OPINION: PRISON REFORM PUNISHES VICTIMS, NOT CRIMINALS LOCAL BATTLE
THURSDAY
THE
Lady Generals defeat Lady Tigers on the diamond. Sports, Page 8.
Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 March 3, 2016
Vol. 124, No. 45
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NO SERVICE: Verizon customers deal with outage East Alabama as well as a few in West Georgia. Verizon had technicians working on the problem throughout the outage and as of 11:04 a.m. Wednesday, a temporary fix had been made and most of the customers who had been without service reported being back up and running. The outage was first reported at about 7:40 p.m. Tuesday evening. The fix was made at 11:04 a.m.
By MITCH SNEED Editor
Mitch Sneed / The Outlook
Verizon Wireless customers were without service for a period of time after storms rolled across Central Alabama leaving 20 cell towers down.
Were you without cellphone service Tuesday and Wednesday? You weren’t alone. A large group of Verizon Wireless customers were in the same boat in Central Alabama. Verizon Wireless officials confirmed that Tuesday night’s storms that rolled across Central Alabama have caused outages involving 20 cell phone towers in Central and
Sunday alcohol sales bill near ready
Local minister facing fondling charge By MITCH SNEED Editor
A 62-year-old minister at an Alexander City church has been arrested on multiple charges, including allegations that he fondled a minor female. Roy Eugene Wooten, 62, of Alexander City was arrested and charged on Feb. 24 Wooten according to Alexander City Police Department records. The face page of the report lists charges as “sex offense – child fondling. Domestic violence by strangulation or suffocation and simple assault.” Wooten was arrested at 1:15 p.m. on Feb. 24 by Alexander City Police Department officers. The See MINISTER • Page 3
Today’s
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485.26 Reported on 03/02/16 @ 6 p.m.
Linda Shaffer, REALTOR® C: 256.794.4641 • W: 256.329.5253 shaffer@lakemartin.net 5295 Highway 280, Alexander City, AL
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Wednesday, records show. Verizon Wireless experienced interruption in service for some customers throughout the Alexander City area due to severe weather overnight,” Kate Jay, a spokesperson for Verizon said. “ Engineers were able to identify and resolve the issue and service was restored by 11:30 a.m. CST. Officials say some short, smaller-scale outages could occur over See VERIZON • Page 3
Draft prepared and ready to advertise for vote on issue
Submitted / The Outlook
Above, District 2 Commissioner Steve Robinson competes in a marathan in 2010. This Saturday, Robinson will compete in his 100th marathon.
MARATHON MAN Steve Robinson preps to run 100th marathon By MIA OSBORN Staff Writer
On Saturday, March 5, Alexander City’s District 2 Commissioner Steve Robinson will accomplish a longtime goal: running his 100th marathon. Robinson began running in 1995 as part of an effort to quit smoking. He began to train with the Lake Martin HalfFast Running Club in the spring of that
year. That December Robinson ran his first marathon, the 19th annual Rocket City Marathon in Huntsville. Since then, he has run an average of seven marathons per year. The Outlook has kept up with Robinson’s progress through the years. In a 2010 article, Robinson told the paper, “If I’m able to hold up, I should See MARATHON • Page 3
By MITCH SNEED Editor
A draft resolution that would allow for the vote of the people in Tallapoosa County and any city that choses to put it on the ballot to decide if Sunday sales of alcohol should be allowed is being prepared for advertisement. The Tallapoosa County Commission requested the local legislation on the matter of Sunday sales, and Rep. Mark Tuggle emailed the draft bill to County Attorney Thomas Radney Wednesday. “I just got the draft bill this morning and I have circulated it to some key people just to make sure that they are confortable with all the language,” Radney said. “From there we will check the statute and have it advertised appropriately and go from there.” The Dadeville City Council unanimously passed a resolution at its Feb. 9 meeting, making its intentions known that it wanted citizens to vote on the sale of alcohol on Sundays. Currently in Tallapoosa County, only the town of Camp Hill allows Sunday sales of alcohol. While Alexander City has not discussed a See SALES • Page 3
Seven-week course designed to strengthen all marriages By DAVID GRANGER Staff Writer
Ginny Archer is a firm believer that all married couples – whether the relationship is strong or whether they are struggling – need an occasional tune-up. That’s why Archer, a licensed counselor, and her husband, Lewis, a Methodist minister, will be leading a seven-week course called “The Marriage Course,” which will meet each Sunday night from 6 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at Coffee Corner, located at 107 Main St. in Alexander City. “The course is designed to provide couples with tools to make their marriages stronger and healthier,” said Archer. “They are two-hour sessions designed to be just between you and your spouse. There’s no
group discussion, it’s a one-onone thing. You won’t be asked to share with anyone about your relationship except your partner. You get there, share a meal, watch a short DVD presentation and then you have a workbook that leads you through the discussion, tells you how to process the night’s topic or issue.” The cost for the seven-week course – which runs March 6 through April 24, with the exception of the evening of March 27, which is Easter – is $125 per couple and includes two course manuals and meals for the seven Sunday nights. Topics to be covered over the seven weeks include: • Building a strong foundation • The art of communication See MARRIAGE • Page 3
