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Volume 52, Number 21
$1 Springtown, Texas 76082
Man who fired at deputies shot dead
Little Race on the Prairie
BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN An armed man who repeatedly called the Parker County Sheriff’s Office demanding to speak to deputies was killed after he fired at deputies Friday night, Sept. 4. The dead man has been identified as Sully Joe Lanier, 36, by the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office, and his cause of death ruled a highvelocity gunshot wound of the neck. According to a press release from Sheriff Larry Fowler, the incident began about 10:30 p.m. when Lanier began repeatedly calling the Sheriff’s telecommunications center, demanding to speak to deputies before hanging up. He specifically told dispatchers he had a gun. Lady Porcupine Rian Kinney leads a pack of runners through the North Texas prairie at SHS’ first When deputies arrived at Lanier’s cross country meet of the season at Boyd. MORE PHOTOS, STORY ON 12A! Photo by Mark K. Campbell location in the 100 block of Couch
Court, off Highland Circle about halfway between Springtown and Azle, dispatchers repeatedly asked the man to surrender peacefully. Instead, Lanier threatened to kill “the first cop I see” and made demands before ceasing all communications with authorities. Lanier exited the home and charged at deputies, ignoring orders to get on the ground. He continued advancing toward deputies, firing an AR15 rifle five times in their direction. Sheriff’s deputies returned fire, striking the suspect in the neck. They immediately secured the scene and called for paramedics. Lanier died at the scene. At the request of PCSO, the Texas Rangers are investigating the incident.
Springtown pair killed in Arlington hit-and-run Neighbors say they leave behind a 9-year-old son BY NATALIE GENTRY Arlington police are searching for a person or people involved in a hit-andrun crash that killed two people early Saturday, Sept. 5. Tammy McLain, 40, of Springtown, and an unidentified man were killed after being struck in the 2400 block of West Division Street just after 2 a.m. that morning. According to police reports, the ve-
hicle that hit them did not stop. Both pedestrians were pronounced dead at the scene. Police said the vehicle that struck them likely has damage to its front end. Hours later police released footage from a nearby QuikTrip convenience store showing a “person of interest,” but on Monday afternoon they said the man had come forward and been
cleared of any involvement in the hitand-run. A statement was released via the Arlington police Twitter feed. “We have determined through an interview the person and vehicle of interest are not connected to the pedestrian fatality,” it said. “[The] investigation continues.” According to reports, the footage from the QuikTrip does not show the
hit-and-run. Although no official information has been released, neighbors in Springtown identified the man killed with McLain as her husband. They also said the couple leaves behind a 9-year-old son. Police say public assistance in this case will be critical because of a lack of actual evidence at the scene.
APD Lt. Chris Cook has a message for the driver. “It’s still not too late to come forward and give us your side of the story,” he said. “It’s still a criminal investigation, but we still want to determine what happened.” Anyone with information about this crime should call Arlington police at 817-459-5635.
Keep the green fires burning
Shoot... or don’t
Store hosts Hatch chile pepper roast
Gunfire in Reno unregulated
BY NATALIE GENTRY Hatch salsa. Hatch burgers. Even Hatch quiche. It’s Hatch chile season again and the hearty green peppers are everywhere. Brookshire’s in Springtown hosted its first-ever Hatch chile roast Sept. 6 to celebrate the short season when fresh peppers are available. Mark Baumann, store manager, said the location roasted approximately 20 cases of Hatches. “We sold almost 500 pounds of the chiles that day,” he said. “Many people purchased entire cases.” But don’t worry if you missed the
first roast; Brookshire’s will be hosting another one this Saturday, Sept. 12. What to look for... According to The Hatch Chile Store website, the typical season for the pepper runs through August and September. When choosing a pepper look for bright green chiles – the brighter, the better. They should be heavy for their size, with smooth, tight skin. When the Hatch chile is squeezed, it should be firm. The peppers should keep for about
Grown in the Hatch Valley region of New Mexico, Hatch chiles are a versatile green pepper with a short season running from August through September. Photo by Natalie Gentry four days in the refrigerator but can be vary widely from the common – such as salsa – to the unusual. frozen for up to a year. Hatch chocolate cookies or Hatch and pear sorbet, anyone? Pepper preparation No matter how they are prepared, Roast them: toss the peppers on the now is the time to stock up on the pepgrill until the skin blisters. Bake them: put them in the oven and pers. Hatch season arrives in a flurry, broil for about seven minutes at 450 degrees – again, look for the skin to and disappears just as quickly, so enjoy these unique peppers while blister. Recipes that call for Hatch chiles you can.
BY CARLA NOAH STUTSMAN The right to bear arms is one vehemently defended by many – if not most – Texans. But gunfire in a couple of Reno neighborhoods has some residents on edge. While there is an ordinance on the books governing subdivisions located in unincorporated portions of Parker County, the city of Reno has no ordinance of any kind related to the discharge of a firearm, according to Reno Mayor Lynda Stokes. PLEASE SEE GUNFIRE PAGE 3A.
Honoring One of Their Own
The Springtown Police Department was joined by Springtown and LaJunta firefighters, city personnel, and town residents as they took part in a statewide effort to honor fallen Harris County Deputy Darren Goforth Sept. 4 at 11 a.m. Photo courtesy Springtown Police Department
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