E-T SPORTS
GETTIN’ IT STARTED
E-T DIGITAL
High school teams kicked off their 2013 football seasons Thursday and Friday. Scores, photos, more… page A6
EMPIRE-TRIBUNE STEPHENVILLE
Your Community. Your News. Your Website: www.yourstephenvilletx.com
Sun day, S ep temb er 1, 2013
sara.vandenberge@empiretribune.com
For about a year now, Kevin McCully has single-handedly fought the Stephenville Independent School District over what he says is unfair treatment within the girl’s athletic program at Henderson Junior High. The father of two who hails from Nebraska moved to Stephenville in 2010 and said he slowly began to believe that girls are not treated as fairly as boys in sports. At issue is what McCully says is a long list of inequities that discourage young, female athletes from continuing to play sports at the high school level. In a complaint filed with
the district in March 2013, McCully lists 57 grievances. In some of the most notable, he contends that the girls, specifically on lower level skills teams, have inferior uniforms, less contests than boys, split practices and fewer coaches. The complaint also states that girls’ locker rooms and showers are substantially smaller than what boys enjoy, and that money from gate receipts and concession stands are not divided equitably among boys and girls athletics. In September 2012, McCully began voicing his concerns with SISD administrators, and in March 2013 filed a grievance with the district. At first, he said administrators seemed to listen to his concerns, but says he doesn’t
HOLE-IN-ONE
believe that Superintendent Dr. Darrell Floyd ever understood his arguments. “I always felt our view of the fundamental treatment of girls was worlds apart,” McCully said. After taking the complaints to the third grievance level, at which time it was presented to the school board, McCully and his wife Angie filed a federal lawsuit against the district on behalf of their two daughters. The lawsuit, filed in Tarrant County on Aug. 27, demands the school district begin the “design, acquisition, installation and implementation of equal facilities, coaches and services for girl’s athletic teams and boy’s athletic teams at Henderson Junior High as soon as possible in order to
CONTRIBUTED
STEPHENVILLE
The work of Mary Waters and her students at First Baptist Church Fine Arts Academy will be featured in an exhibit at the River North Gallery in September.
City council to host public hearing on Local artist to showcase personal tax rate
JESSIE HORTON/E-T
C.D. Jones, John Mow, Joe Don Slawson, Allen Shearer, John Traweek and Billy Tomlinson are shown at Legends Country Club Friday after Jones, Slawson, Shearer and Tomlinson were awarded putters commemorating hole-in-ones this summer.
No ‘fore’ needed Local golfers ace holes at Legends By JESSIE HORTON
jessie.horton@empiretribune.com
Four local golfers experienced the ultimate thrill at Legends Country Club this summer — a hole in one. Joe Don Slawson began the hole in one party on his 39th birthday — June 25 — and by the end of the summer Allen Shearer, Billy Tomlinson and CD Jones had joined in the fun. Each were awarded a commemorative putter by Legends after a round of golf Friday afternoon. Slawson knocked his tee shot in the cup on the par-3 11th with a 5-iron. The ace — Slawson’s first-ever — was witnessed by Jerry May and Clayton Roberson. Tomlinson, 64, is the only member of the foursome to have multiple hole in ones. He hit his second with a 7-wood on the par-3 fifth with Perry Elliott, Jess Elliott and Wiley Cox witnessing. Allen Shearer, 60, matched Tomlinson at the fifth, going from the tee box to the bottom of the cup in a single stroke with his 5-wood. The shot was witnessed by Kerry Diciccio and Legend’s employee Wesley Rhodes. C.D. Jones, 63, used a 5-wood to knock his ace dead in the cup just more than two weeks ago on the par-3 11th. Cox had the rare pleasure of witnessing a hole-in-one for the second time, while others looking on were Boots Elliott and Alan Thorpe.