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Hard-working sister balks at supporting lazy brothers
Friday
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DEAR ABBY: I am a community college sophomore (age 20) in an international honor society, double-majoring in biotechnology and biological sciences. My dream is to become a cardiologist. I have worked hard and excelled at my studies, as well as in my friendships and sports. However, my brothers have not. My older brother, “Aaron,” barely graduated from community college and my younger brother, “Greg,” dropped out after his first semester. I know it’s not healthy for me to think this way, but I am afraid I am going to be the one who has to support them. Aaron plays video games all day, while Greg does nothing. I’m afraid I’ll be stuck playing “Mommy” for my adult brothers for the rest of my days. How do I get across to them that they’re not children anymore and they need to take their education seriously? -- NOBODY’S MOMMY IN
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Management Kenneth Boone Publisher, Ext. 218 kenneth.boone@alexcityoutlook.com Mitch Sneed Editor, Ext. 213 mitch.sneed@alexcityoutlook.com David Kendrick Circulation Manager, Ext. 204 david.kendrick@alexcityoutlook.com Lee Champion Production Manager, Ext. 220 lee.champion@alexcityoutlook.com
Advertising Sales Tippy Hunter Advertising Director, Ext. 206 marketing@alexcityoutlook.com Doug Patterson Newspaper Advertising, Ext. 205 doug.patterson@alexcityoutlook.com Kim Morse Advertising Sales, Ext. 217 kim.morse@alexcityoutlook.com Emily Guill Advertising Sales, Ext. 225 emily.guill@alexcityoutlook.com Debbie DeWildt Advertising Sales, Ext. 214 debbie.dewildt@alexcityoutlook.com
Accounting Angela Mullins Bookkeeping, Ext. 202 angela.mullins@alexcityoutlook.com Mary Lyman Boone Bookkeeping marylyman.boone@alexcityoutlook.com Newsroom Betsy Iler Magazine Managing Editor, Ext. 221 betsy.iler@alexcityoutlook.com Robert Hudson Sports Editor, Ext. 228 robert.hudson@alexcityoutlook.com Cliff Williams Staff Writer, Ext. 212 cliff.williams@alexcityoutlook.com David Granger Staff Writer, Ext. 210 david.granger@alexcityoutlook.com
Thursday, March 3, 2016
The Outlook
That responsibility is not and should not be yours.
DEAR ABBY Advice
MARYLAND DEAR NOBODY’S MOMMY: Where are your brothers living now? With your parents? If that’s the case -- and I suspect it is -- that message should come from them. That your parents would allow Aaron to sit around all day playing video games rather than become independent means they are his enablers. There is truth to the saying, “The Lord helps those who help themselves.” Warn the boys that unless they start preparing for their future, they could wind up living in the street, because when your parents go, you have no intention of supporting them financially.
DEAR ABBY: I just got married to a beautiful woman. She’s tall and elegant. The problem is, she’s addicted to taking pictures of herself. She takes at least 100 of them a day. When we’re driving, she’s busy taking selfies. When we go out, she asks me to take pictures of her. If I tell her I don’t want to take more pictures, she pleads with me to take “just one more,” which really means five. When we are out to dinner and I get up to go to the restroom, she asks total strangers to take her picture. When we were on vacation and we went to the pool, she wore full makeup for two reasons, she said: (1) She’s not putting her head under water, and (2) she wants some pictures taken of her. I have told her many times how much this annoys me, but she says I am preventing
her from what she enjoys. What can I do to help her? -TOO MANY PHOTO OPS DEAR TOO MANY PHOTO OPS: You have married a beautiful (tall, elegant) piece of arm candy. Because you did not mention even one other positive quality about her, I assume this is what you wanted. Her vanity/ insecurity about her looks is the “accessory” that goes with your trophy. It will take effort on your part to help her recognize that what she has to offer beneath the surface is at least as important as her looks. (It may also take the services of a psychologist, if she’s willing.) Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www. DearAbby.com or P.O. Box 69440, Los Angeles, CA 90069.
Police Reports
Composing Audra Spears Composing Department, Ext. 219 audra.spears@alexcityoutlook.com Darlene Johnson Composing Department, Ext. 203 darlene.johnson@alexcityoutlook.com Hallie Holloway Composing Department, Ext. 203 hallie.holloway@alexcityoutlook.com Alethia Russell Graphic Artist, Ext. 231 alethia.russell@alexcityoutlook.com Circulation Linda Ewing Asst. Circulation Manager, Ext. 201 linda.ewing@alexcityoutlook.com
Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. manages The Alexander City Outlook, The Dadeville Record, Lake magazine, (USPS: 013-080, ISSN: 0738-5110) Lake Martin Living, The Outlook is published five times Kenneth Boone a week, Tuesday through Saturday Photography and mornings, by Tallapoosa Publishers, a commercial web printing press. Inc., 548 Cherokee Road, P.O. Box 999, Alexander City, AL, 35011. © 2011 Tallapoosa Publishers, Inc. ReproPOSTMASTER: Send address duction of any part of any issue requires changes to Post Office Box 999, written publisher permission. Alexander City, AL 35011.
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Alexander City Police Department Feb. 28
• Linda Shryl Meadows of Alexander City was arrested for reckless endangerment. • Courtney Leanne Powell of Alexander City was arrested for domestic violence. • Chester Glenn Ballard of Alexander City was arrested for domestic violence. • Domestic violence was reported in the 100 block of Moncrief Road. • Domestic violence was reported in the 5400 block of Highway 22 East.
