Volume 62, Number 35
Azle News
Wednesday, February 12, 2014
THE
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AzleChamberofCommerce
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Special Section
Page 1B
2014
Azle Area Chamber of Commerce Awa rd
A Special Section Wednesday February 12, 201 4
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Azle News The
FM 730 North Collision
Firefi ghters from Lake Worth, LaJunta and Eagle Mountain pitched in to help Azle fi refi ghters with a fi re that destroyed a Shoreline Drive home early Monday morning. Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman
Shoreline Drive home burns
Four people were taken to Texas Health Azle with non-life-threatening injuries following a rear-end collision in the 11600 block of FM 730 North Feb. 4. The crash occurred about 7 p.m. when Michael S. Fields, 52, of Azle, drove a white 1988 Ford F150 into the rear of a red 2009 Saturn Outlook driven by Misty D. Dale also of Azle. Dale, with three juvenile passengers, was stopped with her left turn signal on, waiting to turn left into a parking lot when she was struck from behind. The impact pushed Dale’s vehicle onto the west shoulder of the roadway. Fields’ vehicle veered to the right (east) into the parking lot of a convenience store, where it struck the gas island. Fields was arrested at the scene for driving while intoxicated; however, he was released to medical personnel who transported him to the hospital and a warrant will be issued for his arrest at a later date. Dale and two of the juveniles in her vehicle were treated and released from the hospital, according to Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman the police report.
BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN as well as their crews. Parker County’s Fire destroyed a vacant home in the LifeCare Medic 3 stood by to provide 200 block of Shoreline Drive South in for any medical needs, and Parker the early morning hours of Monday, County Emergency Services District 1 Chief Eric Vinson also answered the Feb. 10. A neighbor called 911 at 12:12 a.m. call. to report the fi re, and the fi rst truck Scott, Wilson, and Azle Emergency arrived eight minutes later, Azle Fire Services Administrator, Eddy Wood rounded out the command team. Chief Will Scott said. Scott said fi refi ghters battled the fi re “The original call said it was unknown if there were any occupants in in 34-degree temperatures with 5-10 the house, but we were able to deter- mile-per-hour winds and a steady mist mine later that no one was inside at the falling. The fi re was under control at 1:33 time of the fire,” Scott said. a.m. and fi refi ghters cleared the scene It’s a good thing. When fi refi ghters arrived, the home at 4:14 a.m., Scott said. was fully involved with heavy fi re, so Wilson and a team of fi re investigatheir only option was to set up a defen- tors continue to look into the cause of the fi re, but on Feb. 11, he said it apsive attack. It turns out recent occupants of the pears to be electrical in nature. BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN “We see some evidence that somehome had been asked to move out by Even though it’s now been three the home’s owners. Fire Marshal Ken- one had ‘jumped’ the electrical ser- weeks since the U.S. Geological Sony Wilson said those occupants had vice at the home, possibly in an effort ciety (USGS) has reported an earthto steal electricity (by bypassing the quake in the Azle/Reno area, rebeen gone little more than a week. Firefi ghters from Lake Worth FD, meter),” Wilson said. “We’re still in- searchers from Southern Methodist Eagle Mountain VFD and LaJunta vestigating, but right now, it looks like University (SMU) say seismic activity VFD answered the call to assist with that’s going to be the cause.” continues here. Wilson said the home is a total loss manpower and apparatus. Heather DeShon, associate profesAzle Fire Department utilized its and estimated the damages to be about sor of geophysics at SMU and the lead engine, ambulance, and rescue trucks $70,000. researcher on the Azle area study says a network of sensors has detected numerous small quakes – too small to report to USGS. Still, that seismic activity provides data for the study and can be useful to scientists trying to determine whether there’s a link between the recent swarm of 30-plus earthquakes in Last year, the Azle Independent Azle ISD will provide an iPad for ev- the area and the wastewater injection School District’s (AISD) Board of ery student in grades pre-kindergarten wells located nearby, DeShon said. The only catch is that it could be a Trustees voted to allow open enroll- through 12. The district already proyear or even two before researchers ment – a