As election day nears, many residents in Alexander City are making it clear what the No. 1 issue is to voters – jobs.
“I think the most important thing is bringing industry here,” said John Hopson. “At the end of the year, I think Russell will be moving a lot of people out, and we’ll have a lot of sad people come December.”
kAmw@AD@? H2D @?6 @7 C@F89=J a__ H9@ 2EE6?565 %F6D52J’D 42?5:52E6 7@CF> DA@?D@C65 3J E96 p=6I2?56C r:EJ r92>36C @7 r@>>6C46’D 8@G6C?>6?E2= 2772:CD 4@>>:EE66]k^Am
kAmt249 @7 E96 42?5:52E6D CF??:?8 7@C p=6I2?56C r:EJ’D D:I 5:DEC:4ED 2D H6== 2D E96 7@FC >2J@C2= 42?5:52E6D H6C6 8:G6? E96 @AA@CEF?:EJ E@ 6IAC6DD H92E E96J H@F=5 5@ :7 6=64E65[ 2D H6== 2D 2?DH6C BF6DE:@?D DF3>:EE65 7C@> C6D:56?ED]k^Am
kAmr:EJ 6=64E:@?D 2C6 pF8] ac[ 2?5 p=6I2?56C r:EJ 92D `g CF??:?8 7@C 4@F?4:= D62ED 2?5 7@FC 7@C >2J@C] p== E9@D6 42?5:52E6D 2EE6?565 E96 7@CF> H:E9 E96 6I46AE:@? @7 >2J@C2= 42?5:52E6 (:==:2> %@55 qC@@<D[ s:DEC:4E b 42?5:52E6 (:==:2> |:4926= (92E=6J[ s:DEC:4E a 42?5:52E6 ~D42C |4s2?:6= 2?5 s:DEC:4E e 42?5:52E6 y6CCJ #:492C5D@?]k^Am
kAm“(6 925 E96 >2;@C:EJ @7 E96 42?5:52E6D 96C6[ 2?5 2== @7 J@F[ D@ H6’G6 2=C625J 366? DF446DD7F= W:? 9@DE:?8 E96 7@CF>X[” D2:5 |2CG:? (28@?6C[ 492:C>2? @7 E96 492>36C’D 8@G6C?>6?E2= 2772:CD 4@>>:EE66] “qJ =@@<:?8 2E E96 4C@H5[ x 42? E6== A6@A=6 2C6 :?E6C6DE65 :? H92E C@=6 =6256CD9:A H:== A=2J :? E96 7FEFC6]”k^Am
kAmp=E9@F89 D6G6C2= E@A:4D H6C6 5:D4FDD65 5FC:?8 E96 ?62C=J EH@\9@FC 7@CF>[ 2== 42?5:52E6D 28C665 E92E 64@?@>:4 56G6=@A>6?E :D @?6 @7 E96 >@DE :>A@CE2?E :DDF6D :? E96 6=64E:@?] ~E96C E@A:4D @7 :>A@CE2?46 E@ E96 42?5:52E6D H6C6 65F42E:@?[ C@25D 2?5 $F?52J 2=4@9@= D2=6D]k^Am
kAmqC:?8:?8 :?5FDECJ E@ E96 2C62k^Am
kAmx? E96 A2DE 7@FC J62CD[ 7:G6 :?5FDEC:6D 92G6 =@42E65 E@ E96 2C62’D EH@ :?5FDEC:2= A2C<D 4C62E:?8 C@F89=J g__ ;@3D]k^Am
kAmx?4F>36?ED |2J@C s@? |4r=6==2? 2?5 s:DEC:4E b r@F?4:= |6>36C v=6?? %9@>2D D2:5 E92E 8C@HE9 :D E92?<D E@ H@C< 36:?8 5@?6 3J E96 4:EJ 2D H6== 2D E96 {2<6 |2CE:? pC62 x?5FDEC:2= p==:2?46[ H9:49 H2D 7@C>65 7:G6 J62CD 28@]k^Am