Feb. 27
• Obbie Lee Davis of Kellyton was arrested for possession of marijuana, public intoxication and open possession of alcohol in a motor vehicle. • LaDavid Quenteze Jackson of Alexander City was arrested for possession of cocaine, harassment and disorderly conduct. • Lamario Tremain Russaw of Kellyton was arrested for attempting to
elude a police officer and public intoxication. • Criminal trespass was reported on Highway 280.
Feb. 26
• Criminal mischief was reported on Robinson Road. • Domestic violence was reported in the 300 block of Bishop Street. • Domestic violence was reported on J Street. • Assault was reported on Jefferson St.
Feb. 25
• Tyrell Lamar Mays of Alexander City was arrested for domestic violence. • Harassment was reported on Scott Road. • Harassment was reported in Alexander City.
Feb. 24
• Virginia Michelle Tate of Dadeville was arrested for shoplifting. • Roy Eugene Wooten of Alexander City was arrested for sex offense child fondling, domestic violence and simple assault. • Unlawful breaking and entering was reported on Highway 280. • Criminal mischief was reported on J Street. • Burglary was reported on Bay Pine Island Road. • Criminal mischief was reported on I Street. • Harassing communications was reported in the 600 block of Tankersley Road. • Theft was reported in Mill Square.
Feb. 23
Labrenkia Keshaun Johnson of Alexander City was arrested for domestic violence and harassment. • Misty Dawn Caldwell of Alexander City was arrested for harboring and
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assisting. • Theft was reported on K Street. • Domestic violence was reported on Elkahatchee Road. • Domestic violence was reported on 9th Avenue.
Feb. 22
• A resident of Creek Run in Jacksons Gap filed a report for criminal trespass and criminal mischief. • A Jacoby Adamson of Tayco Trail in Jacksons Gap was arrested for driving under the influence and was transported to the county jail. • A Phillip Hadaway of Day Road in Alexander City was arrested for four failure to appear warrants for child support, reckless endangerment and was transported to the county jail.
Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Department Feb. 29
• A resident of Ridge Road in Dadeville filed a report for identity theft. • A resident of Cobb Road in Tallassee filed a report for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle. • A Jack Adamson of McBride Loop in Jackson’s Gap was arrested for driving under the influence and was transported to the county jail.
• Marcelo Hernandez Perez of Kellyton was arrested for domestic violence. • Deanna Shunta Davis of Alexander City was arrested for harassment. • Laraun Terrell Darby of Alexander City was arrested for attempting to elude, possession of a pistol by a drunk or addict, resisting arrest and harassment.
• Billy Mathis of Highway 63 South in Alexander City was arrested for two failure to pay warrants. • Marianne Adams of Concord Road in Dadeville was arrested on two grand jury indictments for theft of property 1st and theft by deception. • Terry Strickland of Highway 49 in Cragford was arrested for a grand jury indictment of unlawful manufacturing and possession of Marijuana • Clayton Robinson of County Road 24 in Double Springs was arrested for a failure to appear child support warrant.
Feb. 28
• A resident of Egrat Cove in Jacksons Gap filed a report for unauthorized use of a motor vehicle.
Feb. 24
• A resident of County Road 79 in Daviston filed a report for burglary of a residence. • A resident of Goodwater Road in Goodwater filed a report for theft.
Feb. 23
• A resident of McCain Lane in Notasulga filed a report for harassment.
Feb. 22
• A resident of Macedonia Road in Tallassee filed a report for simple assault. • A resident of magnolia Court in Wetumpka was arrested for driving under the influence and transported to the County Jail.
Public Meetings Alexander City Board of Education meets on the third Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the board office at 375 Lee St. or local school at 5 p.m. Alexander City Council meets on the first and third Mondays of each month. Meetings are held in the
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courtroom at the old city hall at 5:30 p.m. Camp Hill Town Council meets the first and third Mondays of each month. Meetings are held in town hall at 6 p.m. Coosa County Commission meets on the second and fourth Tuesday of each month. Meetings are held in the Coosa County Courthouse in Rockford at 9:30 a.m. on the second Tuesday and at 6:30 p.m. on the fourth Tuesday.
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Thursday, March 3, 2016
Sales
continued from page 1
potential Sunday sales vote at any recent council meeting, Radney said that the way the bill is written, it would allow any municipality to have it put on the ballot as well. “I think that is the unique thing about this one, is that it is for the county and any city that decides to allow the people to vote,” Radney said. “That way it won’t take several different pieces of legislation to do the same thing.” The county Commissioners started the process of seeking local legislation after several business leaders asked them to consider it. Representatives from Niffers at the Lake and
Chuck’s Marina, both asked for consideration of Sunday sales at a Sept. 15, 2015 commission meeting. In addition to possible revenue loss, the businesses also said the current Sunday sales ban creates confusion for patrons who may live in neighboring counties where Sunday sales are allowed. The move to Sunday sales has taken place in more and more locations. Tuesday, Shelby County voters passed a measure to allow Sunday alcohol sales. The measure passed overwhelmingly, getting more than 70 percent of the vote.
