Denton Record-Chronicle
Thursday, April 3, 2014
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Argyle plans first public meeting on bond package By Britney Tabor Staff Writer btabor@dentonrc.com
The Argyle school board will have the first of three public meetings on the proposed $45 million bond package tonight. Telena Superintendent Wright said she will present the bond package details at 6:30 p.m. in the Argyle High School Lecture Hall, 191 S. U.S. Highway 377. Two additional meetings on the proposed bond will take place in the school’s lecture hall at 6:30 p.m. April 16 and April 22. Wright said she will share details about the district’s student enrollment in 2006, current enrollment figures, information on previous bonds passed by the
district in 2002 and 2007, data on the facilities capacity, data on projected enrollment growth, information on housing developments underway within district boundaries and details of the projects being proposed in the $45 million bond package. The school board called the $45 million bond election on Feb. 24, and the proposition will go before voters May 10. Early voting begins April 28. The purpose of the public meetings is to provide residents with “an understanding of what the components of the bond are ... and what they cost,” Wright said. The sessions will also give residents an understanding of how the proposed bond will impact their tax bill, she said.
IF YOU GO The Argyle school board will have three public meetings on the the proposed $45 million bond package this month. When: 6:30 p.m. tonight; April 16 and April 22 Where: Argyle High School Lecture Hall, 191 S. U.S. Highway 377 On the Web: View the proposed bond presentation at http://bit.ly/ PjKVb8.
The proposed bond package “addresses current capacity needs, facility renovations, and athletic updates and improvements,” according to a district media release. The proposal includes: ■ $30.15 million for a new 750-student middle school campus for sixth- to eighth-graders that will also serve as Phase 1of a district high school ■ $2 million for technology
Denton school district employee dies at age 45 By Britney Tabor Staff Writer btabor@dentonrc.com
The Denton school district is mourning the loss of Shonna Morelos, an educational diagnostician who has been with the district since 2008. Morelos, 45, died Tuesday morning, according to the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office. The cause of her death was not disclosed. In her time with the school district, Morelos worked with Borman, Houston and Wilson elementary schools in Denton. Robert Gonzalez, principal at Borman Elementary, said she assessed and diagnosed students with learning disabilities and met with parents to discuss the assessments. He described
her as someone who was “always smiling, always happy,” and who had a passion for the work she did. Gonzalez said “building relationships was her strength.” Morelos had an effective way of communicating with everyone she came in contact with, he said, and “people were attracted to her immediately.” Jennifer Austin, a licensed specialist in school psychology, said it was “obvious that she truly loved children,” said of Morelos, adding that she had a knack for working with parents and showed respect to everyone. “She was a critical part of our team,” Gonzalez said. “She worked with the most at-risk students, and also worked with our teachers in giving support and counsel in how to work with
students with special needs,” Gonzalez said. “It’s been very emotional for a lot of people. She meant a lot to the district. “We’re at such a loss right now.” Gonzalez said counselors are being made available to staff and students and the staff members at Borman are writing letters expressing what Morelos meant to them that they hope to deliver to her children. Morelos is survived by her husband and two daughters. As of Wednesday afternoon, funeral arrangements for Morelos were not finalized, according to Bill DeBerry Funeral Directors. BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876 and via Twitter at @BritneyTabor.
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Forum Development Code that guided the group’s vote to protect the neighborhood that didn’t want the longtime Denton business headquarters on Teasley Lane. Woodfork restated her position first stated to Denia residents on Monday — that there was nothing the city could do now and Corinth could be a good home for DATCU, too. Robson residents also expressed concern about emergency response times to their community, with one resident claiming that it has taken ambulances as long as 11 minutes to reach their subdivision, which is on the far southwest side of the
city. Schaake said such response times were unacceptable and she would do everything she could as mayor to make sure the issue was addressed, a position that Woodfork echoed. Watts said that, as the former District 4 council member, he was interested in exploring an EMS service for the subdivision. The next candidate forum begins at 6 p.m. tonight at UNT. The Texas Voters Alliance and co-sponsor, the UNT Political Science Department, play host to both the mayoral and other council candidates, including Dalton Gregory and Hatice Sa-
lih for Place 5, and John Ryan and Glenn Farris for District 2, in Room 180 of the UNT Business Leadership Building, 1307 W. Highland St. Free parking is available in Lot 41, at the corner of Eagle Drive and Welch Street, and in Lot 20, off North Texas Boulevard. Paid parking is available on Highland Street for $2 per hour. More information can be found at www.facebook.com/ groups/Texas.Voters.Alliance. PEGGY HEINKEL-WOLFE can be reached at 940-5666881 and via Twitter at @phwolfeDRC.
