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Volume 51, Number 50
$1 Springtown, Texas 76082
Springtown Chamber honors city’s finest John Conway remembered for his many contributions BY NATALIE GENTRY Springtown High School (SHS) was abuzz Saturday night, March 28, as members of the business community gathered to celebrate 2014's outstanding citizens, organizations, and businesses. The SHS Jazz Band – directed by Scott McPhetridge – provided the musical entertainment with a collection of soulful tunes. McPhetridge also led the assembly with a traditional solo trumpet rendition of the National Anthem. For the second year in a row, Blake May was named the chamber’s Ambassador of the Year. The next honor presented that evening was the Hometown Heroes award. This year’s honoree was Pastor Johnnie Conway in recognition of his dedication to church, chamber, and community. Doug Deweese spoke before a mu-
Hilltop Family Church Elder Doug Deweese embraces Cindy Conway, with daughter Jennifer Conway, after honoring her husband Pas-
PLEASE SEE CHAMBER, PAGE 3A. tor John Conway as this year’s Hometown Hero during the Chamber of Commerce's annual banquet.
Oh baby! BY NATALIE GENTRY The Springtown Police Department received a 911 call regarding a 2-yearold boy in the middle of the intersection of North Main (FM 51) and 5th Street at 4:54 a.m. on Sunday, March 29. According to Chief of Police Ed Crowdis, the passerby was able to get the toddler out of the road and made the call. Sgt. Curtis Hamlin responded and took custody of the child after they were unable to locate where he came from. Although there were no visible inju-
ries on the child, Hamlin called paramedics to the scene as a precaution, according to the incident report. He then took the boy to the police station. “We’re not exactly sure how long the child had been out of the house,” Crowdis, said. Hamlin noted in his report that while support staff cared for the child at the station, he, volunteers from the Springtown Fire Department, and a medic from Lifecare drove through the neighborhoods with emergency lights on for approximately 30 minutes. “[We] even had sirens going at one point trying to get the attention of
Photo by Carla Noah Stutsman
Toddler rescued from busy intersection, but no charges filed anyone who might not have been on the roadway but was out looking for a child,” he noted. “I had dispatch contact Child Protective Services (CPS) while I watched the child,” Hamlin said in the report. “I [also] notified my chain of command and had dispatch send out a three-region teletype in case anyone was working a case where a small child might be missing.” The child’s mother – who lives in Lake Worth – arrived at the police station at approximately 10 a.m. According to the report she stated she had left the child with a friend
Big Top Bravado
who lived in the 500 block of Dogwood around 9:30 p.m. the day before and was notified at about 8:30 a.m. that the toddler was gone. The child had travel approximately a quarter of a mile. “[The child’s mother] stated she and [her friend] searched the residence and the surrounding neighborhood before coming to the police department,” Hamlin said in the report. Crowdis said the babysitter wasn’t sure how the child was able to get out of the house. According to the report, the child’s mother stated that the children were
staying the night away from home to give her time to clean their house before a CPS visit Monday afternoon for separate accusations. Hamlin “informed [the mother] due to the danger the child had been in, I felt the need for CPS to determine if the child should be removed from her or released to her.” Hamlin required that the mother and child stay at the station until CPS arrived and decided what course of action was best for the child. A later call from the Springtown police confirmed that CPS released the children back to its mother.
Multiple deportee given 45 years for indecency intent
BY NATALIE GENTRY window just before 6 a.m. Israel Andrade, 36, of Mexico, According to the police report, the pleaded guilty in district court March nine year old told deputies she was 31 to burglary of a awakened by a man habitation with ingroping her as she tent to commit indeand her siblings slept cency with a child. on the couch in the He was sentenced family’s home. to 45 years in prisShe also said Anon for breaking drade motioned for into a Springtown her to follow him area home July 12, back to the bedroom 2014 and fondling a where he had entered 9-year-old girl. the home. This all occurred However, the girl after he had previran to her parents’ ously been deported bedroom and alerted from the United them to the man in States at least four the house. Israel Andrade times. Her parents im“The quick thinkmediately attempted ing actions of this brave young girl to contact law enforcement when they who decided to run for help rather noticed their cell phones and an HP than follow a criminal’s directions laptop were missing, according to the likely prevented this case from being report. much worse,” said Assistant District The child’s mother then drove to a Attorney Kathleen Catania. nearby convenience store and called Parker County Sheriff Deputies re- 911. The Springtown Lion’s Club hosted the Culpepper and Merriweather Circus March 25. The show Sheriff’s deputies found footprints wowed kids and adults alike with classic circus acts including clowns, tight wire walking, unicycles, sponded to the scene where Andrade trapeze artists, and animals of all kinds. Trey Key kicked off the show with the help of crowd favorite was reported to have forced his way Francis the lion. Photo by Natalie Gentry into the residence through a bedroom PLEASE SEE JAIL, PAGE 5A.
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