Marathon
continued from page 1
reach 100 at age 57.” Held up he has. Robinson’s Saturday run will shatter his goal by more than a year. It takes place three days before his 56th birthday. He has run marathons all over the country, often with a group from the Half-Fast Club. But the route he will run for his 100th race is much closer to home. It’s a run he mapped out years ago for his own personal use, which has come to be known as the Clay County Marathon. “My parents are from Clay County,” Robinson explained. “The distance from our house to my aunt’s house is 24.6 miles. When I started running, I used that distance as a training run. Then I thought I’d add the additional 1.6 miles for a marathon distance of 26.2,”
Minister
continued from page 1
arrest report lists his occupation as pastor at Church of God Prophecy. Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s Office records show that Wooten was booked into the county jail and was released after posting a $110,000 bond. Reached by phone Wednesday, Wooten said he does have an attorney. “I do have an attorney and I have been advised not to make any comment,” Wooten said. “I will stand before God with a pure heart.” Police officials declined to offer additional details due to the nature of the charges, citing an ongoing investigation. “There’s not a lot more I can give you due to the fact that it is an ongoing investigation,” Alexander City Police Chief Willie G. Robinson said. “We don’t want to release anything that may impact the parties involved in the case or jeopardize the case in any way.” A search of court records shows no previous arrests for Wooten in Alabama for these type charges, only traffic offenses and civil cases appear among court action related to Wooten. Calls to the numbers listed for the church, were not answered Wednesday.
he said. This will be the 13th time Robinson has gone the distance in this personal marathon. He will be joined in his 100th marathon by several members of his running club. “Afterwards, some friends and fellow runners are having a get together to celebrate,” he said. Robinson has plenty cause for celebration. Not only did running help him quit smoking, but in a manner of speaking, it has taken him all around the world. “I keep a training log on the distance I run each year. Last July, I passed 24,901 miles; that’s the circumference of the earth,” he said. He shows no signs of slowing down.
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The Outlook
Marriage
continued from page 1
• The power of forgiveness • The impact of family: past and present • Good sex • Love in action Archer pointed out that fewer Americans are entering marriage than in years past. Consider these statistics: • The number of married adults has dropped from 79 percent in 1970 to 57 percent in 2013. • The number of births to unwed mothers has risen from five percent in 1960 to 41 percent in 2008. “Of course the greatest benefit of marriage is having your spouse to spend your life with, even though, yes, it does require work to make the relationship successful,” Archer said. “But there are other benefits to marriage, too.” Some of the benefits include: • Married adults live longer live, have better health and greater personal happiness • Children raised by both parents at home perform better in school, have less addiction, less teen preg-
nancy and less trouble with the law • Marriage is the unsung anti-poverty program • Single motherhood is the greatest cause for property among women and children • Married adults have more wealth and financial stability • Health marriage saves U.S. taxpayers – costs $112 billion per year for divorce and unwed childbearing. “The benefits are many, both to the individuals and to our society, but, again, it’s hard work,” Archer said. “Just like regular tune-ups help your car run better, it’s the same with marriage. A strong, loving and lifelong relationship doesn’t just happen. It takes effort and dedication to keep the fun and romance alive. There are ways to make even the happiest marriage better.” Couples interested in participating in “The Marriage Course” should call Ginny Archer at 256487-2115. There is a limit to the number of couples who can participate, so please call now.
continued from page 1
the next few days as technicians work to complete the repair with a permanent solution. “You don’t realize how much you depend on that until you don’t have it,” Mike Simmons of Dadeville said Wednesday. “We don’t have a landline anymore, so we were dead in the water. Glad it wasn’t anything too bad and it’s back.” Others asked about whether there would be a credit for the time without service. Verizon officials said customers can call the number listed on their bill to discuss that with a representatives. Be prepared to give the representative the time that service was interrupted and the time it returned, officials said.
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EDITORIAL BOARD Kenneth Boone Mitch Sneed
Outlook The
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Page 4
Our
Opinion Prison reform punishes victims, not criminals
T
here is no question that Alabama’s prison system is a mess. Overcrowding, poor conditions and a history littered with abuse of all kinds are just part of what is wrong in the places where criminals are supposed to pay for their crimes. Beginning at the State of the State Address, Gov. Robert Bentley introduced an ambitious plan that will build new prisons, hopefully addressing the conditions that some of the state’s prisons have become famous for. Yes, prisons do need to be replaced, but what came along with the reforms are changes to the sentencing structure that will give criminals such light sentences that it makes crime victims ask the question: Are they getting punished at all? The reforms include: • Creating a new category of felonies (Class D) meant to cover the least serious nonviolent crimes. Those sentenced under the new category would rarely go to prison. • Hiring more parole and probation officers to supervise inmates on the outside. • Establishing less severe punishment for those who commit “technical” violations of probation and parole, such as missing an appointment with an officer. • Forcing the parole board to disclose the reasons they reject parole. Parole approval rates in Alabama dropped from 43 percent in 2008 to 30 percent in 2013. • Giving convicted felons greater opportunities to serve their sentences in their home communities rather than prison. In a community corrections program, adopted and run at the county level, the offender must attend counseling and treatment programs at a facility during the day, with the freedom in most cases to return home at night. Is this what most of Alabamians want? No. In a state where the party of law and order and being tough on crime rules, legislators have passed a set of reforms that will make it almost impossible to keep those convicted locked up for any length of time. We would ask citizens who think this isn’t right and that it’s not what they want to contact their elected state officials and speak out. The victims of crime deserve far better.
Know Your
Officials Communication with elected officials is the key to good government. To let your most local representatives know how you feel about state or local matters, contact any of the following. Governor Robert Bentley represents the state of Alabama and its 67 counties. He was elected to office on Nov. 2, 2010, and can be reached at 334242-7100. His office is located at the State Capitol at 600 Dexter Avenue, Montgomery, Alabama.
