OPINION: LET FACTS, NOT ENDORSEMENTS GUIDE YOUR VOTE
SPORTS, PAGE 8:
FRIDAY
THE
Shane Rary is named new f football coach at Coosa
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892
August 11, 2017 Vol. 125, No. 159 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢
DEATH INVESTIGATIONS REMAIN ACTIVE By MITCH SNEED Editor
Two local cases that state law enforcement officials were called in to investigate this week remain active with few additional details being made public at this time. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation are handling the case of the death of an inmate at the Alexander City Jail late Monday evening and the discovery of a Goodwater man’s body in Hatchett Creek
near Goodwater Tuesday. Alabama Law Enforcement Agency Public Information Officer Cpl. Jesse Thornton confirmed that the SBI is involved in both investigations. He said that because both remain active, not much can be released at this time. Alexander City Police Chief Jay Turner said a 33-year-old white male who had been arrested on Aug. 4 for domestic violence was pronounced dead Monday at 9:48 p.m. after being taken to Russell Medical.
While Turner declined to identify the man, it has been learned through multiple sources including a family member that the man was James Matthew Woodruff, 33, of Alexander City. In the investigation into the death of a Goodwater man, Thornton said investigators are awaiting results of an autopsy. “SBI and the Goodwater Police Department are conducting a death investigation,” Thornton said. “The body has been turned over to the Department
Called meeting for police department in Camp Hil
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Rogers hosts town hall with mixed crowd By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
Top: Jim Bice points to the next person to ask Congressman Mike Rogers a question. Above: Congressman Mike Rogers speaks with members of the media prior to a town hall meeting in Opelika Thursday.
Congressman Mike Rogers hosted a town hall meeting in Opelika that got testy at times as constituents questioned him on his stance on the economy, immigration and healthcare. Rogers reminded people in the audience on several occasions he patiently listened to their questions and should treat him the same during his response. “I didn’t interrupt you while you were asking your question,” Rogers said as he was challenged at times during responses. “Don’t interrupt me while I’m answering you.” Rogers told media before the meeting he did not expect the town hall to be an easy task. “In the summer of 2010, we saw demands for town halls by what became the Tea Party,” Rogers said. “Because they wanted to vent how unhappy they See ROGERS • Page 2
Boaters and fisherman noticed something on Lake Martin this past weekend – dead fish, mainly striped bass. If history, a biologist and a fisherman are correct, there is no reason for concern. The reason for the fish kill is higher water temperatures. Lake Martin fishing guide David Hare says this is normal occurrence for this time of year. “I see some every year,” Hare said. “It is almost always in August.” State Wildlife and Fisheries Biologist Nathan Hartline says the likely reason is rain. “We have had a lot of rain,” Hartline said. “It warms up the water.” Hartline says warm water is not good for striped bass. “Stripers have a fairly low thermal tolerance,” Hartline said. “At 76 degrees they start getting stressed.” The lower water temperature is See FISH • Page 7
Cliff Williams / The Outlook
A fish kill story appeared in a Sept. 1991 issue of The Outlook.
Boys and Girls Club offering concert ticket giveaway chances
Today’s
Weather
87 73 High
See INVESTIGATIONS • Page 2
Fish kill no reason to worry
By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer
There will be a special called meeting of the Camp Hill Town Council Friday at 9 a.m. On the agenda for the meeting called by Mayor Ezell Smith are issues related to the town’s police department and a resolution for a one-way street. The police department has been in the news in recent weeks for the demotion of Police Chief Johnny Potts to sergeant by Smith and the termination of Lt. Derrick Coley July 24. Smith also hired Danny Williams to be acting police chief. The council reinstated Potts as chief at its Aug. 7 meeting only for Smith to terminate him moments after the meeting giving him notice of a 10-day due process hearing. That same meeting the council tabled a preliminary hearing for Coley as they wanted to see more evidence and are slated to take it up at its April 21 meeting. The meeting will be held at town hall in Camp Hill.
of Forensic Sciences for an autopsy.” The man’s name has not been released and officials did not indicate if they suspect foul play in the case. In that case, Goodwater Police Department, Coosa County Sheriff’s Department and agents with Alabama Law Enforcement Agency’s State Bureau of Investigation all responded to an area off Coosa County Road 511 after a group of campers discovered the body of a Goodwater man in the waters of Hatchett
Low
By DONALD CAMPBELL Staff Writer
6
54708 90050
8
USPS Permit # 013-080
Lake Martin
Lake Levels
490.52 Reported on 08/10/17 @ 2 p.m.
Local woman grows uniquely tall Zinnias Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443
laceyshowell@gmail.com 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL
Carolyn Mobley stands in front of Zinnias that have grown to monstrous heights in the backyard of her home on South Central Avenue in Alexander City. Wikipedia says that Zinnias are annuals that typically grow from 4 to 40 inches in height, with about 24 inches being the average. The tallest of these, which are planted in an old goat trough, measure 74 inches from the dirt to the top. Mobley said she hasn’t done anything special, but has “let God handle most of the work.”
Starting Friday: Annabelle – R Detroit – R The Nut Job 2– PG
The Boys and Girls Club of America has partnered with singer Katy Perry and advocacy group Global Citizen, under the banner of Witness the Future, to bring more volunteers in and assist the youth of America in reaching their full potential as a productive citizen. For those who do take part in volunteering or donating resources to the Boys and Girls Club of the Lake Martin Area will then be entered in a drawing to win tickets to February’s Katy Perry concert in Atlanta during her upcoming “Witness” tour. There will be plenty of opportunities for area residents to enter to win these tickets, beginning Saturday morning. One of the local churches and its youth See CONCERT • Page 7
FIRMLY ROOTED IN LAKE MARTIN AND HERE TO STAY.
FREE CONSULTATIONS
Evening & Weekend Appointments Available Upon Request
256-329-1313 • 217 Madison Street, Alexander City, AL “We are a Debt Relief Agency. We help people file Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 under the Bankruptcy Code. Alabama State Bar requires the following in every attorney advertisement, “ No representation is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers.”