INSIDE
INSIDE
SPORTS, B1
Lake Martin Living inside for subscribers
Alabama’s biggest weekly high school football edition
Dadeville comes off a loss to face tough test at St. James
THE RECO CORD RD Serving the Dadeville & Lake Martin area since i 1897 8
WWW.THEDADEVILLERECORD.COM
VOL. 121, NO. 38
THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 2018
Sweet charged with witness bribery The witnesses testified the the outcome of a murder trial,” murder victim in the case was District Attorney Jeremy Duerr aggressive and was known to be said in a release. “She failed. Ms. A Tallapoosa County woman has been of bad character trying to justify Sweet didn’t get what she paid indicted by a Chambers County grand jury for but I intend to see that she will McDaniel’s stance of “justifiable for four counts of bribing a witness. homicide” according McDaniel’s pay for what she got.” Fiancée of convicted murderer Clate attorney Davis Whittelsey in closing The charges stem from McDaniel, Erica Sweet was arrested Friday McDaniel’s murder trial where arguments. in Tallapoosa County and transported to the it was revealed Sweet made $20 Prosecutors learned of the Sweet Chambers County Jail. payments to the witnesses who were payments to each of the four “The defendant is alleged to have paid being housed in the Chambers County Jail defense witnesses’ jail accounts the day witnesses in a brazen effort to interfere with prior to the start of McDaniel’s trial in June. along with McDaniel before his trial and By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Local man arrested for stealing iPads at nursing home
called Chambers County Sheriff Maj. Mike Parrish to the stand in McDaniel’s trial to tell of the misdeed. Parrish testified the four inmates who took the stand for the defense had money deposited to their jail accounts by Sweet. According to court records at press time, Sweet was still being held in the Chambers County Jail on $50,000 bond. If convicted of the four felony counts, Sweet faces up to 10 years in prison on each charge.
In harmony
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
The Alexander City Police Department has solved a case of electronics going missing from area nursing homes over the last few months. Cheldon Blake Deason, 37, of Dadeville was arrested for theft Monday. Police say he is responsible for taking at least 5 iPads and a laptop from the facilities where he worked. “After investigations by detectives, he was arrested,” deputy chief James Easterwood said. “He was identified as the thief.” Jim Henry, who represents a contractor operating in several nursing facilities, said no residents’ property was taken. “These were stolen from the company,” Henry said. “There was no theft from the residents.” Henry explained, “the electronics were used for internal measures.” Deason was charged with theft third degree which carries a punishment of up to one year in jail and up to a $6,000 fine. Deason was transported to the Tallapoosa County Jail where he posted bond and was released. Deason has no criminal history, according to court records.
Local pianist, organist still playing together in same church 50 years later By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
T
he 1960s saw musical phenomenons like The Rolling Stones, The Who, The Beach Boys and Led Zepplin start their storied careers. In 1968, Debbie Brewer and Vicky
County could get tourism director
Patterson living on opposite sides of a Tallapoosa County country church, started to play the piano and organ for the church. While the well-known phenomenons have come and gone or rotated members in and out to try and stay alive, Brewer and Patterson have been steady acts every Sunday at Eagle Creek Baptist Church for the last 50 years. See MUSICIANS • Page A8
Will Tallapoosa County soon have a tourism director? If the Tallapoosa County Commission approves fellow commissioner Steve Robinson’s vision in the ongoing budget process, it will happen. “I have wanted to do it for a while,” Robinson said. “It would be with our (commission) oversight and the commission would be part of the board as See TOURISM • Page A3
The Dadeville Kiwanis Club welcomed Dadeville Mayor Wayne Smith to its weekly meeting last Thursday afternoon. He talked about many of the things going on throughout Dadeville as the city continues to plan for progress. “What a pleasure it is to be here with all of you today,” Smith said. “My door is always open for you.”
93 71 High
Low
Donald Campbell / The Record
Dadeville Mayor Wayne Smith talks with the Dadeville Kiwanis Club last Thursday afternoon, sharing where things stood on many issues throughout town, and how the city is continuing to plan for further progress.
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
489.69 Reported on 09/19/18 @ 11 a.m.
THIS SPACE FOR RENT
256.234.4281
Dean Carl Stevens admitted to Judge Tom Young he was guilty of the shooting deaths of Robert W. Mitchell and Diana M. Sharpe. Rather than recount what he did on Oct. 15, 2015 in Goldville, Stevens’ attorneys Robin McIntyre and Charles Gillenwaters deferred to Stevens assistant district attorney Kevin Hall to paint the picture of what happened in the mobile home. “The evidence will show that upon arrival, law enforcement found two deceased individuals with gunshot wounds,” Hall explained. “The forensics would show the projectiles found were fired by a gun found on the scene and the gun is registered to Stevens.” Stevens told Young he was guilty while his hands were bound together in front at his waist while wearing shackles around his ankles surrounded by Tallapoosa County deputies providing security in court Wednesday morning. Family members of Mitchell and Sharpe were present for the plea and stood behind district attorney Jeremy Duerr and Hall wiping tears as Young, Stevens and Hall spoke. Stevens agreed to plead
Smith shares vision on progress with Kiwanians By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
Weather
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
See STEVENS • Page A3
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Today’s
Man sentenced to life in Goldville murder case
O Classes & Workshops Special Events O Exciting Travel O Activities focused on Health, Wellness & Socializing O
Join the Fun...Become a Member Today! _________ 256.329.2910 • Charles E. Bailey Sportplex • www.acpr.me
During Smith’s conversation with the Kiwanis Club, he mentioned how new light emitting diode (LED) streetlights have been installed around town, making nighttime drives a little brighter for motorists. He also said he was meeting with representatives from Alabama Power on Thursday evening to go over a strategic lighting plan the company put together to make sure the lights are going in right. See KIWANIS • Page A3