Robert Bentley Luther Strange was elected Alabama’s 49th Attorney General first elected in 2010, and serves as the State’s chief law enforcement officer. He can be reached at 334242-7300, and his office is located at 501 Washington Avenue, Luther Strange Montgomery. Mark Tuggle (R) represents the 81st District covering Coosa, Chilton and Tallapoosa counties. He can be reached by phone at 256-392-2006 or by email at tughd81@ gmail.com. His office is located at 110 Mark Tuggle Calhoun Street, Suite 108, Alexander City. Tom Whatley represents the 27th District covering Lee, Russell and Tallapoosa County. He was elected to the Alabama Senate on Nov. 2, 2010, and can be reached at 334-242-t7865. Tom Whatley His office is located at 337 East Magnolia Drive, Auburn.
I
Thursday, March 3, 2016
Don't cross the 'Crazy Cat Ladies'
have lived, and I learned. I’ve learned that you don’t quit one job before you have another. I’ve learned that it’s okay to talk to professionals when you’re going through hard times. I’ve learned that you don’t leave a dead beaver floating in an ice chest for two weeks in the middle of an Alabama summer. These lessons are all documented. I’ve also learned you don’t tug on Superman’s cape, spit into the wind, pull the mask off that old Lone Ranger, and you don’t mess around with Jim, but I’ll be completely honest with you about something. I’m not too worried about Jim. Jim was my neighbor in Shreveport. He was weird. I will, however, tell you who you don’t mess around with and that is crazy cat ladies. I learned this first hand this past week, and I had no intentions of messing around with them in the first place. I blame it on Facebook. Facebook is the devil and has a new feature that allows the user to “react” to a friend’s post by clicking on an icon featuring an emotion. If you haven’t seen it, then it’s difficult to explain. It’d be about like explaining how to use a slide ruler to a kid, “new math” to an old person or common core math to me, so I just won’t. Just trust me on this one.
JODY FULLER Guest Columnist
I’ve often written about the love I have for my animals in my articles and post about them daily online. They are a huge part of my life. Without thinking, I decided for Abby, my cat, to be a part of my six-second video of me reacting, literally, to Facebook’s new feature. The first three seconds of the video had me sitting in my recliner with Abby while I pretended to watch a friend’s video on my phone. The next three seconds I jumped up and down screaming. I was “reacting” to the faux video. Somewhere in the middle, Abby bolted from lap. I posted it on Facebook. What happened next will impact my life forever. It was as if a cat distress signal activated all the crazy cat ladies of the world uniting them as one. They all converged on my Facebook page, bombarding my video with comment after comment wondering how I could scare that poor defenseless cat in such a manner. Within minutes, they were organizing a “Cats Lives Matter” protest out in front of my house.
They were throwing Molotov cattails at my home. It was a horrific scene. We had to call in the National Guard. Perhaps Facebook has a cat distress feature that I’m unaware of. So, I’m exaggerating just a bit. There were only three of them, but they were three of the first four comments. On top of that, they are three of the sweetest, most supportive ladies I have ever known, but now I know something else. Don’t ever cross a cat lady. Lesson learned. I took the video down after that fourth comment. Abby is treated like a queen and lives better than 98 percent of the world’s population. I don’t know how many lives she used up before she landed with me, but she won’t need to use any more of them until it’s time to go to the land of giant catnip in the sky. I can’t judge the crazy cat ladies, because I may be a fanatical feline fella one day myself, that is, if I’m not one already. In fact, my friend Angela, already calls me “cat boy.” Jody Fuller is a comic, speaker, writer and soldier with three tours of duty in Iraq. He is also a lifetime stutterer. He can be reached at jody@jodyfuller. com. For more information, please visit www.jodyfuller.com.
Today’s
Quote
“The way you see people is the way you treat them, and the way you treat them is what they become.” – Johann Wolfgang van Goethe
Today’s
Scripture “Those who know your name trust in you, for you, O Lord, do not abandon those who search for you.” – Psalm 9:10
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Oscars: why can’t we all just get along?
