City Swimming Pool Opens Monday or Tuesday

Summer is for swimming.

If you’re a kid in Roscoe with a little spare time on your hands, life has to be looking up—school is out, and on Monday or Tuesday the swimming pool will open for the summer. The exact date and time will depend on when a new pump arrives and is installed.

This year the pool will be open Tuesdays through Saturdays from 1:00 to 5:00pm.  Price of admission is $2.00 per day with season passes available for $75.

The pool may be rented for private parties beginning and ending between 6:00 and 10:00pm. The fee is $60 for two hours, $70 for three, and $80 for four with a $15 deposit. The price includes an approved licensed lifeguard.

For reservations or additional details, contact Pool Manager Isabel Moore at 325-514-9416.

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ROSCOE IN YEARS GONE BY: THE 1954 BEAUTY PAGEANT

(Editor's note: This is a slightly edited version of an article from the May 2, 2012, Roscoe Hard Times.)

Miss Roscoe, Christine Clayton, with Maids of Honor Pauline Nance, left, and Norma Eckert, right.

Those of us who are old enough to remember the 1950s will recall what a big deal beauty contests were in those years.

When TV came to west Texas, it brought with it the annual Miss America pageant, which according to Wikipedia was the highest rated program on television well into the early sixties.

On that night, everyone watched the show and made their predictions about who the judges would pick.  When the winner was announced, host Bert Parks would sing, “There she is, Miss America,” and the newly crowned queen, with tears of joy in her eyes, would walk down the runway as the runners up and everyone else applauded—and for the next couple of days she would be the most popular female in the country.

Local beauty contests were also popular, and in 1954 Roscoe held its own pageant with Christine Clayton being crowned Miss Roscoe, while runners up Pauline Nance and Norma Lynn Eckert were designated her Maids of Honor.

Christine was sponsored by the Roscoe State Bank; Pauline was sponsored by Haney’s Drug Store, where she worked at the soda fountain; and Norma was sponsored by Shelansky Dry Goods, where she worked on Saturdays when everybody came to town.

Miss Roscoe went on to compete in the Oak Creek Pageant when the lake officially opened, but the winner was someone from Sweetwater.

Norma, who has supplied me with all these details, also mentions that on the Sunday after the Roscoe pageant, “the pastor of the First Baptist Church preached a sermon on ‘parading around with hardly any clothes on,’ and there we were, the three that placed, on the front row of the choir with everyone looking at us . . . and two of our dads were deacons.”

Despite all that, she says, “Daddy was still proud of me.”

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CITY MANAGER DISCUSSES DRIVING, MOSQUITOES, DOGS

City Manager Cody Thompson is asking drivers to be aware that school is out for the summer and to watch out for kids in the streets, especially around the baseball field, the park, and swimming pool.

He reminds everyone that mosquitoes are a health hazard as they can carry the West Nile virus. To keep them from multiplying, residents should drain any standing water in yards or containers, clean rain gutters, fill in low areas in their lawns, keep grass mowed, and stay indoors as much as possible at dusk and dawn.

He also wishes to remind residents that there are local leash laws and that they are financially responsible for the actions of their pets. Recently, several dogs have been noticed running free in the streets.

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SAMMY KERSHAW HIGHLIGHTS LUMBERYARD WEEKEND

Sammy Kershaw

It’s another big weekend at the Lumberyard as Cajun great Sammy Kershaw brings his act to town for the first time Friday evening. Kershaw, whose hits go back a quarter-century, will be singing the songs that have made him famous, tunes like “You are the Love of My Life,” (Click title for video) “Queen of My Double Wide Trailer,” “Third Rate Romance,” “Don’t Go Near the Water,” and “Yard Sale.”

Both an accomplished singer and songwriter, Kershaw—a third cousin to Doug Kershaw and native of Kaplan, Louisiana—has been performing in honky tonks since childhood. He began after his father’s death when he was 12, and within a couple of years was opening for Ray Price, Merle Haggard, and George Jones. He really hit his stride in the early 1990s with his release of platinum albums Don’t Go Near the Water, and Haunted Heart, with its number one hit, “She Don’t Know She’s Beautiful.” Then followed two certified gold albums, Feelin’ Good Train and Politics, Religion, and Her. Since then, He’s produced eight more studio albums. His most recent, The Blues Got to Me, was released last year.

Kershaw is a member of the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame and the Louisiana Songwriters Association Hall of Fame.

Cameran Nelson

Opening for Kershaw will be up-and-coming singer Cameran Nelson, who was born in Haskell and now calls Blanco home. He’s lived all over Texas and studied music at South Plains College in Levelland. His first full-length album, Happy to Beer, was released in 2013 and nominated for three Texas music awards: Male Vocalist, Rising Star, and Record of the Year. His single “35 Runs Both Ways” was a multi-week #1 on the Texas Regional Radio Report and the Texas Music Chart. His current project, Good Thing Going, has produced two more #1 hits with “Shotgun,” and “You Can Still Wear White.”

