The Springtown Epigraph

Page 1

The

Thursday, August 27, 2015

Heritage

15 Fall 20

Texas Trick Ropers

A tour of local wineries

a Finding ‘lost’ forest

WWW.SPRINGTOWN-EPIGRAPH.NET

Football coach talks 2015 season

Volume 52, Number 19

Page 11A

West Nile is here forever

INSIDE! The new Heritage!

Page 6A

ws AzletoNwen Epigraph

Spring

$1 Springtown, Texas 76082

Drowned FWPD officer a Springtown resident Whitworth remembered for 25 years in law enforcement

Harlan Tray Whitworth

Photo courtesy Fort Worth Police Association

A Fort Worth police officer from Springtown died Friday, Aug. 21 in Ardmore, Oklahoma while scuba diving. Harlan Tray Whitworth, 49, drowned at Lake Murray. According to a report from the Oklahoma Highway Patrol, Whitworth and three other divers were at the Lake Murray Steel Towers. Whitworth was trying to retrieve an anchor he had found on a previous dive when he became separated from his diving gear. The gear surfaced without Whit-

worth. Authorities say he was underwater for about 20 minutes. His body was recovered by a diver, discovered with the use of sonar equipment around 3:30 p.m. Whitworth was taken to Mercy Hospital where the medical examiner pronounced him dead. Officials said the diver who recovered Whitworth’s body would be taken to Fort Worth for continued evaluation after being treated for decompression sickness. A 17-year veteran with FWPD,

Farewell to Summer...Almost

Whitworth had previously worked at Irving PD, according to his LinkedIn profile. In a message posted on its Facebook page Saturday, Aug. 22, the Fort Worth Police Officers Association expressed its collective sorrow: “We are heartbroken and saddened from the loss of a fellow officer and dear friend to many. Officer Harlan Tray Whitworth will forever be remembered in our hearts as a great man and outstanding police officer. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his family as they cope with a tremendous

loss. We will miss you Tray!” Over 1,300 people viewed, shared and commented on the police association’s Facebook post and more than 1,900 were reached via the Epigraph’s Facebook post. “Such a great guy. You will be missed Tray....” wrote Jill Bailey of Springtown. “Prayers for his family and friends,” said Tina Garner Underwood. A GoFundMe account has been officially set up in Whitworth’s memory to help his family at http://www.gofundme.com/cu2x69gc.

SISD 2015-16 budget approved Total okayed: $34 million BY NATALIE GENTRY Following the first day of school for students, the Springtown Independent School District (SISD) Board of Trustees met Aug. 24 to discuss the new school year’s budget. District Financial Officer Gary Shaw explained the process of establishing a tax rate sufficient to fund an assortment of education-related expenses during a public hearing on the subject.

Budget New to the Texas Education Code last year is a requirement that the district must budget compensatory education funds first before any other funds. This requirement ensures that the learning needs of students who have not satisfactorily passed the state required end-of-course assessments are met. This year $347,000 has been allocated to help with the remediation of As summer vacation draws to an end many in Springtown head outside to soak in the sun. Now that school has begun, Springtown’s those students. SplashPad will be closed during the week; however, there is still time to visit the park on weekends until it closes for the season after Labor Day weekend. Photo by Natalie Gentry PLEASE SEE BOARD, PAGE 2A.

Springtown, La Junta VFDs among local grant recipients

Gunfight A-brewin’

Funds to help enhance firefighter safety Seven volunteer fire departments in the area are among 86 departments across Texas receiving $145,000 from Texas Mutual Insurance Company, a

policyholder-owned company, to im- more we can do to support all fireprove their safety through the Fire- fighters in the state, the more we can fighter Safety and Training Grant Pro- reduce and prevent firefighter injuries and deaths.” gram. Each recipient submitted an applicaDepartments receiving grants in tion outlinParker, Wise, and ing a spePalo Pinto counties cific need include Springtown, or project La Junta, Mineral the grant Wells, Peaster, Coolw o u l d Garner, Aledo, and fund. Newark. “ T h e Texas Mutual, the granted state’s leading proStephen Watson funds will vider of workers’ ESD #1 Fire Chief cover the compensation insurcost of ance, and Volunteer memberFirefighter and EMS Insurance Services partnered with the ship dues for the volunteer firefightState Firefighters’ and Fire Marshals’ ers through the SFFMA,” said ESD1 Association of Texas (SFFMA) to Chief Stephen Watson. “This provides training curriculum manage the application process and and accreditation for volunteer fireselect the grant recipients. “These grants go a long way toward fighters in Texas.” This year marks the third time Texas helping our volunteer fire departments be safer and more prepared to serve Mutual has awarded these grants to Marshal Chance Medley and Deputy Barnaby face off against a our communities,” Chris Barron, ex- volunteer fire departments across the couple gunslingers at the 2014 Wild West Festival. See Page 3A for new 2015 Wild West Festival information. Photo by Natalie Gentry ecutive director of SFFMA, said. “The state, bringing the total to $325,000.

This provides training curriculum and accreditation...

Fire Chief Stephen Watson

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