The
Thursday, January 2, 2014
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Top 10 sports stories of 2013
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2014 Resolutions
Grad leads Navy at FW bowl game
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Volume 50, Number 37
$1 Springtown, Texas 76082
Jean Drive Structure Fire
BY NATALIE GENTRY Montana Marsh, 22, graduated from Springtown High School in 2010. That fall he left for Annapolis, Maryland to attend the United States Naval Academy. This May, he will graduate with honors with a Bachelor of Science and earn his commission as an officer in the United States Navy. Then he will head to flight school in Pensacola, Florida. But last weekend he was back in Springtown to spend some time with his family – and lead a company of midshipmen on the gridiron prior to the 11th Bell Helicopter Armed Forces Bowl on Dec. 30 where Navy beat the Middle Tennessee University Blue Raiders 24-6. There are usually 30 companies that march in Navy home games. However, because this was a bowl game and not all midshipmen were present; only eight companies marched on. There were approximately 600 midshipmen present. Marsh was the commander of the Eighth Company at the game. Each commander was introduced by name and hometown as the companies were led onto the field just before kickoff. Earlier in the day the midshipman and their guests participated in one of the world’s largest tailgate parties. PLEASE SEE GRAD, PAGE 3A.
Sales tax drop explained by city BY NATALIE GENTRY December’s sales tax report left many people in Springtown wondering what happened to cause the city’s revenue to drop 41.86 percent. City Administrator Mark Krey explained this fl uctuation isn’t an indication of declining business in Springtown. “The drop in sales tax is directly attributable to the unusually high amount we received in December 2012,” Krey said. The abnormality, Krey said, was caused by a single local company that pays its taxes on a sporadic basis. “That amount was so high last year that it set off warnings at the Comptroller’s office and they researched the issue for us.” Krey said. In addition, the higher numbers for October and November of 2012 were the result of oil and gas well work in the area that has since been completed. The city receives its sales tax revenue from the Texas Comptroller’s Offi ce each month for sales that occurred within the city limits two months earlier. In other words, the city’s December check represents taxes paid at local businesses during the month of October. Although the city’s total revenue for 2013 fell 9.03 percent from $986.034 to $896,910, Krey explained that the numbers on the overall sales tax receipts from last year indicate the amounts received thus far in fi scal year 2013-2014 are consistent with Springtown’s monthly average of approximately $74,500.
Trucks from the Springtown and La Junta Volunteer Fire Departments responded to a structural fi re call on Dec 30. The call reported smoke coming from the attic of 413 Jean Drive in Springtown. The cause of the fire is still under investigation. Photo by Natalie Gentry
Change of epicenter? USGS reports most quakes centered in area between Reno, Briar
Map of earthquake epicenters since seismographs were installed in the Azle area.
BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Since Nov. 5 staffers at the Epigraph have painstakingly plotted earthquake locations on a map. That’s kept us busy. The chart marks the epicenters of close to 30 earthquakes in the area, the fi rst of which occurred at 9:32.p.m. that fateful Nov. 5 night. It was a Tuesday – press day – and the staff had stayed very late awaiting election returns. No sooner had that week’s newspaper been “put to bed” than the news went all a-Twitter, so to speak.
(USGS) to Azle Mayor Alan Brundrett and the City of Azle, it’s likely that most of the epicenter locations are actually confined to a limited area approximately midway between Reno and Briar. In his report, Ellsworth explains that prior to Dec. 15, the earthquake epicenters were “uncertain by five miles or more” due to the large distances between seismographs stations in this Clustered quakes According to a formal yet prelimi- part of the country and the long disnary report provided by Dr. William L. tance from Azle to the nearest instruEllsworth of the Earthquake Science ments. Center at the U.S. Geological Survey PLEASE SEE USGS, PAGE 2A. Earthquake? Reno? They can’t be serious. They were, and things have not stopped shaking since. Now it looks like that map, which has appeared weekly in the Epigraph, may not be very accurate despite the care with which it was prepared.
Springtown’s 2013 in review: Part 1 BY MARK K. CAMPBELL A Springtown man, Randall Benton ketball games raised money for the Taff, was arrested for child pornograAmerican Cancer Society. Bad smells, postseason success, The Lady Porcupine basketball phy. voting, and a sad death highlighted the Twelve year old Bobby Kimbell team clinched a playoff berth with two first half of 2013. district games remaining with a 66-21 took second at the Fort Worth Stock show with an original piece of art. win over Lake Worth. January The SHS boys’ hoops team made the Cindy Haugen, a high school math Two boys, Austin Herring and Harrison Coleman, helped rescue an el- teacher, was a winner of a Jack Har- playoffs for the first time since 2006. Kalie Wells was named Miss Springvey Academy of Exemplary Teachers derly woman who had fallen. town Feb. 23 at the SHS auditorium. After a White Christmas, the New award. Fourth, fi fth, and sixth grade middle Year arrived with big rains. (JAN. 10, school students claimed 84 awards in February FP, FLOODED PARK) Donkey basketball raised funds for UIL competitions. A Weatherford man was killed near La Junta Jan. 16. Nicholas David the Springtown Ag Boosters. Camfi eld was arrested and charged A contract to beautify the Taber- March Springtown ISD superintendent nacle was awarded to PC Contractors, with murder. Mike Kelley was named the Chamber Chance Krause was selected to the LLC Feb. 12. The bid: $763,670.74. Two SHS wrestlers – Kolyn Wal- of Commerce’s Man of the Year. Association of Texas Small School Roni Catherine Lisenbe was arBands All-State Band; he played tenor drop and Cole Clifton – became the rested for killing her boyfriend. She fi rst-ever Springtown state qualifi ers saxophone. The annual Purple Out night at the to the state tournament. The former was later indicted but charges were high school gym during SHS bas- went 2-2 and the latter 1-2 in Austin. dropped in December.
In two separate incidents, Parker County Sheriff’s deputies made three arrests on the same Reno street, Arvel Circle, March 12. A disc golf course opened in Springtown Park. The annual POJO Relays were conducted in very cold conditions. April Springtown’s Showstoppers dance team competed in Galveston and came away with second, third, and fourth place awards. The Parker County Emergency Ser- Miss Springtown... vice District No. 1 received three new Kalie Wells fire engines. The cost: $1.18 million. The fi rst-ever Area track meet – Twin James and Jacob Sorah newly instituted by the UIL – was reached Eagle Scout status. conducted at Porcupine Stadium. Both SHS’ district, 6-3A, and 5-3A com- May peted. PLEASE SEE 2013, PAGE 3A.
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