SPORTS, PAGE B2
ALL-COUNTY FOOTBALL ANNOUNCED
LOCAL, PAGE A5
OBSERVER, PAGE B6
INSIDE:
THIS WEEK’S OBITUARIES, PAGE A2
$17K check donated to Eclectic
Local wrestler brings EPOCH MVMNT to Tallassee
The Tallassee Tribune Dedicated to the Growth and Prosperity of the Greater Tallassee area
Tallassee, AL 36078 TallasseeTribune.com
FILE PHOTO | THE TRIBUNE
VOL. 123, NO. 50
City to take ownership of Hotel Talisi By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Owner Wylie Troupe has donated Hotel Talisi to the City of Tallassee, which it hopes to re-purpose.
$1.00
December 15, 2021
The City of Tallassee will soon own the dilapidated Hotel Talisi. The Tallassee City leaders have sought a resolution to making the property safe for those walking and traveling in downtown Tallassee. The city condemned the property and instead of the city demolish-
ing the property and waiting years through a lien process to collect reimbursement funds, owner Wylie Troupe is going to donate the building and property to the city, according to Mayor John Hammock. “It works out better for the city because then, it’s not just another piece of property we can’t do nothing with,” Hammock said. “We will be able to turn it into a greenspace,
parking lot, pop up shops or whatever.” The city previously condemned the hotel after years of little to no improvements on the building damaged by fire. Troupe appealed the city’s decision to condemn the property to the state court system. A judge ruled the city could condemn and demolish the building. Troupe never filed an appeal to the Alabama
Civil Court of Appeals. The council said last month it wanted to go ahead and demolish the building sooner rather than later giving instructions to city attorney John Smith to contact Troupe’s attorney for a quick decision on how to proceed — donate the property to the city or a lien process. See HOTEL, Page A3
Brief EF-0 tornado confirmed Friday
Cliff Williams / THE TRIBUNE
By SIRI HEDREEN Multimedia Reporter A brief EF-0 tornado that touched down in Elmore County Friday afternoon is so far the only confirmed tornado to have occurred in Alabama during this past weekend’s outbreak. According to the National Weather Service, the tornado inflicted a path of damage less than a quarter mile and about 50 yards wide near the Old Bingham community, northeast of Montgomery and Southeast of Wetumpka, at 4:12 p.m. Friday, with a maximum estimated wind speed of 70 mph. The county was not under tornado watch at the time, with the greatest risk for severe storm in Alabama forecast for Saturday. Three homes suffered minor damage, including See TORNADO, Page A3
100 YEARS & I COUNTING
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Tallassee centenarian honored by Tallapoosa County Commission
SUBMITTED | THE TRIBUNE
See CENTENARIAN, Page A3
New bid higher for downtown Tallassee utility work By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
A brief EF-0 tornado that touched down in Elmore County Friday afternoon is so far the only confirmed tornado to have occurred in Alabama during this past weekend’s outbreak.
t’s not often someone celebrates a 100th birthday. The Tallapoosa County Commission helped mark the occasion for Tallassee resident Lueverne Simmons at a recent meeting. Commissioner George Carleton is connected to Simmons’ grand-
children through his wife. “We want to honor Ms. Simmons for turning 100 years old,” Carleton said. “It is something we are glad to do.” County administrator Blake Beck doesn’t see himself becoming a centenarian. “I’m a little more than half-
The Tallassee City Council will have a bid for utility improvements in downtown in front of it Tuesday. CDG Engineers and Associates Jeff Harrison and Mayor John Hammock opened bids for the second time for improvements to
the water, gas, sewer and storm drainage systems in downtown. This time Rast Construction Inc. of Birmingham submitted the only bid of $1,493,925. Harrison had estimated the project to cost between $1 million and $1.2 million. “What you are seeing here is material prices from the last time we bid have increased,” Harri-
son said. “Ductile iron prices have increased due to a 20 percent increase in steel prices since Oct. 1.” Rast Construction was a bidder on the project earlier this year but was not the lowest bidder. The lowest bidder backed out not long after the bid opening in the summer. The city was able to claim $6,700 from that contrac-
tor to rebid the project. Harrison said his firm would double check the math for the bid to make sure the unit prices of the bid add up to the total presented at Thursday’s bid opening. “At that point we will proceed putting together a recommenSee UTILITY, Page A3
Today’s
Weather
70 51 High
Low
CONTACT US 334-567-7811
THURS: HIGH 72 LOW 55
USPS 681-260
Recycle Your Stuff for Cash in the Classifieds Call or go online to browse, buy or sell!
The Outlook & Recordd Classifi l fieds d WWW.ALEXCITYOUTLOOK.COM • 256.277.4219