street from 8 a.m. until 1 p.m. Saturday, July 16. The Friends will supply plastic bags for you to fill to the brim for $5 each or buy two bags and get the third one free! Books include fiction, non-fiction, classics, art, romance, cookbooks, decorating, self-help, religion, history and politics, beautiful coffee table books, and books to read to your children this summer. We also have several boxes of books recently donated for children and young readers. All proceeds go to improve the library. Call 256-8257820 for information.

July 17

CHURCH ANNIVERSARY: Hatchet Spring Baptist Church is celebrating its 109th anniversary Sunday July 17 at 2:30 p.m. Guest speaker will be Fredrick Jemison of Tallasahatchie Baptist Church in Childersburg.

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.

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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

sports@alexcityoutlook.com

Page 8

JOE MCADORY Sports Columnist

For Tigers, there’s no way to predict ‘the perfect storm’

Thursday, June 16, 2016

www.alexcityoutlook.com

ored on a Sunday evening, I stumbled across highlights of Auburn’s championship 2010 season on YouTube. The season proved to be Auburn’s perfect storm – seemingly all instant replays went the Tigers’ way, Alabama quit with a 24-point lead, a giant defensive tackle named Nick Fairley dominated the line of scrimmage, Clemson choked in overtime, Alabama’s Mark Ingram fumbled out of the end zone instead of scoring a touchdown, Michael Dyer hovered inches above the turf against Oregon, and the most talented quarterback to ever play on the Plains ate defenses for lunch. Championships are often the result of a series of fortunate events, skill and strategy. Then I thought about Auburn’s 2012 team. Two years after winning the crystal BCS trophy, everything that could go wrong for this football program did go wrong. I’ve seen a lot of college football over the years and this was one of the worst products I’ve ever witnessed. The stars were aligned for disaster – it was Auburn’s imperfect storm. So what happened? • I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again – Kiehl Frazier was the worst college quarterback I have ever seen. I don’t care how many stars this kid had coming out of high school, he was easily rattled and made poor decisions. The Tigers banked on Frazier to be a regular for the next three seasons. Instead, he was replaced by a true freshman in November. • Part of Frazier’s failure stemmed from his offensive line’s failure to provide protection. You’ve already got a rattled, young quarterback. Not giving Frazier time to make decisions -- but instead either run backward then get sacked, or throw it into coverage -- makes a bad quarterback worse. • Under new coordinator Scott Loeffler, I’d never seen a more confused offense in my life. It was a complete cluster. It was painful to witness, honestly. • Auburn’s defense has given up chunks of yardage and points since the offense made the switch to the spread in 2008. It’s easy to hide defensive blemishes when your offense is scoring points in bulk (see 2010 and 2013). But with Auburn’s offense stuck in first gear, or reverse, the Tigers couldn’t keep up on the scoreboard. • Schedules are rarely Auburn’s friend. The Tigers opened up in the Georgia Dome with Clemson and gave Dabo Swinney’s bunch a good contest in defeat. It was off to Starkville, Miss., in Week 2 where the bleak outlook for the remainder of the season became very apparent. Auburn was 0-2 before it ever played a game at Jordan-Hare Stadium. • This team gave up. After giving highly-ranked LSU a fight in a 12-10 loss, Auburn fell to 1-3. They laid it on the line against the Bayou Bengals but earned only a moral victory. By the time Texas A&M and Johnny Football came to town, the Tigers were 1-6. There were no championships to win. Not even a shot at the Birmingham Bowl. An unmotivated team laid down and fell 63-21 to the Aggies, 38-0 to Georgia and 49-0 at Alabama. Had Auburn upset LSU, things might have ended differently (sort of). It’s hard to say if Auburn is headed for another perfect, or imperfect storm, this fall. Some hope for double-digit wins. Some believe 6-6 or 7-5 is more realistic given the demanding schedule. Regardless, I can’t see 3-9 happening on the Plains again any time soon. Joe McAdory is the Communications Editor at the Auburn University Raymond J. Harbert College of Business and is the former Sports Editor at the Opelika-Auburn News.