Susan Culpepper, Stephenville, TX
14 pages ★ Vol. 113, No. 156 ★ ©2013
ART
SEE SISD, A2
and student works
caleb.mccaig@empiretribune.com
Good morning, Subscriber
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achieve gender equity.” The McCullys are asking for $300,000 in compensation. SISD officials were served with court papers on Thursday. McCully said although the legal fight has just begun, he and his family are bracing themselves against potential backlash. “For those opposed to this, what are you afraid of?” McCully asked. “We feel girls should have uniforms, a coach, a place to practice and games to play in. To which part of that do you object?” What the district says SISD officials say the district has spent countless time and money answering McCully’s various complaints and re-
By CALEB MCCAIG
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STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS ★ CITY OF CHAMPIONS
What prompted the lawsuit against SISD? By SARA VANDEN BERGE
Check out sideline video from Friday’s game online now at yourstephenvilletx. com
The Stephenville City Council will meet Tuesday, when they will hear public opinion on the proposed tax rate for the upcoming year. The city council is deciding whether to pass the proposed tax rate of $0.495 per $100 of taxable value. The council will also consider adopting the budget for the fiscal year 201314. The budget includes $250,000 to be used for compensation purposes. “There is money put in the budget this year to work on a pay plan,” said city administrator Mark Kaiser. “The $219,000 will come out of the general fund, $28,000 out of the water sewer fund and $3,000 from
By CALEB MCCAIG
caleb.mccaig@empiretribune.com
City administrator Mark Kaiser the landfill fund will be used to focus on a pay plan to balance compensation and to maintain a competitive environment.” According to Kaiser, the pay balances are not an issue. “Economic growth has occurred in our community and that will help pay for these additions,” he said. The meeting will begin at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday evening in the City Hall Council Chambers. Follow me on Twitter @caleb_mccaig
The Cross Timbers Fine Arts Council is calling all art connoisseurs to visit the River North Gallery Sept. 7-27 to view the work of Mary Waters, a local Stephenville artist and teacher, and her talented students from the First Baptist Church Fine Arts Academy. “The gallery is going to include a variety of works from my students and myself,” said Waters. “They have really produced a lot and done extremely good work on all the pieces that will be included.” The gallery will focus on water colors but will also have additional mediums, including oil paints and paper painting, which is when pieces of magazines are used to create a painting of their own. There will be an artist’s reception from 5-7 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 12, at the gallery. “The community is welcome to come and view the artwork free of charge. Many of the pieces are for sale and it would be great to continue to encourage these students,” Waters said. Follow me on Twitter @caleb_mccaig
BLAZE AT DAIRY SENDS FIRE CREWS SCRAMBLING
DARYL ROBINSON/E-T
Plumes of thick, black smoke billowed from Crouch Dairy in Dublin Saturday afternoon when farm equipment reportedly caught on fire. Fire crews from Dublin, Erath County and Lingleville responded to the blaze. No injuries were reported.
E-T SPORTS
A PIVOTAL WEEKEND
E-T DIGITAL
Cassidy Cline and the Bees secured the 7-3A championship Friday, while the Jackets inched closer to the same feat. Tarleton’s teams then hit the hardwood on Saturday…Page B1
Empire-Tribune STEPHENVILLE
Your Community. Your News. Your Website: www.yourstephenvilletx.com
Sun day, F eb r uar y 3, 2013
Still no arrest in Friday slaying
For more unpublished photos, blogs and video from area events, visit yourstephenvilletx.com
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STEPHENVILLE, TEXAS H CITY OF CHAMPIONS
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2 shot dead at Rough Creek Lodge Chris Kyle, author of “American Sniper” among the dead
BY DONNIE BRYANT
BY SARA VANDEN BERGE
donnie.bryant@empiretribune.com
sara.vandenberge@empiretribune.com
Joint investigation among Erath County Sheriff ’s Office, the Texas Rangers, Department of Public Safety and the Stephenville Police Department are ongoing in the homicide case of Jeffrey Vegas Sewalt, 56. The Sheriff ’s Office had received word of the shooting that resulted in the death of Sewalt who was found lying in an enclosed porch at his home off Pigeon Road Friday afternoon reportedly by his girlfriend. “Mr. Sewalt suffered a gunshot wound to the head,” Sheriff Office Capt. Jason Upshaw reported. “We have interviewed numerous people, and everyone has been extremely cooperative with law enforcement.” Upshaw stated the same people will be interviewed several times over the next few days as new information becomes available. Motive is unknown at this time and no arrests have been made. Sewalt’s body was sent to the Dallas County Medical Examiner’s Office for an autopsy, and results are pending.