kAm“xE’D :>A@CE2?E H6 5@ 2 =@E @7 H92E H6’G6 366? 5@:?8 3J H@C<:?8 H:E9 E96 p==:2?46 2?5 E96 492>36C 2?5 <66A:?8 @FC 4@?E24ED :? |@?E8@>6CJ[” |4r=6==2? D2:5] “%96J 2C6 E96 @?6D E92E 3C:?8 AC@DA64ED E@ @FC 2C62]”k^Am
kAmtG6? E9@F89 D@>6 82:?D 92G6 366? >256[ D6G6C2= 42?5:52E6D D2:5 :E DE:== H2D?’E 6?@F89[ 2?5 E96 4:EJ 92D E@ 5@ >@C6 E@ 2EEC24E :?5FDECJ]k^Am
kAmr]|] “|:<6” (92E=6J[ H9@ 2=D@ :D CF??:?8 7@C >2J@C[ D2:5 E96 4:EJ ?665D E@ 5@ 6G6CJE9:?8 :E 42? E@ 2EEC24E 3FD:?6DD] %92E >62?D E2I 232E6>6?ED 2?5 2?J @E96C :?46?E:G6D E96 4:EJ 42? 8:G6 E@ AC@DA64E:G6 :?5FDEC:6D]k^Am
kAm|2J@C2= 42?5:52E6 q2C32C2 *@F?8 D2:5 E96 4:EJ 2=D@ ?665D E@ H@C< E@ 7:== 6>AEJ 3F:=5:?8D :? p=6I2?56C r:EJ] qJ H@C<:?8 H:E9 E96 @H?6CD 2?5 >2<:?8 C6A2:CD 2?5 =@H6C:?8 C6?E 2?5 =62D6 AC:46D[ D96 D2:5 E96 4:EJ 4@F=5 36EE6C D6== E96 6I:DE:?8 3F:=5:?8D :E 92D]k^Am
kAm(92E6G6C E96 42D6 >2J 36[ 6249 42?5:52E6 7@C >2J@C 2?5 4@F?4:= D62ED 28C665 2EEC24E:?8 :?5FDECJ 2?5 8@@5 A2J:?8 ;@3D E@ E96 2C62 >FDE 36 2 AC:@C:EJ]k^Am
kAmuF?5:?8 7@C =@42= D49@@=Dk^Am
kAmp=6I2?56C r:EJ AF3=:4 D49@@=D :D 2 4:EJ DJDE6>[ 2?5 >2?J 42?5:52E6D 36=:6G6 E96 4:EJ D9@F=5 E2<6 2 >@C6 24E:G6 C@=6 :? 7F?5:?8 E96>]k^Am
kAm#@F89=J g_ A6C46?E @7 7F?5:?8 7@C E96 DJDE6> 4@>6D 7C@> E96 DE2E6[ 3FE DE2E6 7F?5:?8 92D 366? 4FE D6G6C2= E:>6D :? E96 A2DE 7@FC J62CD] |2J@C2= 42?5:52E6D H6C6 2D<65 H92E E96J H@F=5 5@ 7@C E96 4:EJ D49@@=D :7 E92E 7F?5:?8 7C@> E96 DE2E6 H6C6 4FE J6E 282:?]k^Am
kAm“$49@@=D 2C6 G6CJ AC64:@FD E@ >6[” *@F?8 D2:5] “x <?@H H92E H6 42? 5@ C682C5=6DD @7 H92E E96 =68:D=2EFC6 H:== 5@[ 3FE H6 ?665 E@ 8:G6 6G6CJ 3:E @7 7F?5:?8 H6 42? E@ >2<6 DFC6 H6 86E E96 >@?6J E92E :D E96C6 E@ E96 D49@@=] x7 E2I6D 8C@H[ E92E >@?6J ?665D E@ 8@ E@ E96 D49@@=] (6 5@?’E ?665 E@ 32=2?46 E96 3F586E @? E96 324<D @7 @FC D49@@=D]”k^Am