For reservations and more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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WEATHER REPORT: HOT THEN MILD, MORE RAIN POSSIBLE

What's left of "Lake Roscoe" as seen from the baseball field.

This past week was mainly a drying out of the big rain from the week before. The so-called dry lakes in area fields still have water in them, but the puddles are essentially gone, and the sun has been shining all week. We got our first taste of summer last Thursday, Friday, and Saturday when the winds shifted to the southwest and the first seriously hot days of the year were felt. The high on Thursday was 99°F and on Friday 98°--and then on Saturday we got our first triple-digit day of the year when the high rose to 100°. A front then moved through early Sunday morning and cooled things down considerably. Highs on Sunday and Monday were 80° and 83° respectively and lows were in the low sixties, except for Monday morning when the temperature dropped to 59°. There was audible thunder on Sunday and a big cloud with lightning was visible in the southeast, but for the week there was no more precipitation than a light sprinkle early Monday morning.

There’s an excellent chance that the current weather will change as early as tonight as a front moves through. The chances of rain for tonight and tomorrow are over 60%, although the amounts are not expected to be great. The percentage diminishes to 20% for Friday, but then picks up again on Saturday evening when it increases to 50% before falling to 20% again on Sunday. Temperatures will continue to be relatively mild. The forecast high for today is 83°, tomorrow 82°, Friday 86°, and Saturday 88°. Morning lows will be in the mid-sixties.

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Twenty-Eight Seniors Graduate at Friday Commencement

RCHS Class of 2017

A chapter of life closed for twenty-eight Roscoe Collegiate High School Seniors Friday evening as they received their diplomas and successfully completed their high school careers in the Special Events Center.  Even more impressive is the fact that twenty-seven of them had already received their Associate’s Degree from Western Texas College in a ceremony held on May 5. The only graduating senior not to receive an Associate's Degree was newcomer Melanie Arenivaz, who nevertheless was able to amass 40 college credit hours in her time at RCHS.

      Caleb Ward, Valedictorian               Johnathon Cuellar, Salutatorian

Valedictorian of the Class of 2017 is Caleb Ward, who had an overall grade average of 97.03.  He plans to attend Lubbock Christian College.  Salutatorian is Johnathon Cuellar with an overall average of 93.03.  He is going to Texas Tech.

Here is a list of the class of 2017:

Christian Nathaniel Acuña* ⱳ             Jetly Dean Hobdy* ⱳ
Isaias Ray Aguilar* ⱳ                             Tyler Adam Jowers*
Melanie Serena Arenivaz                       Mitchell Garrett Madden*
Javier Armenta*                                      Roadey Dakota Mann* ⱳ
Joseph Brayden Beal* ⱳ                        Braiden Louis Moore* Φ
Matthew Hendrix Buckley*                   Jayce Corbyn Phillips* ⱳ
Angelica Maria Castillo*                        Quinten Dale Saddler*
Karina Guadalupe Cisneros*                 Shirley Marie Sanchez*
Katelyn Marie Collins*                            Lacey Leann Silva*
Johnathon Edward Cuellar* ⱳ              Saxton Wade Stewart* ⱳ
Juan Jose Garcia Solis* ⱳ                      Bergan Quinn Treviño *
Justin Nicholas Gardner* ⱳ                  Caleb Don Ward* Φ
Mayda Alejandra Guia*                          Lyndi Kay Wilkinson*
Jovanah Renae Guzman* Φ                  Austin Kye Willman*

* = WTC Associate’s Degree
ⱳ = TSTC Welding Certificate
Φ = Phi Theta Kappa (WTC Honor Society)

Here are the Top Ten finishers gradewise in order:

1.  Caleb Ward
2.  Johnathon Cuellar
3.  Braiden Moore
4.  Jovanah Guzman
5.  Karina Cisneros
6.  Justin Gardner
7.  Shirley Sanchez
8.  Bergan Treviño
9.  Christian Acuña
10. Brayden Beal

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DEVON REECE FREEMAN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS GO TO BRAIDEN MOORE, LYNDI WILKINSON

Braiden Moore and Lyndi Wilkinson receive awards from Jason Freeman.

The Devon Reece Freeman Memorial Scholarship awards were given to two graduating seniors, Braiden Moore and Lyndi Wilkinson at the commencement exercises in the RCHS Special Events Center on Friday night.

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PLOWBOTS FINISH EIGHTH OF 32 AT STATE ROBOTICS MEET

Front: Tristan Brooks. First row: Becca Shaw, Liberty Saenz, Riley Sheridan, Braxton Parrott, and Martin Luna. Back: Arizona Guevara, Mitchell Madden, Christian Acuña, Caleb Ward, Camden Boren, Ryan Highsmith.

The RCHS Plowbots finished a respectable eighth of the 32 teams who qualified for the State FIRST Robotics Competition in Austin. Their finish is noteworthy because the competition is not divided according to classes based on school sizes, and they were competing primarily with 5A and 6A schools.