A former Tarleton State University student who wrote the best-selling book, “American Sniper,” was one of two victims shot and killed at Rough Creek Lodge Saturday. Chris Kyle, 38, and another man were found dead at Rough Creek’s shooting range between 3:30 and 4 p.m. Saturday, according to Sheriff Tommy Bryant. Eddie Ray Routh, an Iraqi war veteran, was arrested hours later after a manhunt led authorities to Lancaster where Routh was taken into custody just before 9 p.m. Saturday. Routh, 25, is expected to be charged with capital murder. Investigators had not released the name of the second victim at press time, but reports indicate he may have been Routh’s neighbor. Bryant said the three men were at the shooting range Saturday when Routh shot the victims at Chris Kyle point-blank range before fleeing in Kyle’s truck . Kyle was a former Navy SEAL who served four tours of duty in Iraq, where he was given the nickname “The Devil of Ramadi” by insurgents. In 2008, he made his longest successful shot after he spotted an insurgent with a rocket launcher near a U.S. Army convoy at a range of 2,100 yards (1.2 miles). Kyle was recently honored by the Tarleton Alumni Association as the Outstanding Young Alumnus for 2013. “Our hearts go out to Chris’ family and friends at this tragic moment,” Tarleton State University President, Dr.
Investigators were on scene Friday working what appears to be a murder investigation. JESSIE HORTON /E-T
See KYLE on Page A2
BUSINESS NEWS
DREAM SEASON
Meet InterBank’s new president
Commemorative football magazine on shelves now
BY DONNIE BRYANT
more banks and subsequently founded donnie.bryant@empiretribune.com InterBank. But Martin was emphatic that each bank was allowed to retain its Stephenville learned change was unique, community flavor. All banks in coming to town last November when it the InterBank family will carry its logo was announced InterBank was acquirwith the town’s name above it. ing locally owned Town “What you are going to and Country Bank. And find is this company grew Monday morning saw the up in community banks,” genesis of a new banking he said. “And this bank will arrangement. be Stephenville InterBank. President of the Central There will be no other SteTexas Region of Interphenville InterBank.” Bank Mark Martin was Martin realizes there are visibly excited about the some Town and Country cusmove to Stephenville. tomers who might be a bit “InterBank is here troubled by the changes they because it is such a great see in the institution, but he opportunity to be in wants them to know they will Stephenville,” he said. “It’s be minor adjustments and Mark Martin a wonderful place, and stressed the positive aspects I have a big background of being part of a bigger here - it’s almost like compicture. ing home for me.” “Let me tell you what it is going to A Breckenridge boy by birth, Martin mean to you,” he said. “You are going to has strong ties to the area, having besee a different sign out by the street very come a Tarleton State University student soon. As you reorder checks, you will see in the fall of 1970. Four years later, he a new bank name on your check.” graduated with a degree in business In addition to no discernible interrupadministration. tion in operations of the institution, he His next move was into the oil and reflected on how being a part of a family gas industry, and that field is what led to of banks will benefit its customers. his eventual entrance into the world of “We are bigger, and we have more banking. resources,” he said. “I had a partner I worked with in the And what about those checks that oil and gas industry and he bought a many still have stashed in desk drawbank in Breckinridge,” Martin explained. ers, sporting the Town and Country “I went to work for him, and I was there logo? Martin said customers can use the for 15 years.” His friend would go on to acquire See BANK on Page A2
Good morning, Subscriber Gary Henderson, Stephenville, TX
20 pages H Vol. 113, No. 25 H ©2013
BY JESSIE HORTON
jessie.horton@empiretribune.com
Copies of Dream Season are on sale now at various locations throughout Stephenville including HEB, WalMart and
E-T Sports Editor Brad Keith holds up a copy of “Dream Season,” a magazine chronicling the Yellow Jackets’ road to the state championship. The magazine is on shelves now. SARA VANDEN BERGE/E-T
the Empire-Tribune office, located at 590 E. South Loop. The Stephenville High School Yellow Jackets completed the 2012 season 13-1 and earned the school district’s fifth state title. Only 17 schools have done so in Texas football history. As the excitement from the 2012 3A Division I State Championship continues, the Empire-Tribune has released Dream Season, a commemorative magazine that follows the team from the first snap to the final seconds of the championship game at Cowboys Stadium. E-T Sports Editor Brad Keith said it was an honor to cover such high-caliber high school football and the magazine is a great way to share the newspaper’s passion with the community. “Covering the state championship was an awesome experience for us and I’m sure it was an awesome experience for everyone in this community who had the opportunity to take part in the playoff journey,” Keith said. “It was a fun and memorable year. It truly was a ‘dream season.’” The magazine includes features on the championship journey, the record-setting offense and coach Mike Copeland’s fifth state title, as well as photos from the championship celebration and throughout the season. See MAGAZINE on Page A2