INSIDE
SPORTS
INSIDE
Reeltown baseball hitting its stride entering postseason
Dadeville High student awarded scholarship
Tallapoosa County man celebrates 67th years of ministry
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VOL. 126, NO. 16
THURSDAY, APRIL 21, 2022
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Bill Nichols celebrates local veteran’s 100th birthday By WILLIAM MARLOW Multimedia Reporter Bill Nichols State Veterans Home recently celebrated an important milestone for one of its residents as George Yates, a World War II veteran, turned 100 years-old on Tuesday, April 12. During the celebration, family, friends and veteran home staff spent time recognizing Yates’ life and his military service. Of the milestone, Yates described himself as feeling happy and attributes his long life to a simple philosophy, one that he frequently jokes about with the veteran home’s staff.
“I am feeling great and feel pretty good about reaching a hundred. I feel what got me to a hundred is just good, clean living and a lot of good loving,” Yates said. The long-time Alexander City resident has strong roots in the community, with his family having lived in the area since the 1830s. Yates was born in 1922 to Ben and Lola Yates along Sanford Road in New Site. Yates was one of seven brothers, five of which were enlisted in the U.S. military during World War II. Yates is one of Alexander City’s oldest World War II veterans, having been drafted at 21 years-old. Yates
served on the Pacific Front as part of the U.S. Army from 1942-45 and participated in both the Battle of Okinawa and the invasion of the Leyte Islands in the Philippines. Yates’ comes from a long line of veterans, having a family that served in almost all major U.S. military conflicts dating back to the Revolutionary War. Yates spent the majority of his military service in a supportive role, driving a bulldozer, nicknamed the ‘caterpillar,’ for the U.S. military. In that capacity, Yates primarily transported supplies to the frontlines. SUBMITTED | THE RECORD
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George Yates, his nephew Dan Yates and wife Peggy, along with friends Aria Tompkins, Melea Tompkins and Judy Clifton celebrated the 100 year-old veteran’s birthday on Tuesday,April 12.
Ivey attends ground-breaking for new graphite plant By WILLIAM MARLOW Multimedia Reporter Alabama Governor Kay Ivey joined state and local leaders to break ground Tuesday for the construction of a new graphite processing plant in Alexander City. The plant will be located in the Lake Martin Regional Industrial Park, just off U.S. 280 in Kellyton, and will process raw graphite into refined, battery-grade graphite for use in batteries that power electric vehicles, electronics and many other products. The plant is being built by Alabama Graphite Products, LLC, a subsidiary of Westwater Resources, Inc., a mineral resources company committed to exploring and developing materials for clean, sustainable energy production. Ivey described the announcement of the upcoming plant as a monumental occasion for Alabama and Alexander City as the factory will be the first producer of natural-grade graphite in the U.S. “Alabama is at the nation’s forefront in producing a critical material needed for success and having this first-of-its-kind See PLANT, Page A12
Community honors life of former Camp Hill fire Chief David Berry Smith added that he began volunteering with the Camp Hill Fire Department shortly thereafter. During his speech, Smith recalled Berry as an Former Camp Hill fire Chief David Berry served active member of the community with his time the community for more than 30 years. His time in divided between the fire department, the community service has been described as “a life of public service and his membership with the Sandy Creek Baptist that you can hang your hat on.” Church. Berry died Friday, April 8 at Lake Martin “Even on that first day that we met, he talked about Community Hospital. his fire department and spoke about his family, his A funeral procession was held for Berry on friends and the community in his church. That just Wednesday, April 13, during which community really defined and summed up Chief David Berry members honored the veteran firefighter. from our very first encounter together,” Smith said. At the funeral service held at the First Baptist Smith noted Berry’s passing as difficult, saying that Church Dadeville, family, friends and colleagues he had lost a life-long friend. According to Smith, the recounted their favorite memories of the Tallapoosa two would often talk about their families as they had County native. grandchildren that were similar in age. As such, the Among those that spoke included Captain Joshua two families would frequently visit with each other. Smith of the Auburn Fire Department. “It was very hard because I had lost a friend, Smith volunteers with the Camp Hill Fire and it really didn’t hit me until a few days later Department and knew Berry for many years. The two when I would have had my usual 20 to 30 minute initially met after Smith moved to Camp Hill and conversation with Chief Berry. He was a good friend reached out to Berry to help with searching for his lost and one that I am truly going to miss,” Smith said. dog. Of his public service, Smith added that no one was “He quickly mentioned that he didn’t know better suited for the role of a first responder. anything about a lost dog, but said he had a really nice “As far as a public servant, I don’t know how you fire station that I was more than welcome to come can define somebody any better than David Berry. look at and volunteer for. I said I would have to take That is a life of public service that you can hang your him up on his offer and we looked at the fire station hat on, and I hope and strive to live a life of public and enjoyed our afternoon together, talking for a See BERRY, Page A12 couple hours that day,” Smith said. By WILLIAM MARLOW Multimedia Reporter
WILLIAM MARLOW | THE RECORD
Alabama Governor Kay Ivey joined state and local leaders to break ground Tuesday for the construction of a new graphite processing plant in Alexander City.
First United Methodist assembles 30,000 meals to fight hunger By WILLIAM MARLOW Multimedia Reporter The Easter holiday is traditionally about embodying the lessons of Jesus Christ and members of the First United Methodist in Alexander City seem to be taking that message to heart. On Wednesday, over 125 church members partnered with Rise Against Hunger, an international humanitarian relief organization that is devoted to addressing food insecurity across the globe. Throughout Wednesday afternoon, church members packed thousands of meals, from collecting ingredients to assembling and packaging, in order to send them to one of 75 different countries in need. At the end of the congregation’s labor, dozens of boxes layed ready to ship.
WILLIAM MARLOW | THE RECORD
TOP: The memorial service for Camp Hill fire Chief David Berry concluded with the Camp Hill Fire Department honoring him with one of the profession’s oldest traditions, the ringing of the fire bell.
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