T
hose in the entertainment business took some time off from giving each other awards to give each other awards and talk about race Sunday at the Oscars. They will now take a 14-day break from bestowing awards on themselves so they have time to make another crappy movie, record a song or go to rehab. The Oscars is where selfabsorbed Hollywood liberals gather each year to talk about how superficial Americans are and ask the question on the red carpet everyone wants to know: “Who are you wearing?” On display you’ll find an alarming amount of side-boob and cleavage – and that’s just from Michael Moore. Coincidentally, “Side-Boob” is attendee Joe Biden’s Secret Service code name. I know it is a cliché, but it’s an honor for me to just be nominated to make fun of the Oscars. They remind me of the prancing at the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show, only with more butt-sniffing and blow dryers. They are awarded for movies, most mediocre at best, that very few people see but which carry a liberal message. Stars who demand $20 million per movie fly in on their private jets from film sets in Canada or U.S. states with the most movie-production tax incentives and talk about how greedy others are and how much carbon we produce. And if you haven’t seen Oscar Best Picture nominees “Room” or “Brooklyn,” you really have to see them – and then tell me about them, ’cause there is no way I am paying $15 to sit through either one. The audience ratings for the Oscars broadcast came in at a seven-year low. So few folks watched the Oscars that they have been nominated for an
RON HART Guest Columnist
Oscar. The show went on so long that the last two winners were announced on “Good Morning America.” Unlike the Golden Globes, no booze or food is served at the Oscars. Serving food just confuses actresses, since they’re not around food much. Booze makes the Golden Globes more fun. Having host Ricky Gervais a bit buzzed makes the whole self-indulgent show funny when he gets to ridiculing Hollywood. I am not sure why, but it seems at both awards shows that 90 percent of our actors have British accents – and that doesn’t include Madonna and Tina Turner. For some reason, the good and funny movies never get awarded. Will Ferrell was hilarious in “Talladega Nights,” but won no award. Bill Murray won recognition for his role in the dreadful “Lost in Translation,” but not for “Caddy Shack.” But dress up either actor in fancy old English clothing, put a scarf on him and stick him in a boring movie about racial or gay prejudice in the 1640s, and you have Oscar gold. This year the fashionable worry was the absence of nominations for black actors. Chris Rock, after weeks of fending off calls from Al Sharpton to boycott his hosting duties, did well. He quipped, “Why is it that folks with no job always want you to quit yours?” Hollywood has to play along with racism charges because they spend the year fanning fake outrage at manufactured racial issues. White actress Julie
Delpy upset the Hollywood establishment when she said white actresses have it harder than blacks do in Hollywood. Her studio immediately sold her to another studio. There are plenty of roles for black actors in movies or TV commercials. Almost every TV commercial features a white male making a comically bad decision about his cable TV, his car or his food, while a black actor knowingly shakes his or her head with a Willis-style “What you talking about?” as to how stupid white folks are. In fact, this is just about the only theme in commercials. Black actors who can do this well get plenty of work. On the other hand, black actors never get roles as the burglar in home security system commercials, so things balance out. Hollywood liberals can be just as racist and greedy as anyone else, as long as they act like they feel bad about it. The elephant in the room is that there should be no GOP elephants in the room. Stacey Dash, the lone conservative-outed African American actress, was all but booed off the stage Sunday night. For the Left, “tolerance” is a one-way street. President Obama personifies this. With the BET Awards, NCAAP Image Awards and the like, I am not sure what the issue is here. I wish we could just live by what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said: “I have a dream ... that one day people will not be judged by the color of their skin, but by the content of their character-actor ability.” Ron Hart, a libertarian op-ed humorist and award-winning author, is a frequent guest on CNN. He can be contacted at Ron@RonaldHart.com or @ RonaldHart on Twitter.
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Faith Christian Academy celebrated Dr. Seuss’ birthday Wednesday. Many of the students made hats to be like the cat with the hat or dressed as Thing 1 and Thing 2.
March 4
SWIMMING LESSONS: Red Cross swimming lessons will begin a new session March 7 and 8 but deadline to register is March 4. Lessons will be Monday and Wednesday at 5 p.m. for Parent/Child Aquatics for toddlers, 6 p.m. for preschool aquatics for ages 3 to 5 and Tuesday and Thursday at 6:30 p.m. for adult swim lessons. The fee is $45 and classes meet two times per week for three weeks. For additional information contact Cara Tidwell, Fitness Coordinator at Total Fitness at 256-329-7624.
March 4-5
MILITARY VEHICLE SHOW: Wind Creek State Park will host a military vehicle show March 4 and 5 all day.
March 4-6
PASTOR APPRECIATION: Pleasant Home Baptist Church is hosting its 19th Appreciation services for Apostle Thomas E. Bullock, Sr. and Prophetess Margie N. Bullock March 4-6. March 4 at 7 p.m. Bishop Mary Ann Wilson will speak. March 5 at 7 p.m. Rev. Brian Thomas will speak. March 6 at 11 a.m. Bishop Douglas L. Varner Sr. and at 3 p.m. Rev. Anthony Anderson.
March 5
BOSTON BUTT SALE: There is a Boston Butt sale to benefit Carley Blankenship and family with pick up March 5 at Alex City Methodist Church from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. Tickets are $30 each and can be purchased by calling or texting Kristi at 256-596-2171 or Celia at 256-496-2745 and at JR’s Sports Bar and Grill or see Ashley Barker at City Hall. Cash or check only. RUMMAGE SALE: The Pine Ridge Mission team of the Alexander City Methodist Church will hold its annual Rummage Sale on Saturday March 5 from 6 a.m.- 10 a.m. in the church fellowship hall. We will have furniture, household items, clothes, toys and much more. The proceeds will benefit our annual mission trip to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation this summer. PASTOR ANNIVERSARY: New Style Baptist Church in Equality is hosting a first pastoral anniversary celebration for Rev. Richard Taylor Sat. March 5 at 4 p.m.
March 6
PASTOR ANNIVERSARY: Corinth Baptist Church in Kellyton will honor the 24th anniversary of Pastor of Jimmy and Sister Patricia Brooks Sunday, March 6 at 11 a.m. Guest Minister will be Pastor Billy Simmons of Freewill Worship Center.
PASTORAL APPRECIATION: Pine Grove Missionary Baptist Church is hosting its 35th pastoral appreciation of Rev. G.H. Pulliam Sunday, March 6 at 2 p.m. CHURCH ANNIVERSARY: The Bread of ACOP is celebrating its 13th Church Anniversary March 6 at 3 p.m. on Highway 280 in Kellyton. Pastor is Elder Neyurland Tuck. Come join us. PASTOR ANNIVERSARY: Flint Hill Baptist Church of Alexander City is hosting its 11th Anniversary Celebration honoring Rev. Adonis Thomas March 6. At 11 a.m. Rev. Gary Leonard of Montgomery will speak and at 2:30 p.m. Rev. William Russell of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church will speak. Everyone is invited.
