Azle News
Volume 63, Number 47
Wednesday, May 6, 2015
THE
www.azlenews.net
Softball ladies roll; Area round next up Page 1B
Page 14A
Azle’s future
Spring Football at Azle High School
Priorities discussed at annual workshop BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN From economic development to infrastructure and drainage and from facilities to staffing and beautification, members of the Azle city council and key city staff brainstormed about priorities and possibilities during a workshop Saturday, April 25. For more than six hours, city leaders hashed out details, set goals and priorities and learned about the challenges associated with paying for everything that needs to be done. Following a presentation by City Manager Craig Lemin, council members and staff identified their own priorities for the city, which were then calculated using a point system to come up with the following consensus: 1. expand tax base via economic deDevon Dorris, Hornet head football coach, watches a play during spring drills. Azle, coming off its biggest winning year ever, is practicing for the 2015 slate. See more practice photos on Page 15A. Photo by Mark K. Campbell
Election Day is Saturday BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN candidates were unopposed – Mosier’s Hotly contested mayoral races in lawsuit came to light. The city council Azle and Reno seemed to draw more reached an agreement with her attorney than the usual number of people to that allowed Mosier to run for office. As of Tuesday afternoon, May 5, 462 vote during the early voting period votes had been cast early – either in from April 27-May 5. Although incumbents Bill Jones person or by mail – in the Azle election. That’s more votes than the total in Place 3, Paul Crabtree in Place 4, number of votes – and Lee Barrett in both early and on Place 6 are each Candidates’ info box Election Day – in running unopposed, two-term incumbent .........................see Page 2A the city’s May 2013 election. About 339 Mayor Alan Brunvotes were cast in drett faces a spirited that election. challenge from Laurel Mosier. The city’s election was canceled in Mosier, after filing an incomplete application for a place on the ballot, 2014 when no candidate was opposed. In Tarrant County, 317 citizens had sued the city of Azle and its city secretary in an attempt to secure a place voted early in person through Monday, while 106 had voted by mail. on the ballot. In Parker County, 39 citizens had As the city began the process of voted early in person; none had voted canceling its election – since all four
Azle, Reno mayoral races hot, early voting way up
len, John, “JB” Basham, Carol Houlihan, and Jody W. Works. Eric Hunter, the incumbent in Place 4, is running unopposed. Tuesday afternoon, with only a few hours remaining in the early voting period, 33 Reno citizens had voted early in person, 15 by mail. In the 2014 General Election, about 134 citizens voted; 117 votes were cast in the city’s 2013 General Election. Reno voters will vote Saturday at Reno City Hall, 195 West Reno Road Reno election Reno Mayor Lynda Stokes is in a in Reno. three-way battle for her seat, with David Andrews and Gilbert Morrow run- Pelican Bay Incumbent in Place 3, Sabra Swaim, ning against her. Andrews currently holds Place 2 on is running unopposed, while newcomthe Reno city council but chose to run er Ruth Burch is unopposed in her bid for mayor instead of defending that seat. for Place 5. But Glen Oberg, the incumbent in Four individuals are vying to replace Andrews in Place 2: Darrel Al- Place 4, faces a challenge from Carearly by mail through Tuesday at 2 p.m., with just hours remaining in the early voting period. Azle residents who live in Tarrant County may vote on Election Day, Saturday, May 9, from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. at the B.J. Clark Community Center located at 601 Southeast Parkway in Azle. Azle residents who live in Parker County will vote at the Azle Masonic Lodge, 257 West Main Street in Azle.
Azle man wins Will Rogers saddle making award in Irving
PLEASE SEE CITY, PAGE 4A.
roll French. Also on the ballot: A proposition to adopt an additional sales and use tax of one-half of one percent (one-half cent) for the purpose of reducing property taxes. As of the end of Monday, May 4, 15 Pelican Bay citizens had voted early in person, while eight had voted by mail. About 178 votes were cast in Pelican Bay’s General Election in 2014; about 108 citizens voted in 2013. Pelican Bay voters will vote Saturday at Pelican Bay City Hall, 1300 Pelican Circle in Pelican Bay. Other area elections canceled The Azle Independent School District, the town of Lakeside and the city of Sanctuary have canceled their elections for 2015, since no candidates face opposition.
Gator!
West hand-crafts leather, silver
Troy West makes one-of-a-kind saddles.
Azle’s Troy West has received high kudos for his leather skills. He won Will Rogers Cowboy Award for Saddlemaker from the Academy of Western Artists. He received his award before a full house at the 19th Annual Academy of Western Artists Will Rogers Awards, held in the Grand Ballroom at the Sheraton Hotel in Irving in March. West, who lives and works in Azle, has been building custom saddles for more than 35 years. The craftsman says he loves to create unique, one-of-a-kind pieces, whether it be a saddle or a hand-crafted silver buckle. West says his main priority is to build saddles that fit the horse and are comfortable to the rider. He achieves this by hand-crafting each saddle tree from start to finish in his saddle shop in Azle. After a perfect fit in the tree, he strives for the highest standards of beauty through quality materials and workmanship. In addition to making his own saddle trees, Troy also creates all his own custom silver for each saddle as well as oneof-a-kind buckle sets. Troy West Saddles can be found online at www.troywestsaddles.com.
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This Week in Azle History
This yearling alligator was spotted Monday, May 4, near the West Fork of the Trinity River between the Eagle Mountain Lake spillway and Lake Worth. A TRWD spokesperson said the critters are native to that area but stressed that there have been no sightings in Eagle Mountain Lake.
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30 Years Ago In May 1985, AHS junior Leah Dunn won the high jump at regional. At state, she became the first Azle female to win a medal; she cleared 5-4 to finish second.
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