kAm(92E=6J 28C66D[ D2J:?8 E92E 2 `\46?E D2=6D E2I :>A=6>6?E65 3J E96 4@F?4:= J62CD 28@[ D9@F=5 2== 8@ E@ D49@@=D]k^Am
kAmp=E9@F89 |4r=6==2? 28C665 E92E D49@@=D ?665 2== E96 7F?5:?8 E96J 4@F=5 86E[ 96 2=D@ ?@E65 E96 >2?J 7F?5D E96 4:EJ 2==@42E6D E@ E96 4:EJ 6G6CJ J62C]k^Am
kAm|2:?E2:?:?8 E96 4:EJ C@25Dk^Am
kAm|2?J G@E6CD 92G6 6IAC6DD65 4@?46C?D @G6C E96 4@?5:E:@? @7 4:EJ C@25D[ 2?5 42?5:52E6D 925 2?DH6CD 7@C H92E E96J H@F=5 5@ E@ :>AC@G6 E96 D:EF2E:@? :7 6=64E65]k^Am
kAms:DEC:4E e 42?5:52E6 {@C6?K@ vC2?E D2:5 E96 2?DH6C :D BF:E6 D:>A=6]k^Am
kAm“(6 ?665 E@ ?@E =6E E96> 86E :? 2D 325 D92A6 2D E96J 2C6 367@C6 H6 :>AC@G6 E96>[” 96 D2:5] “(6 ?665 E@ 4@?46?EC2E6 @? 36EE6C >2:?E6?2?46 2?5 ?@E =6E 2 D>2== AC@3=6> EFC? :?E@ D@>6E9:?8 =2C86C]”k^Am
kAms:DEC:4E e :?4F>36?E w6?CJ $4@EE D2:5 E96 >2:? E9:?8 E96 4:EJ ?665D E@ :>AC@G6 :D :ED 7F?5:?8 @7 C@25 4@?DECF4E:@? 2?5 >2:?E6?2?46[ 3FE F?E:= E92E 92AA6?D[ C@25 4C6HD 2C6 5@:?8 E96 36DE E96J 42? H9:=6 2=D@ H@C<:?8 E@ A2G6 C@25D :? E96 4:EJ’D EH@ :?5FDEC:2= A2C<D]k^Am
kAm$6==:?8 2=4@9@= @? $F?52JDk^Am
kAms:DEC:4E c[ H9:49 92D 7:G6 42?5:52E6D CF??:?8[ E96 >@DE :? 2?J C246[ H2D E96 @?=J 5:DEC:4E BF6DE:@?65 @? $F?52J =:BF@C D2=6D]k^Am
kAmu@FC @7 E96 42?5:52E6D D2:5 E96J H@F=5 ?@E F?56C 2?J 4:C4F>DE2?46D DFAA@CE E96 D2=6 @7 =:BF@C @? $F?52JD]k^Am
kAm“x7 D:I 52JD :D ?@E 6?@F89 E:>6 7@C A6@A=6 E@ 6?;@J 5C:?<:?8[ E96? E96J ?665 E@ 8@ E@ 49FC49 @? $F?52JD[” D2:5 s:DEC:4E c 42?5:52E6 $<:AA6C (@CE9J]k^Am
kAm#@?52 q=JE96 :D E96 @?=J s:DEC:4E c 42?5:52E6 E92E D2:5 D96 H@F=5 6G6? 4@?D:56C E96 A@DD:3:=:EJ] $96 D2:5 =:<6 >@DE :DDF6D[ :E 2== 8@6D 324< E@ 64@?@>:4 56G6=@A>6?E 2?5 H92E A@E6?E:2= :?5FDEC:6D 2C6 =@@<:?8 7@C :? 2 4@>>F?:EJ]k^Am
kAm“xE’D 2 G6CJ 5:77:4F=E BF6DE:@?[” D96 D2:5] “x 42?’E D2J 2 DEC2:89E ?@] %96C6 2C6 D@>6 A6@A=6 H9@ 4@>6 :? 2?5 H92E E@ E2<6 2 4@>A2?J @FE E@ 5:??6C] *@F H@?’E D66 >6 5C:?<:?8 @? $F?52JD[ 3FE H6’G6 8@E E@ =@@< 2E H92E E96J W:?5FDECJX H2?E[ 2?5 D@>6E:>6D H6 92G6 E@ >2<6 E92E D24C:7:46]”k^Am
