Volume 63, Number 13
Azle News
Wednesday, September 10, 2014
THE
YouGuirde To
www.azlenews.net
Paws for effect
Azle crushes Red Oak
STING FLING
Page 1B
Page 15A
Special Section
2014
Challenge Accepted
Wednesday September 10, 2014
SPECIAL SUP
Azle News The
PLEMENT
The Azle Independent School District Board of Trustees, plus Superintendent Dr. Ray Lea, answered the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge Thursday, Sept. 4, at the Azle Junior High stadium. Lea had previously taken the plunge at home after a challenge from his brother-in-law, but when one was issued by board Secretary Shannon Hart and President Bill Lane, Lea extended the challenge to include the entire board. In turn, the AISD board members solicited Azle Mayor Alan Brundrett, the Azle City Council and City Manager, Craig Lemin, and Texas gubernatorial candidates Wendy Davis and Greg Abbott. Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman
Man jailed for trying to take officer’s gun by carla noah stutsman An Azle man who repeatedly called 9-1-1 for help, then fought with an Azle police officer and attempted to take his weapon is now in jail. James Roland Grigg, 42, of Azle, was arrested Sept. 2 in the 600 block of Alameda Road and charged with assault on a public servant, a thirddegree felony, as well as with attempting to take a weapon from an officer, a state jail felony. Grigg was transferred to the Tarrant County jail, where he remained Sept.
9 in lieu of $100,000 bond. A judge set bond at $40,000 for the assault charge and at $60,000 for attempting to take the officer’s weapon. According to police, Grigg – who has a history of assault and is known by Azle officers from prior incidents – placed multiple 9-1-1 calls, saying he was having difficulty breathing. When emergency medical responders arrived, they requested police. When Azle Officer Jonathan Cramer got on scene, Grigg said he didn’t need any help and ordered Cramer off
his property. Then, Grigg came toward Cramer in an aggressive manner, with clenched fists. Cramer could smell alcohol on Grigg, so when he turned to walk away, Cramer reached for Grigg’s wrist. That’s when Grigg pulled away and struck Cramer on the left side of his face. Cramer tried to restrain Grigg, but a struggle ensued during which Grigg unsecured Cramer’s holster and gained
James Roland Grigg
GPS helps TCSO and PBPD PDQ
Oncor contractor to trim trees locally Crews from Nelson Tree Service will begin trimming trees along local power lines beginning Sept. 10 – a project Oncor Electric Delivery, who contracted the tree service, expects to take six to eight weeks. Tree-trimming will begin at Scotland Avenue at SH 199. Working only on the southwest side of the highway, they’ll move northwest into the downtown Azle area before heading north on FM 730 North. Neighborhoods on both sides of FM 730 North will be trimmed as far north as Walnut Creek Drive on the west and Stribling Drive on the east. Many power outages within the Oncor service area are due to trees that have grown tall enough to be
access to his weapon. By that time, Azle Fire Marshal Kenny Wilson and Tarrant Regional Water District Officer Sean Campbell had arrived to back Cramer up. Cramer was able to retain his weapon in the struggle, and, with help from Wilson and Campbell, Grigg was subsequently arrested and transported to the Azle jail.
blown into or fall onto power lines, an Oncor spokesperson said. If you have questions or concerns, contact Michael Dimas, area manager for Oncor Electric Deliv-
by carla noah stutsman Sometimes it just pays to protect your own stuff. An Azle man who took a proactive approach to protecting his property helped police in locating his stolen motorcycle – and the two people who stole it. Joseph William Cordell, 17, of Azle, was charged with theft of stolen property $1,500-20,000 related to the theft. He held was in the Tarrant County jail as of Sept. 9 in lieu of $15,000 bond. A juvenile male was also charged in the crime and transported to the Tarrant County Juvenile Detention Center. The motorcycle owner, who lives inside the city limits of Azle, discovered his motorcycle missing on the morning of Sept. 2. According to a report filed by Pelican Bay police, the man then used his home computer to track the motorcycle via the SPOT GPS locator he had earlier installed on the bike. The man told PBPD Deputy Chief Stephen Combs, Sr. that the tracking device indicated his stolen motorcycle was inside a structure in the
ery, at 817-215-6331. For additional information about pruning trees near power lines, visit Oncor’s website: www.oncor.com/ EN/Pages/Tree-Pruning.aspx.
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This Week in In September 1979, AISD enrollment reached 3,500 for Azle History the first time. The high school welcomed 1,145 students. 35 Years Ago
1500 block of Sheri Lane South in the Bay. Three Tarrant County Sheriff’s deputies, who had previously been contacted by the motorcycle owner, were at the Sheri Lane South residence when Combs arrived, and noted motorcycle tire tracks leading into the yard and toward the front door of the residence. Police also found the license plate belonging to the vehicle in the front yard of the residence. According to the report, Combs knocked on the door but no one answered. When he looked through a window, Combs observed two white males lying in the living room and a large object in the kitchen covered by a blanket. A motorcycle tire was visible under the blanket. Repeated attempts to wake the two males were unsuccessful; but when the owner of the residence arrived, she authorized officers to enter. They did, recovering the stolen motorcycle with very little damage, and arresting both Cordell and the juvenile male for the crime.
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$1 Azle, Texas 76020