OPINION: 20-YEAR-OLD ADVICE FOR CLASS OF 2016. PAGE 4.
FRIDAY
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STATE TOURNEY Lady Generals drop opener, come back to keep season alive.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 May 20, 2016 Vol. 124, No. 101 www.alexcityoutlook.com
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Shaw apologizes for his actions Mayor says he’s ready to put fight behind and get back to making good decisions for Alexander City
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mayor Charles Shaw took a step towards mending some fences after an April 25 physical altercation following a city council meeting by apologizing for his actions Monday night. Following Thursday night’s meeting, Shaw took time during the comments to address Councilman Tony Goss, the city and residents for his actions. Even though Goss was not present at the meeting due to health issues, Shaw said he plans to apologize personally to Goss as well. “Tony is not here, but I’m going to go ahead and say
it tonight anyway,” Shaw said. “I’m very passionate about Alexander City and the people of Alexander City. I’m also very passionate about my wife. “A few weeks ago I let my passion and my emotions get ahead of me and I made a mistake. I’d like to apologize to Mr. Goss and the city and I will do it again to Tony personally. I want to put this behind us and move forward and make good decisions for Alexander City in the future.” With that the council and the gallery gave the mayor a round of applause. Shaw and his wife Lavern were charged with thirddegree assault following the post-meeting fight. A bench trial before Randolph County Circuit Court
Judge Clay Tinney is set for June 29. During the business portion of the meetings, the council also appointed a new member to the Alexander City Board of Education and approved the annual $5,000 appropriation to help sponsor the annual Alexander City Celebrates Freedom fireworks show. The council voted 5-0 to appoint Denise Bates to the seat vacated by the departure from Steve Robinson on the school board. Bates has three children who all graduated from Alexander City Schools. Her son, Daniel, 25, is currently serving in the U.S. Army and her daughters, See COUNCIL • Page 3
Arrest made in Koons Corner armed robbery
Area high school graduations underway
By MITCH SNEED Editor
By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
It’s graduation season and the passages into adulthood began last night in the Alexander City area and continue through Friday, May 27. On Thursday night at Joe N. Belyeu Gymnasium, Central High School of Coosa County graduated its 76-member Class of 2016. The valedictorian for the Cougars’ class was Ashton Fielding. Co-salutatorians were Chandler Collins and Lydia McCollum. On Tuesday night at 7 p.m. at Battle Stadium in New Site, Horseshoe Bend High School will graduate its 2016 senior class. The class includes 61 graduates. Horseshoe Bend will announce its valedictorian and salutatorian this morning at 8:30 a.m. at a senior awards ceremony in the school’s Commons Area.
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
The Alexander City Police Department and the Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department hosted the 20th Annual Law Enforcement Memorial Service Thursday. It featured Alabama Secretary of State John H. Merrill as speaker and a roll of call of those officers who lost their lives in the line of duty in Tallapoosa County. Bottom right, Tallapoosa County Chief Deputy David McMichael plays taps.
HIGH REGARDS
Law enforcement memorial service honors fallen heroes
See GRADUATIONS • Page 3
Camp Hill Volunteer Fire Department receives grant By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Camp Hill Volunteer Fire Department will soon have some new turnout gear and a thermal camera thanks to a $19,048 grant from the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. “We have been begging for that camera for over 10 years now,” Camp Hill Volunteer Fire Chief David Berry said. “I have applied for grants and applied for grants and we are thankful.” The grant was announced recently by U.S. Congressman Mike Rogers. “Tallapoosa County’s first responders are our first line of defense,” Rogers said. “I congratulate the men and women of the Camp Hill Volunteer Fire Department for receiving this grant and hope it will ultimately help increase the safety for all local citizens.” Rogers said the grant should be awarded under the 2015 Assistance to Firefighters Grant See GRANT • Page 3
Alexander City Police Department arrested the man they believe tried to rob a local convenience store Saturday. With help from the U.S. Marshal Service and the Tallapoosa County Narcotics Task Force, ACPD arrested Keith Lawson Bernard Lawson, 45, of Alexander City Wednesday afternoon at 2:30 while he was sitting inside the Wind Creek Casino in Montgomery. Alexander City Police Department Lt. James Easterwood said that Lawson was the man who pulled a gun on a store clerk at Koons Corner at 1460 Hillabee Street Saturday around 3:30 p.m. “We had a pretty good idea of who it was when we saw the surveillance photos,” Easterwood said. “But the picture in the paper and on the Outlook social media page as well as posted through CrimeStoppers turned up some pretty good leads. See ARREST • Page 3
Jazz Fest 2016 art revealed
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
490.56 Reported on 5/19/16 @ 3 p.m.
By MIA OSBORN Staff Writer
The Alexander City Jazz Fest committee is pleased to announce the winner of the 2016 art contest is Michael O’Connell of Clearwater, Florida. O’Connell’s design features stylized jazz musicians performing against a background of city lights and a starry night sky. The art will be reproduced on posters and advertisements to be displayed around Lake Martin in the days leading up to Jazz Fest. It will also appear on the official 2016 Jazz Fest t-shirts. O’Connell hails from Johnson City, New York, but has lived in
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
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