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Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 April 4, 2019 Vol. 127, No. 67 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
Feds call state prisons unconstitutional Report cites rampant rape, violence, drugs, unsanitary conditions as feds threaten lawsuit STAFF REPORT TPI Staff
The U.S. Department of Justice on Wednesday issued a scathing report on conditions in Alabama’s men’s prisons, calling them unconstitutional and threatening a lawsuit within 49 days if
the state does not show it is correcting what it said is a systemic failure to protect inmates from violence and sexual abuse. Gov. Kay Ivey responded by saying the state is developing solutions to make the overcrowded penal system safer, pointing out she has proposed building
conducted phone interviews with 500 inmates and family members and got 400 letters from prisoners. Through those interviews and via subpoenas for state records, the DOJ report described rampant rape, stabbings, beatings, drug use, open See PRISONS • Page 5
three new prisons at a cost of $900 million and asked the legislature for $31 million to hire 500 new corrections officers. Between February 2017 and January 2018, the DOJ said it interviewed 55 Alabama Department of Corrections staff members and 270 inmates,
Oliver says House slowing Common Core repeal By GABRIELLE JANSEN Staff Writer
Kicking it off Lily Rose performing tonight at first Strand Sessions of year Jacob Meacham said this is the fourth annual series of concerts the Lake Martin Young Professionals have trand Sessions starts tonight with Nashville, hosted. “Essentially it’s just Tennessee, artist Lily Rose performing from something fun for people to do and enjoy downtown and free 6 to 9 p.m. at Strand Park. live music,” Meacham said. Alexander City Chamber “We try to bring in local artists of Commerce vice president See STRAND • Page 9 of business development By GABRIELLE JANSEN Staff Writer
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LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
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Heroes describe saving boy, man after plunging into Coosa River fish off the end of the boat ramp. Kassian and Taylor were Mason Kassian and thinking of walking back to Dustin Taylor couldn’t Creed Gym to lift weights believe what they were but suddenly heard sirens hearing and seeing in the piercing the air, signaling rapidly gathering dusk. the beginning of frenetic, They were sitting at a life-changing moments picnic table with a couple of fraught with peril in which girls and playing with some they would be engaged in dogs at Wetumpka’s Gold the workout of their lives in Star Park on the idyllic eve- the cold and stygian waters ning of March 21. Nearby, of the Coosa River. a man with a rod and reel Instead of a bench press, was filling his cooler with See HEROES • Page 5 By JIMMY WIGFIELD Managing Editor
Alex City
1649 Hwy. 22W | Alexander City, AL
Dustin Taylor, left, and Mason Kassian revisit the boat ramp at Gold Star Park in Wetumpka where they went into the Coosa River to save a man and a 2-year-old boy from drowning. The man and boy were in a car that slammed into the river after being pursued by Alabama Department of Corrections officers who said the adults in the sedan tried to smuggle drugs into Tutwiler Prison.
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Strand Sessions begins tonight with featured artist Lily Rose from 6 to 9 p.m. at Strand Park. The events feature live music and are held the first Thursday of the month April through August.
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All thoughts on repealing Common Core in Alabama have slowed down, according to state Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville). The Alabama Senate recently passed a bill to repeal Common Core but Oliver said the House of Representatives is revising the bill. It will be weeks before deciding on the changes since there wasn’t much debate on it beforehand. “I think right now it’s so new and there’s so much discovery going on, we’re all learning about something that typically would belong in the state Department of Education,” Oliver said. “So we’re having to learn (it) and I think it was a good idea to slow it down so we can all get brushed up on the issues that we need to understand very, very well. And you don’t want to do anything that you have to live with for an extended period of time that’s not right, so if we change this we’re going to do it right.” Oliver said he is following the lead of Education Policy chair Rep. Terri Collins (R-Decatur) on the bill. Oliver said Redstone Arsenal, the Business Council of Alabama and the United States Army all oppose repealing Common Core and have approached the House of Representatives about leaving it alone. Oliver said the House wants Alabama students to compete nationally so they need a set of testing standards for that purpose. See OLIVER • Page 3
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