The Springtown Epigraph

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Thursday, August 13, 2015

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Lady Porcupines fall in first volleyball game Page 9A Porcupines Getting Ready for 2015

SPD programs planned Page 2A Hints to beat the Page 1B heat

Volume 52, Number 17

$1 Springtown, Texas 76082

TEA says SISD ‘met standards’ BY NATALIE GENTRY Springtown Independent School District (SISD) “met standards” as a district, according to accountability summaries released by the Texas Education Agency (TEA). In addition, two SISD campuses received distinction designations. Springtown High School received acknowledgement for “top 25 percent progress,” in English and Language Arts and Science. Additionally, Springtown Middle School earned designations in “top 25

percent progress” and “top 25 percent gap closure.” Out of eight specific areas in the community and stunt engagement section, the district was rated as “exemplary” or “recognized” in all but one area. This year, all SISD campuses earned the “met standards” rating in the academic accountability section. Four categories – called indexes – are utilized to calculate ratings: student achievement on standardized PLEASE SEE SISD, PAGE 4A.

Man gets 20 years for DWI; fled from SPD In a trial that concluded Aug. 11, a Parker County jury sentenced a Weatherford man, who fled from Springtown police, to a pair of 10-year prison sentences. Emmett Austin Shaw, 30, was intoxicated last September when he led officers on a high speed chase – at speeds over 120 miles per hour – that ended when he rear ended another car and caused serious injuries to that vehicle’s driver. A Springtown Police Department sergeant noticed Shaw passing a box truck on an unimproved shoulder of FM 51 in southern Springtown in the early evening hours on Sept. 6. This maneuver caused the truck to take evasive action to avoid a collision, according to Assistant District Attorney Jeff Swain, who tried the case for the prosecution with Assistant District Attorney Kathleen Catania. When the officer turned around to conduct a traffic stop, Shaw accelerated to over 120 mph as he headed Porcupines battle for the ball during two-a-days. Springtown will host Sanger Friday, Aug. 14 in the southbound toward Weatherford. first of two scrimmages before the season opener at Decatur Aug. 14. Photo by Mark K. Campbell As the 8-mile pursuit continued, it

Emmett Austin Shaw started to rain, eventually to the point that the SPD officer terminated the pursuit. However, just over the next hill, Shaw’s Honda ran into the rear of a Ford Escape being driven by Deana Mathes, a court clerk for Justice of the Peace Precinct 2. The collision left a debris field of PLEASE SEE WOMAN, PAGE 6A.

Aiding in the flight of the Monarchs Springtown begins looking at the possibility of a butterfly ‘waystation’ BY NATALIE GENTRY During its monthly meeting, the Springtown Beautification Committee discussed the possibility of adding a Monarch butterfly waystation to the area of Optimist Park where the creek is being widened. According to the U.S. Forest Service (USFS), waystations are gardens that provide the imperiled butterflies with resources necessary to sustain their multi-generational migration. Springtown City Administrator Doug Hughes said the idea is still in its initial stage. “There is a lot of homework the committee must do before they can commit to a project,” Hughes said. “Damon Liles will be speaking with the Parker County Master Gardeners and the Parker County Extension Agency to see if they can be of assistance with the project.” The two essential elements of a Monarch waystation are milkweed and water. The USFS urges gardeners to use native species as they are the plants monarchs have depended on for

years. “Native plants are adapted to your local environment and do not require the extra care that plants from faraway places require,” the USFS website states. They also provide an information sheet with suggested milkweed species for the region including Green Antelopehorn Milkweed, Antelopehorn Milkweed, and Zizotes Milkweed. “Flight of the Butterflies,” a website dedicated to the Monarch migration, says that these insects have been making this journey for thousands of years, and notes that Texas is the only state all migrating Monarchs must cross to reach their wintering sites. The site also notes that the number of butterflies is typically 12 times denser as they funnel through Texas than when they began their trip. This concentration of butterflies is why the migratory path through the Lone Star State is called the “Texas Texas is the only state that all Monarch butterflies pass through during migration. Plans are underway Funnel.” to create a “waystation” for the insects at the former Optimist Park. Photo by Paula Campbell

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