Patrick’s Day at story time.
March 16-18
CHURCH REVIVAL: GAP Fellowship Church will host its spring revival March 16-18 at 7 p.m. nightly. Guest evangelists are Al Williams, Rev. Jason Whetstone and Rev. Troy Holley. Gap Fellowship is pastored by Lou and Marilyn Benson.
March 17
WINE TASTING: Emporium Wines in Alexander City welcomes Rush Wines features wines from Cannonball Wine Company of Healdsburg, California from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. For more information, call 256-212-9463.
March 18
March 7
MOVIE UNDER THE STARS: Wind Creek State Park is hosting a movie under the stars March 18 at 6 p.m.
March 10
WIZARD OF OZ: The Dadeville High School Drama program is presenting the Wizard of Oz March 18 at 7 p.m., March 19 at 7 p.m. and March 20 at 2 p.m. at the Dadeville High School Auditorium.
HORIZONS UNLIMITED: Susan Webb will be the speaker for Horizons Unlimited March 7 at the Alexander City Board of Education from 1:30 p.m. to 3 p.m. PATH FINDERS MEETING: The next meeting of PATH FINDERS will be on Thursday, March 10, at noon in the United Way conference room, Main Street, downtown Alexander City. Please join us and help us make strides in 2016 to improve the lives of individuals dealing with dementia in the Lake Martin area.
March 12
CLASS MEETING: The Laurel High School Class of 1969 is meeting Sat. March 12 at 10 a.m. at Cooper Recreation Center. PANCAKE BREAKFAST: Comer United Methodist Church is hosting a pancake breakfast March 12 from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Plates include pancakes, bacon and or sausage for $6. It is all you can eat dine only with to go plates available. PLANT A FLOWER: Wind Creek State will be hosting a plant a flower day at 10 a.m.
March 15
MEETING: The Artist Association of East Alabama will meet March 15 from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. at the United Way Conference Room. FIRST RESPONDER DINNER: The Alexander City Elks Lodge is hosting a First Responder Appreciation Dinner Tuesday, March 15 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m. Please contact the Lodge at 256329-9152 or email rnorred@charter.net to RSVP for the no cost meal.
March 16
ST. PATRICK’S DAY: Mamie’s Place Children’s Library will celebrate St.
March 18-20
March 19
EGG HUNT: Wind Creek State Park will host an Easter Egg Hunt March 19 at 10 a.m. in the North Picnic area. There will be prize eggs. For ages under 2, 2 to 4 5 to 8 and 9 to 12. For more information call 256-3290845. PATH TRASH WALK: The March PATH Trash Walk is scheduled for Saturday March 19 from 9 a.m. to noon. The event will be hosted by New Water Ministries which is located on Lake Martin at 460 Civitan Road (newwater.com).Volunteers can register on line or on site at New Water campus the day of the event. Volunteers will also be able to meet and register at Siggers grocery crossroads on Young Ferry Road where they will receive supplies and road assignments. At noon, all volunteers will be treated to lunch at New Water contact John Thompson at jthompson@lmra.info for more information TRADE DAY: Bibb Graves School is hosting a trade day March 19 from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. ELKS GOLF TOURNAMENT: The Alexander City Elks Lodge is hosting a golf tournament at Lakewinds Golf Club and seeking sponsors. All proceeds go toward Lodge events such as aide to Camp ASCCA and other community programs. Contact Bo Parks at 256-329-3954 or Lakewinds at 256-825-9860.
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Friday, March 4, 2016
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BRHS boys defeat Smiths Station, girls fall JOE MCADORY Sports Columnist
Renovations good as long as it improves fan experience
P
erhaps you’ve heard about the proposed renovation at Auburn’s Jordan-Hare Stadium. Plans include expanded concourses, club seating, additional concessions, a new locker room and video boards as the stadium’s north end zone would receive a remarkable facelift. The estimated $145 million project hasn’t been approved yet as the athletic department is seeking fan feedback. Some people don’t like change. If change improves the stadium atmosphere and makes people happy, then I’m all for it. The biggest change I’d like to see inside Jordan-Hare Stadium is individual seating (chairs) rather than those drab, old steel bleachers. Looking beyond the proposal, I wonder what could be next in line for Jordan-Hare Stadium. I wouldn’t think expansion should be necessary as 87,000 is big enough. Going into six digits can put a stress on the infrastructure, with even more bathrooms, concessions, security, etc., needed. Hypothetical changes inside Jordan-Hare by 2025 and beyond could simply be continued modernizations and renovations – possibly the aesthetics outside the stadium. The same can be said for Alabama’s Bryant-Denny Stadium. I’m not sure the big house in Tuscaloosa really needs more seating than it already does. Once you reach that limit, it’s best to keep it in the best condition possible and find new ways to improve fan experiences for everyone inside. A few other items on my mind … Most hated?: A poll recently released by Reddit revealed something I already knew – Auburn is the most hated football team in the state of Alabama. Considering the amount of Crimson found within the Heart of Dixie, that’s easy to understand. What I don’t understand is how Auburn is the most hated football team in New Hampshire, or how Alabama is the most hated football team in Vermont. I didn’t realize the Iron Bowl was so heated on the New Hampshire-Vermont border. Other interesting notes from the poll showed that Alabama is also the most hated team in distant places such as Alaska, Nevada and North Dakota. Somehow, Georgia is the most hated team in Georgia, South Carolina is the most hated team in South Carolina, Kentucky is the most hated team in Kentucky and Mississippi is the most hated team in Mississippi. The most hated team in America: The Ohio State University. Don’t mess with Augusta National No. 13: This is one of the greatest holes in golf. However, the Augusta National Golf Club is seriously considering moving the tee box back by 50 yards, making the par 5 560 yards instead of 510. Perhaps it’s become an easy birdie for the PGA pros. What makes this hole special to me is the dangerous second shot. As it stands, players steer their tee shots just around the left tree line and have what could be a round-killing approach from 250 or so yards out. The green is fronted by Rae’s Creek. Miss short or right, and you’re in big trouble. As it stands, the long second shot is one of the most dramatic in golf. Moving the tee back 50 more yards will make an even longer second shot. That said, I don’t see players going for the green in two strokes anymore. What we’ll have is a tee shot, a token second stroke, then a blah, blah short third stroke over the creek onto the green. Joe McAdory is the former sports editor at the Opelika-Auburn News and is communications editor at the Auburn University Harbert College of Business.
