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The Tallassee Tribune DEDICATED TO THE GROWTH AND PROSPERITY OF THE GREATER TALLASSEE AREA
TALLASSEE, AL 36078
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April 26, 2017
American Deli coming to Tallassee
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said Andy Coker, building inspector for the City of Tallassee. “I emailed them Friday to see if they have any time frames in place, but I haven’t heard When it comes to eateries, Tallassee back from them, yet.” may soon have an additional option to According to Coker, plan approval choose from. for American Deli passed the Planning Last week Mayor Johnny Hammock Commission’s desk back in March. announced on social media that “They have done all of their prelim American Deli would soon be coming to stuff and there were several converTallassee. sations about when they might begin “It’s not finalized yet, but I don’t see work, “ he said. “They are proposing to anything that will stop it from opening,” By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
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put in by the Verizon store.” Representatives for American Deli have visited the prospective store site and plans have been implemented to accommodate the franchise business. “The pre-existing part of the building would be the kitchen,” he said. “They would build an addition to the store front and that would be the seating area.” This would create a larger seating area than what is currently available.
By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
See STORM • Page 3
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By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
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Jim Martin of Tallassee stands beside one of two brand-new Ford Transit vans his new company will use to transport elderly and disabled persons to doctors visits, grocery stores and more.
MEDI RIDES
New business will transport elderly, disabled But it hasn’t stopped the Tallassee man from living his dream. Martin has formed a business called Medi Jim Martin knows what it’s like to be dis- Rides, which will begin operation in May and abled. will be based in the Wetumpka Area Chamber Martin was born with a paralyzed right arm, of Commerce’s Innovation Center. a birth defect known as brachial plexus birth “What we do is we provide transportation palsy, or Erb’s palsy, caused by injury to the upper group of the arm’s main nerves. See RIDE • Page 7 By DAVID GRANGER Managing Editor
Time to get out your best denim and brightest bling for the Blue Jean Ball, hosted by the Tallassee Police Department and the Tallassee Community Development Corporation to fund needed equipment for the police department. “This is not just a ball,” said Laura Leigh Peter, with the Tallassee Community Development Board and organizer of the Blue Jean Ball. “This event is going to fund the citywide surveillance system.” The surveillance system will not only aid in investigations, it will also discourage future crime in the city. “If people know there are cameras up around town, but they don’t know where they are, it will deter some crimes,” said Police Chief Matthew Higgins. “It also gives us a way to go back and review videos to see what cars came and went during that timeframe.” See FUNDRAISER • Page 2
State House passes Child Care Safety Act HB277 By CARMEN RODGERS Staff Writer
Lawmakers in the Alabama House of Representatives passed the Child Care Safety Act, HB 277, on Thursday. Rep. Pebblin Warren, D-Tuskegee, brought this bill forth to enforce regulations on church operated daycares. Initially, the bill would have required all church-run daycares in the state to become licensed. However, conservative lobbyists and politicians labeled the bill as impeding on religious freedom. There are currently over 900 unregulated daycares in Alabama.
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LINVILLE MEMORIAL
F U N E R A L
See DELI • Page 2
Blue Jean Ball fundraiser to purchase surveillance system
Residents remember the impact of April 27 storm April 27, 2011 is a day few will forget. That day is sketched in the minds of those who lived through it. In total, 62 tornados touched down across the state. There were 240 causalities that day, six from Elmore County. While six years have passed since that day, the memories are still very vivid for one Elmore County family. Amber Tucker, from Kent, and her family took a direct hit form the F4 tornado that first touched down in Wetumpka. Tucker says that day began like any other day. “The morning of April 27th started off just like every other morning, nothing different,” Tucker said. “As the evening came about though the storm started
While nothing has been finalized, expectations are high that this new dining option will soon be available in Tallassee. “There is nothing that has happened that makes me think that it’s not going to happen,” Coker said. American Deli is a fast-food restaurant chain that serves a variety of savory dishes such as subs, gyros, Philly cheesesteaks and hot wings.
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Later, Warren presented a less restrictive version of the bill, which obligates only daycares that are entitled to state or federal subsidy to be licensed. This means 500 church-operated daycares would have to comply with new standards. While the remaining 400 daycares would not need to be licensed, they would be inspected on an annual basis. Additionally, all daycares in the state, whether licensed or not, will be subject to fire inspection, health inspections, insurance regulation and criminal background checks on employees. According to Warren, this bill, while not as stringent as needed, is a step in the right direction for See BILL • Page 2
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Then two-year-old Cooper Wallace was confined to a cast that covered three-fourths of his body for three months while he healed after an accident at an unlicensed church-operated daycare center in 2014. The Wallaces are now strong advocates for HB 277, which would place regulations on all church ran day centers in the state. Carmen Rodgers / The Tribune
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