OPINION PAGE 4
LOCAL, PAGE 11 Meet the Elmore County Humane Society pet of the week
Information isn’t just for the press, it’s for the people.
Dolly.
SPORTS, PAGE 12
Reeltown sweeps rival Dadeville in doubleheader.
INSIDE
COMMUNITY EVENTS AND OBITS, PAGE 2.
The Tallassee Tribune DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER TALLASSEE AREA
TALLASSEE, AL 36078
50¢
March 16, 2016
TALLASSEETRIBUNE.COM
VOL. 117, NO. 11
Tallassee flag issue appears to be over Council declined to amend a city ordinance on flagpole heights By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
It appears that there is an understanding in the great Tallassee flag flap after the Tallassee City Council declined to amend a city ordinance on the height of Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune flagpoles Monday. An agenda item calling for a change to The Sons of the Confederate Veterans chose to fly their Section 419 of Zoning Ordinance #2007Camp Flag instead of the Confederate Battle Flag on an 431 was removed from consideration almost 30 foot flagpole
even after Mayor Bobby Payne said the item could be reviewed and held until the council’s March 28 meeting. The issue came to a head at a Feb.11 specially called meeting where the council had voted on a resolution stating that they, as a city, were not in favor of raising an almost 30-foot flagpole in the heart of downtown Tallassee. The resolution stated that it was the city’s belief
CARPDC offers grant options for new pool, walking bridge
January’s local jobless numbers remain solid
City looking into maximizing grant funds, steady updates on progress for each project
STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
Elmore County again had one of the state’s best unemployment rates in January, posting the second best numbers in the state with just 5.3 percent unemployment according to Alabama Department of Labor and the office of Gov. Robert Bentley. That rate is up slightly from December’s 4.9 percent in Elmore County and down from the 5.4 percent posted in December 2015. Tallapoosa County saw its seasonally adjusted unemployment rate come in at 6.2 percent, up slightly from December’s 5.7 percent, but considerably better than the 6.7 percent that was posted in January 2015. See UNEMPLOYMENT • Page 3
CONTACT US 334-283-6568 / FAX: 334-283-6569 Follow us on
or visit us at:
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Contributed / The Tribune
Jillian Clark, Madison Cunningham, Margaret Dean, Micheal Fuller, Charlice Hathorn, Hadden Langley, Jemila Spencer, Courtney Thornton, Tyler Thornton and Madeline Worley competed in the National Choir competition held in Nashville and placed 4th .
THS Divas 4th in national choir competition By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
The Tallassee High School Divas have completed another successful show choir season. The Divas competed in four competitions this year against a number of the top schools from nine states, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, South Carolina, Virginia, Illinois, and Indiana. The Divas received second runner-up at the South Central Classic in Birmingham, first runner-up in
the Women’s Division at the Music City Show Shoppe at Belmont University in Nashville, Tennessee, and were also selected for the finals in Nashville, a rare feat for women’s show choirs – so rare that this is a first for the Tallassee Choir. “When they called our name we were all in shock,” said Jessica Day, Tallassee High School’s choir and drama director. “There was the complementary applause from the crowd but we all just looked at each other in astonishment. We left our outfits
See CHOIR • Page 3
Council members and the public heard a presentation that could help with funding of some important projects through grants, following Monday’s meeting of the Tallassee City Council. Greg Clarke explained a couple of potential new grants options that could be very beneficial to the city of Tallassee as look for ways to fund a new pool and walking bridge. The first announced was the ARC or Appalachian Regional Commission. This grant is geared toward several classifications, including business development and entrepreneurship, education and training, health care, physical infrastructure and leadership development and civic capacity. “They suggested health, because a pool helps overall health and wellbeing,” Clarke said. “And, like we talked about before, other organizations could utilize this facility. It is a 50/50 you get 50 percent from the government and you have to pay for all the engineering up front. The 50 percent is only for construction, so when you look at the Appalachian Grant it could come out be 40/60 when you’re finished with it.” Clarke explained that CARPDC is “looking at all the funding sources and pull them together.” This could mean the new recreation center facilities could be completed in phases using this purposed grant funding, Clarke said. See GRANTS • Page 3
SMS walks away from MPA with superior ratings By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
The Southside Middle School band participated in the annual MPA (Music Performance Assessment), held this year at First Baptist Church in downtown Montgomery. The 8th grade band is the first-ever “third year” program at Southside, as they started their band experience in 6th grade. The 8th grade band earned a Superior (I) rating for their performance of “Newcastle March,” “Astro Overture,” and “The Curse of Tutankhamun.” This competition has been around for years. However, about five years ago the name was changed. See SMS • Page 7
www.TallasseeTribune.com
LINVILLE MEMORIAL
F U N E R A L
that the raising of the Confederate Battle Flag could potentially hurt business and economics in the city. However, since that council meeting, the Sons of Confederate Veterans have agreed to fly their camp flag, not the Confederate Battle Flag. “The purpose was never intended to block any person or organization See FLAG • Page 7
H O M E
Cremations and Monuments
84632 Tallassee Hwy. [ Eclectic, AL
334.639.4730 www.linvillememorial.com
Child Find program seeks to help students with disabilities By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Contributed / The Tribune
Tallassee’s Southside Middle School’s 8th grade band in their tuxes and dresses performing for the Music Performance Assessment held at First Baptist Church in Montgomery.
ka p m u t We
The Tallassee City School System is launching its annual campaign to assist young people under the age of 21 with disabilities or that need special services. The campaign urges parents, service providers and concerned citizens to contact Child Find, a program to locate, identify and evaluate children with disabilities or children who are believed to have disabilities. “Child Find is a statewide effort that is put together through the state departments of education and rehabilitation services to identify and evaluate children who have disabilities,” said Lynell Carr, coordinator for Child Find. See CHILD • Page 3
Flea Market & Antiques
25,000 Sq. Ft. • Air Conditioned
114 DEALERS
334-567-2666
5266 U.S. Hwy. 231, Wetumpka Winn Dixie Shopping Center • Behind KFC
FREE ESTIMATES!
Hedging, Fall Cleanup, Leaf Removal, All Yard & Lawn Maintenance
(334) 309-4422 • (334) 580-7879