BRHS baseball heads to team camp By CATHY HIGGINS Sports Editor

The Benjamin Russell High School Baseball team is heading to northeast Alabama next week. The team is making the trip to take part in Jacksonville State University’s Summer Team session in Jacksonville. The session camp will be held Monday through Thursday and is all-inclusive. “We’ll all be staying in the dorms and eating in the dining hall,” BRHS Baseball head coach Richy Brooks said. The coach said that while this is a repeat trip for the Wildcats, it will also be the first time junior varsity players will go.

“We’ll have 30-plus players in ninth through 12th grades and six coaches,” Brooks said. According to information provided by JSU, the camp enables high school teams and staff to work with the university’s coaching staff. The regimen consists of a professional-style workout, as well as instruction and drill sessions that cover all aspects of the game. The JSU program has produced pro athletes Todd Cunningham, who was drafted by the Atlanta Braves and Donovan Hand, who was drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers. Brooks said Wildcat athletes have found working with the JSU coaches to be a valuable experience. “Our seniors always have an exit inter-

view,” he said, “and one of the biggest things they said they enjoy is going to this Team Camp.” In previous years, BRHS was joined at Team Camp by such Alabama and Florida high schools as Austin, Beauregard, Chelsea, Chilton County, Colbert County, Comer, Deschler, East Limestone, Lamp, Pelham, Opelika, St. Clair County, Thompson, Thorsby, Jemison, Central Phenix City and Lake Highland Prep. Georgia high schools joining BRHS at the previous camp include Columbus Northside, Columbus Shaw, Coosa, Coffee County, Dutchtown, East Paulding, Harris County, Jordan, Luella Newton, Starrs Mill and Walton Academy.

MEET THE COACH

Cathy Higgins / The Outlook

On Wednesday morning, Benjamin Russell High School baseball head coach Richy Brooks was featured in the second installment of Mamie’s Place Children’s Library’s Summer Reading program, “On your mark, get set… Read!” The athletic-themed program showcases an area coach during story time at 10 a.m. each Wednesday. Brooks read two stories that focused on athletic effort and sportsmanship. With the help of his 14-year-old son Cade, Brooks also showed the young attendees equipment used in baseball and taught them about the fundamentals of the game. He also gave a new baseball to each attendee. Afterward, Brooks joined the kids outside and gave each participant a chance to swing a bat at a water balloon he pitched. Next week will feature Benjamin Russell High School Basketball coach Jeff Hines. Pictured at left is Brooks reading “Pete the Cat” to attendees. Top, Brooks and his son Cade display baseball equipment.

Sports camp drawing a crowd in Dadeville By CATHY HIGGINS Sports Editor

The first week of the free sports training camp in Dadeville drew more than 50 area youth to the Dadeville Elementary School playground earlier this week. Dadeville Youth Football League President Michael Taylor, who started and organized the training camp, is pleased with how it turned out so far. “It’s going great,” he said. With donations of equipment and the efforts of volunteers, the clinic provided opportunities for youth of all ages to improve their skills in a variety of athletic disciplines, including basketball, baseball and such universal fundamentals as agility training. Then on Tuesday, a new training opportunity was added. “We started tennis,” Taylor said. Volunteer tennis instructor Mary Belser said the U.S Tennis Association donated tennis equipment for the endeavor. In the approximately hour-long camp, participants moved among the disciplines at various intervals. “We’re switching them up in different areas,” Taylor said. Before dismissing the volunteers and attendees on Tuesday, Taylor expressed his appreciation to them for taking part in the venture. “Whether you’re male or female, 2 or 20, we can’t do anything without you,” he said, also encouraging them to bring more volunteers and participants next week. Volunteer Jeffry Benton expressed his appreciation to Taylor for developing the training camp. “Most places have a Boys and Girls Club for kids to go to in the summer,” he said. “We don’t have anything like that here in Dadeville. But this gives the kids something to do.” The training camp will be held at 5:45 p.m. each Monday and Tuesday throughout the summer. For more information, call Taylor at 334-549-2337.

Submitted / The Outlook

Above, more than 50 youth and volunteer instructors take a break Tuesday after a free sports training camp held at the Dadeville Elementary School playground. At left, Kenwann Heard, 9, dribbles a basketball as volunteer Eric Ford coaches him at the camp.