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THE WEDNESDAY April 15, 2020 Vol. 128, No. 74 www.alexcityoutlook.com 75¢ Lighting the way for Alexander City & Lake Martin since 1892 LOCAL, PAGE 3 Russell Medical Wound Care & Hyperbaric Medicine nationally recognized First Place in General Excellence Best small daily newspaper in Alabama SPORTS, PAGE 10 BRHS’ Hunter named Bryant-Jordan award winner SPORTS PAGE 10 0 Reported on 04/15/20 @ 5 p.m. Lake Levels Lake Martin 490.16 6 8 54708 90050 USPS Permit # 013-080 Weather Weather Today’s High Low 64 64 38 38 217 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.” FREE CONSULTATIONS 256-329-1313 “It’s not the end ... It’s a new beginning” Celebrating 25 Years! Southern-Style Cuisine Catering Available from 5-500 Stop by Today! SUN - THU 10:30am - 9:00pm FRI - SAT 10:30am - 10:00pm 6684 Hwy 49 South 256-825-4827 at Blue Creek RESTORATIONS | ADDITIONS | KITCHENS | OUTDOOR KITCHENS BA BATH THS S | | M MET ETAL AL B BUI UILD LDIN INGS GS | | R REM EMOD ODEL ELIN ING G | | I ICF CF C CON ONST STRU RUCT CTIO ION N RE RE RESI SI SIDE DE DENT NT NTIA IA IAL L L | | | CO CO COMM MM MMER ER ERCI CI CIAL AL AL | | | CO CO CONC NC NCRE RE RETE TE TE S S SEA EA EAWA WA WALL LL LLS S S RHODES BROTHERS CONSTRUCTION John Rhodes 256-675-0217 rhodesbrothersinc.net johnrhodes1@charter.net KEY BUILDERS Chris Key 256-749-0179 chriskeybuilding@yahoo.com Custom Home Builder Custom Home Builder General Contractor General Contractor LACEY HOWELL 256.307.2443 [email protected] 5295 Highway 280, Alex City, AL Officials with the Alabama Department of Veteran Affairs (ADVA) confirmed numerous cases of COVID- 19 and two deaths at its Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City on Tuesday morning. ADVA spokesperson Bob Horton said the cases come just seven days after its first resident tested positive for the coronavirus. “Almost a month after implement- ing the visitation policy and follow- ing emergency guidelines by the Alabama Department of Public Health and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the ADVA report- ed the first COVID-19 case on April 8 at the Bill Nichols State Veterans Home in Alexander City,” Horton said. “Additional tests confirm that 25 residents and 18 staff members at the home have now tested positive for the virus. Two residents at the home that tested positive for the virus, ages 89 and 99, have succumbed to their multiple comorbidities.” Horton said Bill Nichols is not the only home with positive cases of COVID-19 as two employees of the William F. Green State Veterans Home in Bay Minette have confirmed tests. ADVA commissioner Kent Davis said the agency is taking all measures to stop the spread of the coronavirus. “We want to assure the families of those veterans entrusted in our care and to the communities, that our pro- fessional and dedicated staff at the state veterans homes are following all necessary precautionary measures to reduce the spread of the COVID-19 virus by screening and testing residents More than 40 positive cases at vet home Officials with Russell Medical saw an increase in patients with flu-like symp- toms Monday and it has caught their attention. Russell Medical CEO Jim Peace said patients on Monday presented with high- er acuity levels again with more than 50% showing flu- like symptoms — a concern as COVID-19 spreads. “One day does not make us, but (Monday), what we saw in the emergency depart- ment is reason for concern,” Peace said. “We saw more patients than average and over half again were present- ing symptoms after dropping below the mark last week.” Peace said Monday and Tuesday are the busiest days at Russell Medical’s emer- gency department and the next few days could be sign if there is a surge coming in cases of the coronavirus. “In talking with peers across the state, it appears that we are two to three weeks behind Lee and Chambers counties,” Peace said. Peace said it is also concerning more pediatric patients are coming to the emergency department but Bill Nichols staff, residents have COVID-19 as 2 die By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer City of Alexander City to continue split employee shifts Alexander City Mayor Tommy Spraggins announced city employees would continue its split-shift program as the COVID-19 pandemic remains. “I have authorized it for another two weeks,” Spraggins said Tuesday. “This will carry it through the end of April.” The split shifts minimize con- tact between employees to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. The idea is if an employee does contract the coronavirus, it can quickly be isolated and will not spread through an entire depart- ment further handicapping city operations. Local airport receives coronavirus relief funding Thanks to the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act signed into law by President Donald Trump on March 27, Thomas C. Russell Field airport is receiving $69,000. The CARES Act includes $10 billion in funds to be awarded as economic relief to eligible U.S. airports affected by the prevention of, preparation for and response to the COVID-19 pandemic. The Federal Aviation Administration announced the funding this week. The Auburn- Opelika Airport also received $69,000. Anniston Regional Airport will receive $20,000. Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport will receive $18,745,394. Montgomery Regional Airport will receive $2,576,658. UPDATES Russell Medical sees increase of patients in ER By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer See RUSSELL Page 9 M ore than 190 cars lined up at Dadeville High School’s parking lot Tuesday morning to receive a week’s worth of food thanks to a generous donation by the Food Bank of East Alabama. The food bank dropped off a pallet of nearly 41 pounds of food, including any last-minute fresh produce and bread it could spare, to set up a mobile food pantry. “It was a really orderly events and went really well,” Lake Martin Area Dadeville Chamber president Michael Carter said. “We served every bit of the food we had.” An additional surprise was an added dona- tion from the Tallapoosa County Board of Education. As the Dadeville lunchroom is being re-modeled, the perishable items had to be moved out. Tallapoosa County superinten- dent Joe Windle received clearance to donate that food, which is federally funded. “The Tri-County Children’s Advocacy Center is going to move the (extra) food to other coolers and put that food into play at the (Tallapoosa County Sheriff’s) Girls Ranch, (Dadeville) senior center and other organizations,” Carter said. The Tri-County Children’s Advocacy TEAMING TOGETHER Locals team up for successful mobile food pantry Cliff Williams / The Outlook Volunteers load food into a truck at Dadeville High School on Tuesday. By AMY PASSARETTI Staff Writer See FOOD Page 9 See BILL NICHOLS Page 9 Montgomery is normally a beehive of activity this time of year with the legislative session winding down — but not this year. The coronavirus has halted many operations in Alabama and many facets of state government. State Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville) said budgets are nor- mally the big talk at this time. “We were set to talk mental health and prisons when it came to budgets,” Oliver said. “I think our budgets are about to be snookered. Now I think we will have to be looking at keeping the lights on.” While funding for this fiscal year should be fine, looking forward is totally unknown as the COVID-19 pandemic develops. Oliver hopes Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey will allow the budgets to be discussed in a spe- cial session during the summer. “Our budgets are based on projected revenues,” Oliver said. “Now all of a sudden our projections are File / The Outlook Rep. Ed Oliver (R-Dadeville) said the state government’s priorities are being forced to change after the coronavirus pandemic has altered the legislative session. Local representative says state budgets could be unknown next year By CLIFF WILLIAMS Staff Writer See BUDGETS Page 2 LOCAL PAGE 3
