The Azle News

Page 1

Volume 62, Number 30

Azle News

Wednesday, January 8, 2014

THE

www.azlenews.net

New Year, new laws

AHS places 16 on All-District list Page 8A

Page 1B

Out with a bang? Railroad Commission hosts raucous meeting then…earthquakes stop? BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Which wasn’t much. Jim Lasater was the fi rst citizen to To his credit, Porter had earlier anspeak at a Town Hall meeting hosted nounced he was hosting the Town Hall by Texas Railroad Commissioner Da- meeting for the purpose of listening to vid Porter at a jam-packed Azle High residents’ concerns and outlining what he plans to do as Texas Railroad ComSchool Thursday, Jan. 2. missioner. He told Porter and But the folks were a panel assembled on not happy when they stage how a spate of learned there would earthquakes have afbe no “Q & A” at fected their lives that the meeting because he’d “just as soon the members of the panearthquakes somehow el strictly wanted to stop, if that’s poshear the experiences sible.” of area residents and Strangely, it’s alhow the earthquakes most as if the Comhave affected them. mission has granted Voice of the crowd The panel consisted Lasater’s wish. of Porter, Milton RisSo far, 25-plus earthquakes have occurred in the area ter, executive director of the Texas since Nov. 5, 2013, with the latest two Railroad Commission; Gil Bujano, di– both registering magnitudes of 3.3 – rector of the Commission’s oil and gas division; State Representative Charlie occurring Dec. 22 and 23. As of press time Tuesday, Jan. 7, Geren; and Parker County Judge Mark Riley. there have been none since. Representatives from the offi ces of Of course, no one knows when or if the tremors will resume, so the AHS State Representative Phil King, Conauditorium was full in anticipation of gresswoman Kay Granger, and Senator Jane Nelson were in attendance, what Porter had to say.

You’ll get this done quicker if you just pretend you live right here.”

The auditorium at Azle High School was packed for a Town Hall meeting about earthquakes. Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman

as were Azle Mayor Alan Brundrett, Reno Mayor Lynda Stokes, State Representative Lon Burnam, Parker County Commissioner George Conley, Tarrant County Commissioner J.D. Johnson and Wise County Com-

missioners Kevin Burns and Harry However, he didn’t identify himself, Lawrence. opening the door for some shouting Following welcoming remarks from from the audience – “Who are you?!” Brundrett, Porter stepped to the micro- – as well as some minor heckling. phone to assure locals he is very con“Regardless of what you’ve read in cerned and involved in the issue.

PLEASE SEE RAILROAD, PAGE 2A.

Driver didn’t bother to knock

Crime scene tape surrounds an Eagle Mountain Lake home after a Jeep Liberty ran a stop sign and plowed into the home Dec. 30, causing extensive damage.

Vehicle hits residence, then flees BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Rick and Mary Whitbeck’s home on Eagle Mountain Lake has been broken into three times in the last decade, so the couple decided to install security cameras. They never dreamed what those cameras would record when they took a short trip to Austin recently. Neighbors contacted the Tarrant County Sheriff’s Offi ce (TCSO) Monday morning, Dec. 30, after observing severe damage to the Whitbeck’s home. The home is located on Wells Burnett Road – right across from the spot where Hanger Cut-Off Road “Ts” into Wells Burnett. Sheriff’s deputies quickly concluded a vehicle had literally driven into

Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman

the front of the house. Their conclusion was borne out with footage from the Whitbeck’s security cameras, which showed a white or light-colored Jeep Liberty that ran the stop sign on Hanger Cutoff Road at Wells Burnett Road at 2:32 a.m. Dec. 30. The Liberty continued on, almost striking a culvert, before it drove up the Whitbeck’s driveway and crashed into their front door. Seconds later, the vehicle backed up and fled the area. Bearing out the old saying that the criminal always returns to the scene of the crime, the cameras reveal the Liberty returned about seven minutes after it left. When the initial call came in, it was

unknown when the incident had occurred, so deputies enlisted the help of Azle police and Tarrant Regional Water District police to check the surrounding area for damaged vehicles. By Friday, Jan. 3, Tarrant County Sheriff’s investigators had identifi ed a suspect vehicle. They questioned a 20-year-old woman about the incident, but so far have no arrest has been made. Lt. Clint Harwell, spokesperson for TCSO, has confi rmed that Meghan Webb, who lives in Tarrant County, was issued two citations on Tuesday, Jan. 7 – one for running a stop sign and a second for reckless damage. Other news reports indicate the damage to both the exterior and interior of the home could exceed $20,000.

