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See the latest reports from area law enforcement
Rebels capture third at state tourney
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VOL. 121, NO. 21
THURSDAY, MAY 24, 2018
Dadeville investigators probe armed robbery attempt By MITCH SNEED Editor
The Dadeville Police Department is investigating an attempted armed robbery early Monday morning where the swift action of a store clerk kept him safe and apparently frustrated the suspected thief. Dadeville Police Chief David Barber said investigators are still working to develop a person of interest in the robber which took place after 1 a.m.
Local man kills large timber rattler in area By MITCH SNEED Editor
A leisurely afternoon in the woods checking on game cameras took a frightening turn when a Dadeville man encountered a very large timber rattlesnake coiled up just a foot away from where he had been kneeling. Tommy Minor’s encounter with what was a massive snake relative to the breed See SNAKE • Page A3
Monday morning at a Highway 280 convenience store. “The clerk was behind the counter and a man who was pretty well covered up, came in a pulled a handgun on the store employee,” Barber said. “The clerk just turned and ran and locked himself in the office. We aren’t sure how long the suspect remained in the store, but the best we can tell from looking and what the clerk said, it doesn’t appear that anything was taken.” Barber said that an officer on patrol
stopped to check on the store and actually discovered the robbery before it was called in. “Our officer got there and locate the clerk who reported he had been robbed,” Barber said. “The only real description he could give us was that he was a black man of average size.” Investigators are working with store management to secure surveillance video in hopes of finding something that may identify the suspect, according to Barber.
“We’ve been able to see the video in the store, and he was covered up pretty well,” Barber said. “But we hope to be able to download it and look at it in greater detail. We will try to distribute it to the public in hopes that someone will recognize something about him that can help.” Barber said if anyone was in the area around that time and did see anything suspicious, they can call 256-825-6212 with information that they think can assist investigators.
Dadeville City Council hears from SOAR leader
STEPPING UP PATROL
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
County’s jobless rate drops in April By ALIAH JONES Staff Writer
Tallapoosa County’s unemployment rate declined from March to April and lower than the jobless rate in April 2016. Numbers released Friday by the office of Gov. Kay Ivey showed that Tallapoosa County had a jobless rate of 3.7 percent in April, down from the 4 percent jobless rate in March. The rate last April was See JOBLESS • Page A5
Cliff Williams / The Record
ALEA Marine Patrol officers give local media a tour of the new boats on Lake Martin Tuesday.
New Marine Patrol boats and officers to be seen on Lake Martin By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Not only will the Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Marine Patrol Division be sporting new boats on Lake Martin this summer, there will be more troopers patrolling the blue waters enjoyed by thousands.
“These boats are a lot better than the others,” new marine patrol trooper Brian Culligan said. “They can handle the big water far better than the old boats.” Culligan is also happy with some of the creature comforts of the new boats. “More air can move through the cabin,” he said. See PATROL • Page A5
Dadeville’s top students say class was a close-knit bunch
Dadeville Kiwanis honors senior Key Club members
By MITCH SNEED Editor
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Prior to last week’s senior awards ceremony at Dadeville High School, the Dadeville Kiwanis Club honored several of the senior members of the DHS Key Club during its weekly meeting last Thursday. “I want to thank all of you here at Kiwanis for all that you do,” Key Club Advisor Ben Thomas said. “Thank you for all of your support. It’s a wonderful thing you do here.” Thomas added that, for the first See KIWANIS • Page A8
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With a plethora of ideas on how to make local communities a better place, Andreas Love with the Tallassee-based organization Serving Others Accepting Responsibilities (SOAR) presented plans for what he would like to accomplish in Dadeville to the Dadeville City Council during Tuesday night’s council meeting. “I am utilizing my education to give back to the community and let people know there are resources out here to help them,” Love said. “We have three objectives at SOAR: provide more events, feed the needy and enhance community-police relations. This is on the brink of being something really good.” With many of the current events SOAR engages in centered around Tallassee, Love said he can see this expanding to hub cities around the state, working to improve lives and give the community a greater sense of responsibility and ownership. “Our motto is ‘One Love, One Life, One Lesson,’” Love said. “In this area, we want to work to try and enhance community-police relations.” Having spoken to Tallapoosa County Schools Superintendent Joe Windle and Tallapoosa County Sheriff Jimmy Abbett, Love envisions See COUNCIL • Page A8
Submitted / The Record
Dadeville High School Valedictorian Amaya Hatcher, left, and Salutatorian Garrett Mann pose for a photo in their graduation gowns.
For Dadeville High School Valedictorian Amaya Hatcher and Salutatorian Garrett Mann, they say the thing that they will remember most about their time as Tigers, is the closeness of their class. Hatcher, who finished her career with a 4.2 grade point average while taking Advanced Placement classes, will deliver the commencement address this evening. While she wasn’t ready to reveal exactly what she will
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say, the close-knit nature of the Class of 2018 will be a part of her remarks. “I will always remember my time here because I went through so much,” Hatcher said. “I am proof that if you are willing to work you can break through anything. It may be a struggle but you can do anything if you fight and lean on the people around you.” Hatcher, who will attend UAB in the fall, hopes to become a nurse. She said people see a girl with good grades and often think See STUDENTS • Page A3