BRIEFLY
Aftershock shakes Chile’s north coast The U.S. Geological Survey says a powerful 7.8 magnitude aftershock has rocked Chile’s northern coast, which was hit by a powerful magnitude 8.2 earthquake Tuesday night. It caused buildings to shake in the port of Iquique, which saw some damage from the big quake on Tuesday. There are no immediate reports of new damage or injuries. The latest tremor came 45 minutes after a strong 6.4 magnitude aftershock shook the same area. The stronger aftershock’s epicenter was 14 miles south of Iquique. The USGS said the aftershock had a depth of 12 miles.
Los Angeles
NASA cuts ties, except on space station After insisting that space relations wouldn’t be altered by earthly politics, NASA on Wednesday said it was severing ties with Russia except for the International Space Station. NASA employees can’t travel to Russia or host visitors until further notice. They’re also barred from e-mailing or holding teleconferences with their Russian counterparts because of Russia’s actions in Ukraine, according to a memo sent to workers.
Activities related to the space station are exempt. NASA and Russia’s space agency will “continue to work together to maintain safe and continuous operation” of the space station, NASA said in a statement released late Wednesday. Since the retirement of the space shuttle, NASA has depended on Russia to hitch rides to the giant orbiting outpost, paying nearly $71 million for a seat on the Soyuz. The move comes after reassurances that U.S.-Russia space relations were fine despite tensions over Ukraine.
trict’s enrollment could grow by another 1,046 students within the next five years and 2,577 in the next 10 years. School board President Kevin Faciane, in a previous interview with the Denton RecordChronicle, said the bond election is a proactive approach to “getting ahead of the growth” so that when it arrives, Argyle can provide an “ideal learning environment.” Wright has said if the voters approve the bond package, the district hopes to complete all of the projects included in the package by fall 2016. BRITNEY TABOR can be reached at 940-566-6876 and via Twitter at @BritneyTabor.
DENTON POLICE MOST WANTED Warrants have been issued for these people, according to Denton police department officials. If you see any of these people, call 911. You can also leave anonymous tips at the Denton Police Department Facebook Page or by using Tip411. Denton County Crime Stoppers will pay up to $1,000 for any tips leading to the arrests of Denton’s Most Wanted.
Marquisha Crowder Charge: theft more than $50, less than $500 Age: 20 Height: 5 feet Weight: 135 pounds Hair: black Eyes: brown
Jason Hagan Charge: assault (family violence) Age: 36 Height: 6 feet, 2 inches Weight: 300 pounds Hair: brown Eyes: green
Martha Kunkel Charge: theft more than $50, less than $500 Age: 62 Height: 5 feet Weight: 110 pounds Hair: brown Eyes: brown
Thomas Schwarzbach Charge: harassment Age: 32 Height: 6 feet, 2 inches Weight: 200 pounds Hair: brown Eyes: green
Thomas Macias Charge: aggravated assault (family violence) and interference with an emergency phone call Age: 29 Height: 5 feet, 11 inches Weight: 180 pounds Hair: brown Eyes: brown
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■ $550,000 for new buses ■ $155,000 in high school science lab updates ■ $218,000 for additional baseball/softball seating ■ $145,500 for a baseball outfield wall ■ more than $1 million for a girls’ field house/locker room ■ $280,000 for additional football stadium seating ■ nearly $3.7 million for an indoor activity center
■ nearly $2.5 million for additional tennis, baseball and softball locker rooms, office space and storage ■ $380,000 for four new tennis courts and lighting ■ more than $1.4 million for turf at the existing baseball and softball fields ■ nearly $2.5 million in bond contingency funds Wright said the bond could increase the tax rate by 12.5 cents per $100 in property valuation, equating to an annual $125 increase per every $100,000 of a home’s value. The district’s current enrollment totals more than 1,900 students. In January, a demographer presented a report to the school board projecting the dis-
as treason by many Ukrainians. Russian troops quickly overran Crimea, which has an ethnic Russian majority, taking over government and military facilities on the pretext of protecting Russians. Asked about the move, Yanukovych said he made a mistake. “I was wrong,” he told the AP and Russia’s state NTV television, speaking in Russian. “I acted on my emotions.” — The Associated Press
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Yanukovych admits mistakes on Crimea Defensive and at times tearful, Ukraine’s ousted president conceded Wednesday that he made a mistake when he invited Russian troops into Crimea and vowed to try to negotiate with Vladimir Putin to get the coveted Black Sea peninsula back. “Crimea is a tragedy, a major tragedy,” Viktor Yanukovych told The Associated Press in his first interview since fleeing to Russia in February, following monthslong protests focused on corruption and his decision to seek closer ties to Russia instead of the European Union. Putin said last month that Yanukovych had asked Russia to send its troops to Crimea to protect its people — a request seen
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