Azle 2013 in review, Part 2 BY MARK K. CAMPBELL Earthquakes, band success, zebra August Homeowners around Silver Creek mussels, ice storms, and more earthquakes highlighted the second part of Road complained about a bad smell that came from a business that composted 2013. fresh produce and tree branches. The annual “turning over” of Eagle July After more than 250 victories and Mountain Lake meant residents suffered 19 years in Azle, Lady Hornet softball through bad smelling and tasting water; but the city said it was healthy. coach Vera Ortega left for Brewer. A Tarrant County man drowned in the Amanda Nicole Clary, disturbed that her boyfriend was seeing another wom- lake near Power Squadron Road in Pelian, burned some clothes that led to the can Bay. Azle ISD set a bond election for Nov. total destruction of his house south of 5 to include a new gym, a new career town. The city council fi lled the fi nal ofand technology building, and sprinklers seven places on the Municipal Devel- throughout the high school. After 23 years as an Azle police ofopment District approved by voters in May. The group: Paul Crabtree; Dr. Wil- fi cer, Lee Blaisdell retired to work for liam Chambers; Joe McCormick; Ray the Tarrant County District Attorney’s Ivey; Jack Stevens; Kevin Ingle; and offi ce. Justin Berg. A day-long rain on July 15 set a new September James Casey, former Azle High all-time low high temperature for the area, 74 degrees. The old record of 79 School standout athlete, was highlighted on Monday Night Football’s opening was 113 years old. Neola Louise Robinson was charged night. Some footage shot around town with murdering her husband, Shorty, in was used in the televised package. AHS grad Andrew Greer, Class of 2010. His remains were dug up in the 2000, was a Dove Award nominee for couple’s yard. Council approved ground spraying to his gospel album All Things Bright & kill mosquitos to get ahead of a possible Beautiful: Hymns for the Seasons. Azle Junior High School teacher Ann West Nile Virus threat. Work continued on improvements Huffhines was shot several times in Fort to Hornet Field – including new turf, Worth; she survived. The Azle varsity football squad lost sound system, and lights – and an indoor its fi rst game on the new and improved facility on the AHS campus.

Hornet Field, 34-14 to Cleburne. Eagle Mountain Lake was included in a Texas Parks and Wildlife plan to thwart the spread of zebra mussels, an invasive species. Azle’s Tori Martin competed in a Battle of the Bands and performed at the State Fair in Dallas. The annual Sting Fling, the city’s biggest festival, went off successfully initially but heavy rains shut down the event early. An Azle man, Charles Wayne Holbrook, got life without parole for sexually abusing a young girl for five years.

A multi-agency manhunt ended in the The Azle High School volleyball death of Winford Raynard Watkins who team raised $5,000 for Susan G. Komen did not want to return to prison. during breast cancer awareness month. October Erica Roberts was crowned HomeThe AHS Marching Green Pride qualLew and Sandy Shaffer released Reach Out Your Hand 2, a compilation coming Queen while Cody Beam was ifi ed for the state band competition by PLEASE SEE LOOKING, PAGE 3A. of inspirational stories submitted by elected King. community members and friends. The city was fi ned $14,000 by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality; TCEQ permitted Azle to perform a Supplemental Environmental The News is getting some negative feedback from Part 1 of our Year in ReProject – a one-day, citywide clean-up view, claiming that we were selective on what constituted the major stories in – to pay the fine. Azle in 2013. A motorcycle wreck tied up Highway We have heard complaints that we included some sex crime stories while 199 traffic at rush hour for four hours. omitting others. At the Fort Worth Stockyards, the The intent of the Year in Review is to include the biggest stories – one of annual Levis and Lace gala collected which was an elected public offi cial resigning because of an indiscretion – not thousands of dollars for a walk-in care make the article a running tally of every sexual crime committed locally. clinic for Texas Health Harris Methodist The News has, and will remain, transparent on any issues of public imporHospital Azle. tance that pertain to our staff and/or its family members. We reported on two Azle’s Inasmuch Food Pantry collect- such events in 2013, both on the front page. ed a $2,000 grant from the Tarrant Area However, neither of those crimes was committed by a public official. Food Bank. That is what differentiated that 2013 story from others of the same ilk.

Follow us on Twitter @TheAzleNews

This week in Azle History

CLARIFICATION

Like The Azle News on Facebook

30 YEARS AGO In January 1984, the school board met and eliminated the position of athletic director. AD Sonny Lang was reassigned.

20 pages plus supplements

$1 Azle, Texas 76020


Turn static files into dynamic content formats.

Create a flipbook
Issuu converts static files into: digital portfolios, online yearbooks, online catalogs, digital photo albums and more. Sign up and create your flipbook.