By ROBERT HUDSON Sports Editor
The Benjamin Russell Wildcats boys golf team defeated Smiths Station, while the girls fell in Tuesday’s match at Willow Point Golf and Country Club. Benjamin Russell boys golf Coach Wes Tate said the Wildcats put together a good match on Tuesday to get the win. “I thought they played pretty good. Of course, we can play better, but we won the match 169-176, so you can’t complain about that,” Tate said. “The guys up top played really well and I was proud of how they fought and battled. They didn’t hit every shot well, but they did a good job of responding by making it up on the
next shot.” Low scores for Benjamin Russell’s boys were Dylan Moncus with 40, Sawyer Scott with 41, Hal Coker with 41, and Wilson Harris with 47. Also participating for BRHS boys were Cade Mckeever and Kylee Reeder. The Benjamin Russell girls team fell 101-118 in Tuesday’s match. Participating for the girls were Mally McKinnis, Logan Johnson, Carly Royster, Lorelei McFiggin, and Olivia Tinoco. The Alexander City Middle School golf team also won 183-196 against Smiths Station on Tuesday. Benjamin Russell will return to action today Robert Hudson / The Outlook against Opelika at Indian Benjamin Russell’s Sawyer Scott putts during Tuesday’s match at Willow Pines in Auburn starting at Point Golf and Country Club. 2 p.m.
LOCAL RIVALS BATTLE Horseshoe Bend defeats rival Dadeville, 11-1
Robert Hudson / The Outlook
Above, Horseshoe Bend’s Rebecca Norrell, far right, hauls in a throw to first as Dadeville’s Kristen Tolbert (7) runs out the play and Dadeville Coach Magan Ford gestures for a safe call. Below, Horseshoe Bend’s K-Rae Blasingame winds up for a pitch. By ROBERT HUDSON Sports Editor
DADEVILLE – The Horseshoe Bend Lady Generals capitalized off mistakes and cruised to an 11-1 win over the Dadeville Lady Tigers on Wednesday. Bernie Robidart, head coach of Horseshoe Bend (2-3), said the Lady Generals have not quite found their rhythm yet hitting, but Wednesday’s win helped a little bit. “We’re doing OK, but we’re still a little too quick or a little too hesitant waiting on pitches at the plate,” Robidart said. “Our fielding is pretty good, but we’re still working on our hitting. We’re just not really in sync yet, and I think this game helped us a lot. We took advantage of a lot of mistakes, we got a little baserunning in. I’m feeling better about where we are.” The Lady Tigers (0-5) struck first, as Kristen Tolbert scored from third on a sacrifice fly by Autumn Davis to give Dadeville a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. But Horseshoe Bend took advantage of Dadeville’s mistakes in the top of the second. Chandler McWhorther scored from third on a passed ball and Alana Story scored on a throwing error to first to give Horseshoe Bend a 2-1 lead in the top of the second.
Horseshoe Bend kept it going in the second, as Hannah Adcock scored on a hit to shallow center by K-Rae Blasingame to extend the Lady Generals’ lead to 3-1. Madisyn Johnson scored on a hit by Erin Vickers and Horseshoe Bend added another run on a fielding error to close the second inning leading 5-1. The Lady Generals carried the momentum over to the top of the third, as Story scored on a fielder’s choice,
Adcock scored on a Cheyanna Howard hit, and Howard scored on a double by Blasingame to make the lead 8-1. HBS added three more runs in the top of the fifth, with two runs scored on fielder’s choices and Johnson scoring on a passed ball. Dadeville Coach Magan Ford said she was disappointed in the effort in Wednesday’s loss. “They’ve got to figure out how to be ball players. We’ve got girls out here that say they want to be here, but they’ve got to figure out how to do it,” Ford said. “I’ve got a lot of young girls who are using ‘young’ as an excuse. But it’s midway through the season. Nobody’s young anymore.” Tolbert had two hits for Dadeville and Madison Huff added a hit for the Lady Tigers. Blasingame pitched all five innings and struck out six batters from the circle. Robidart said he hopes the win provides needed momentum as the Lady Generals prepare for a weekend tournament. “We go to Oxford this weekend and will play a lot of big teams, but I think we can do really good there,” Robidart said. “This was a good lead-in for it. We should be as good or maybe better than we were last year.” Dadeville will host Reeltown today at 4:30 p.m., while Horseshoe Bend will host Reeltown on Friday at 5 p.m.