policy that allows students vides iPads to all students in grades who live outside the district’s bound- 7-12. Azle will be one of the fi rst dis- collect enough data, decipher it, and tricts in Texas to reach this one-to-one publish the findings. aries to enroll in AISD schools. The SMU research team unveiled It’s a policy that has already paid off iPad goal. The additional state funding from a website containing information in a big way, according to Superintenstudent transfers went a long way to about the study which can be viewed dent Dr. Ray Lea. at http://smu.edu/smunews/earthStudents wishing to attend AISD reach this goal, Lea said. quakestudy/study-faqs.asp#top. “All these transfer students actuschools must meet strict academic, The main page text is the summary disciplinary and attendance criteria in ally reside in other school attendance order to qualify, and are only accepted zones, yet their parents choose to of the goals for the research, and the transport them to Azle ISD because FAQs provide answers to individual on a space-available basis. Currently, 123 out-of-district trans- of a reputation of outstanding teach- questions. The SMU website provides links fer students attend AISD schools. ers and caring staff members,” Lea These students generate an additional said. “Parents have cited their prefer- to the U.S. Geological Survey Earth$870,000 in state funding for the dis- ence for a school with exemplary aca- quake Education web page and the demics and technology as reasons for Texas Earthquakes web page suptrict. ported by the University of Texas at This boost in funding has been used choosing Azle.” Azle ISD continues to receive re- Austin. to purchase technology throughout the Additionally, SMU has purchased quests to transfer from parents, Lea district. an Incorporated Research Institutions In the very near future, Lea said, added.
SMU quake study ongoing Results could be years in coming
123 = $870K
Transfer students mean big money for AISD
Members of the SMU earthquake research team install a broadband seismicity monitor inside a storage building in the Reno/ Azle area. At left is Chris Hayward, director of SMU Geophysics Research Projects and leader of the monitor installation team. At right, Heather DeShon, SMU associate professor of geophysics and leader of the Reno-Azle research team and Remi Oldham, SMU geophysics Ph.D. candidate and member of the monitor installation team look on. Photo by Hillsman Jackman, SMU photographer for Seismology (IRIS) Active Earth Monitor, which is a customizable computer-based earth science display designed for schools, libraries, etc. The system provides an interactive way to learn about earthquakes. The SMU research team is designing a Reno-Azle-specifi c module for this system and plans to place the sys-
tem in a public area in the Reno-Azle area as soon it is delivered in March or April. In the meantime, Commissioners and staff at the Railroad Commission of Texas say they are still in the process of interviewing candidates for the position of in-house seismologist.
Many races uncontested as fi ling continues in general election BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN The cities of Azle and Pelican Bay, the town of Lakeside and the Azle Independent School District (AISD) are each prepared to hold elections on May 10. The earliest day to fi le an application for a place on the ballot was
Wednesday, Jan. 29. The last day is Friday, Feb. 28. The fi nal day a candidate may withdraw from the election is March 5. In cases where each candidate within a municipality or school district is running unopposed, the entity has the option to choose to cancel the general
election and declare each candidate elected. It’s an opportunity that can save a city, town or school district some sizeable change. With less than three weeks remaining in the fi ling period, it’s beginning to look like the AISD, the city of Azle and the town of Lake-
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This Week in Azle History
Rothenberger in Place 5 each applied for a place on the ballot during the fi rst week of the filing period. City of Azle According to City Secretary NorAll three incumbents signed up early to defend their seats on Azle’s city ma Zenk, no one has yet fi led to run against any of the incumbents. council. Dr. William Chambers in Place 1, David McClure in Place 2, and Rouel PLEASE SEE FILING, PAGE 2A. side could get that opportunity.
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5 Years Ago In February 2009, the AHS boys’ basketball team earned Azle’s fi rst district hoops title since 1997 with a 76-38 win over Springtown. John Derr led scorers with 32 points.
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