Wednesday, April 23, 2014
Volume 62 Number 45
Azle News THE
www.azlenews.net
Lady Hornets softball wins district Page 9A
Easter Scenes
Page 1B
The Race is On! The start of the annual Azle First Assembly of God Easter EGG-stravaganza sent hundreds of excited youngsters racing into grassy Central Park to collect 15,000 eggs April 19. Those colored orbs lasted about two minutes. Afterward, the church offered free drinks and hot dogs to participants on the sun-splashed morning. Photo by Mark K. Campbell
What-a-deal!
Boyd Road Rollover
Bond refi saves taxpayers more than expected BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN A fi nancial move intended to save the city of Azle more than $118,000 in interest on water and sewer bonds issued in 2004 was more successful than city officials anticipated. In fact, the sale of the Series 2004 Waterworks and Sewer System Revenue Refunding and Improvement Bonds, which occurred Tuesday, April 15 – Tax Day – ended up saving the city $190,000 at today’s value. The bonds, with a balance of $2,165,000, would have become callable on Aug. 1. The city’s fi nancial advisors, First Southwest Company, had earlier projected the bonds could be sold at an interest rate of around 2.55 percent. The existing interest rate prior to the sale was 4.377 percent. However, according to First Southwest Company representative Sara Bedford, on the day of the sale, American National Bank of Terrell agreed
to purchase the bonds at an interest rate of 2.04 percent. In all, the city will save about $268,000 over the 11 years remaining in the life of the bonds. That translates to an annual savings of about $27,000. “A savings of 4 to 5 percent is considered good, and this sale represents a savings of 8.7 percent,” Bedford told the council. “It really was an opportune time to take advantage of a sale.” That sale was accomplished through a private placement of the bonds, which is, according to a staff memo to council members, economically and administratively less costly than selling in the open market. On a motion from Mayor Pro Tem Bill Jones, seconded by council member Dr. William Chambers, the measure was approved unanimously. A quorum was present for the meeting in spite of the absence of council members Paul Crabtree and Lee Barrett.
Recent rains don’t dampen drought Stage One water restrictions remain in place BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Recent rains, while refreshing, are nowhere near enough to put a dent into drought-stricken North Texas. With area lakes as low as they’ve been in years, both the city of Azle and Tarrant Regional Water District (TRWD) remain under Stage One of their identical Drought Contingency Plans. For area residents both inside and
outside the city limits, that means mandatory water restrictions – something a bit unusual for springtime in North Texas. Now that the “just before Easter” freeze is behind us and folks are beginning to get outside, work in their yards, and tune up the sprinklers, it’s time for a reminder of the schedule. Residents and businesses may water
An 11-year-old boy was seriously injured about 4 p.m. Saturday, April 19, when he was ejected from a black 2002 Cadillac Escalade. The boy was not wearing a seatbelt, according to the accident report. The driver of the Escalade, 41-year-old Esteban Martinez, failed to yield the right-of-way from the stop sign on Boyd Court and was broadsided by a northbound 2011 Ford Mustang. The impact caused the Escalade to overturn and the child was ejected through the rear passenger window. Azle Fire Department paramedics transported him to the helipad at Texas Health Azle where a waiting CareFlite air ambulance fl ew him to Cook Children’s Hospital in Fort Worth. Brandie Renae Cress, 31, of Odessa, the driver of the Mustang, suffered minor injuries but refused treatment at the scene. Her passengers, Brenda Cress and Blake Roberts, were uninjured in the crash.
PLEASE SEE STAGE ONE, PAGE 3A.
Photos by Carla Noah Stutsman
Early voting begins April 28 BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN Early voting for the May 10 General Election begins Monday, April 28 across Texas. Locally, the cities of Azle, Lakeside, and Sanctuary have canceled elections because no races in those cities are contested. However, there is one race in the Azle Independent School District (AISD), and several in both Pelican Bay and Reno. Regardless of which election you
are voting in, locals should vote at a polling place located in the county in which they live. For example, a voter in the AISD election who lives in Tarrant County may vote early at any Tarrant County Early Voting location. However, a Parker County resident wishing to vote in the same election must do so at a Parker County Early Voting location. Across the board, polls will be open April 28-30, as well as May 2 and
• River Oaks City Hall, 4900 River Oaks Boulevard, River Oaks • Sansom Park City Hall, 5705 Azle Avenue, Sansom Park Application for ballots by mail in Tarrant County can be downloaded at May 5 from 8 a.m.-5 p.m. On both May 1 and May 6, polls www.tarrantcounty.com/elections. They must be submitted no later will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. than the close of business on May 1 by mail or fax to: Tarrant County Early Voting Clerk In Tarrant County, the nearest Early PO Box 961011 Voting locations are: Fort Worth, TX 76161-0011 • B.J. Clark Annex, Room 4, 603 Southeast Parkway, Azle Parker County • Eagle Mountain-Saginaw ISD Administration, Building 6, TrainParker County Early Voting locaing Room, 1200 Old Decatur Road, tions include: Saginaw • Azle Masonic Lodge, 257 West
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This Week in Azle History
40 Years Ago
Main Street, Azle • Springtown City Hall, 102 East 2nd Street, Springtown • Parker County Courthouse Annex kitchen, 1112 Santa Fe Drive, Weatherford Application for ballots by mail can be obtained by calling 817-598-6185. They must be received by the Early Voting Clerks no later than the close of business on May 1. Applications for ballot by mail should be mailed to: Robert Parten Early Voting Clerk 1112 Santa Fe Drive Weatherford, TX 76086
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In April 1974, the Azle School Board approved Eagle Heights Elementary Principal Bobby Boyd to replace retiring R. H. Copeland as the ISD’s director of special services.
22 pages plus supplements
$1 Azle, Texas 76020