The Plowbots entered as a wildcard team based on their success in the regional meets they competed in. They lost in the state quarterfinals to the eventual runners up.

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RHS CLASS OF 1967 HOLDS FIFTIETH-YEAR REUNION

by Doc Pietzsch

Front row: Jackie Smith, Doc Pietzsch, Sally Turner, Tommy Santiago, Jimmy Smith. Back row: Ronnie Wade, Jimmy Wallace, Cynthia Richburg, Tommy Meredith.

The Roscoe High School Class of 1967 met at the Holiday Inn Express in Sweetwater on Friday, May 19, exactly 50 years after their graduation on May 19, 1967. After reminiscing and visitation, the group went to Buck's for dinner, after which they returned to the Holiday Inn for more reminiscing.

On Saturday morning, they met again with time devoted to remembering deceased classmates: E.H. Pursley, Shirley Pickering, Harold Arpe, Mitchell High, Barbara McDonald, Jim Rayburn, Carroll Reed, Steve Smith, Carol Wilkins, Linda Pietzsch, and Melba Jones.

Jackie Smith and Tommy Santiago gave power point presentations of the class history. After more visiting, the reunion concluded with lunch at Allen's Family Style Meals in Sweetwater.

Those attending were Jackie Smith, Tommy Santiago, Norman Neves, Cynthia Richburg, Sally Turner, Jimmy Wallace, Jimmy Smith, Tommy Meredith, Ronny Wade, and Doc Pietzsch. Of those attending, all but Tommy Meredith and Norman Neves started first grade together at Roscoe Elementary.

A good time was had by all.

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LUMBERYARD WEEKEND FEATURES ROGER CREAGER, SHINYRIBS

It’s springtime, the weather is nice, and the Lumberyard is planning another big weekend with Roger Creager on Friday night and Shinyribs on Saturday. Both will take the stage at 9:30pm.

Roger Creager

Roger Creager, who holds a degree in business from Sam Houston State and a degree in agriculture from Texas A&M, is a native of Corpus Christi but got his start in music while at Texas A&M in the late nineties. To date he has released seven albums, including Long Way to Mexico (2003), Live Across Texas (2004), Here It Is (2008), Surrender (2012) and Road Show (2014). Popular singles include “The Everclear Song,” “For You I Do,” “Gulf Coast Time,” “Long Way to Mexico,” “Things Look Good Around Here,” and “I’m From the Beer Joint.”

Shinyribs

Shinyribs is one of the fastest-moving bands in the Texas scene right now. They exploded onto the Austin scene at Ray Benson’s club, The Rattle Inn, and have been drawing large crowds ever since. Led by Kevin Russell, their most recent album, Okra Candy, follows their first two, Well After Awhile, and Gulf Coast Museum.

For reservations or more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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WEATHER REPORT: BIG RAIN DRENCHES AREA

The rain pours down on Friday morning.

The Roscoe area finally got the big rain everyone had been hoping for. It came on Friday morning, and it was a gully washer with reports of amounts up to seven inches, although it was less than that in most places. Here in town there were several reports of four inches and up. The official amount recorded by Roscoe weatherman Kenny Landfried was 3.87”. He also reported that six inches fell around Champion Creek, and several others had totals in the five to six inch range. The seven inches was reported by Royce Walker northwest of Roscoe. West of town reports were around four inches. There was more rain in the west and northwest and less east of town. Colorado City got 6.7” and Westbrook over 7”. Many terraces were broken in the process, and farmers will be busy with repairs as soon as they can get in the fields.

No one was happier about the big rain than the frogs, who could be heard all over town on Friday and Saturday nights. It rained again early Monday morning, but the amounts were far less. Kenny Landfried got an official .28” in town, but some in the country got as much as an inch or more. In any case, those big cracks that were in the ground are all gone, east Broadway has some serious puddles in several intersections, area lakes have water going over the spillway, and the fields will have some deep moisture when cotton planting begins.

Along with the rain came some seriously cool weather for May. Thursday’s 94°F was just a memory by Saturday when the high was 74°, and Sunday was even cooler with a high of 69°. The sun came out long enough on Monday to warm things up to 77°, but the coolest high of the week was yesterday’s 67°. Nights were correspondingly cool with lows in the mid-fifties. I had to put some extra cover on the bed to stay warm enough to sleep.

Today that should all end, though, with sunshine and a high of 83°. And I don’t think anyone is ready for tomorrow’s projected high of 99°. Ouch! That’s a difference of 32 degrees over yesterday’s high, and Friday and Saturday are predicted to be just as hot. Sunday should be much nicer with a high of 82° and the outlook for next week is for highs in the eighties with lows in the sixties.

As they say, if you don’t like the weather around here, just stick around for a while. It will change.

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A MEMORIAL DAY TRIBUTE TO MAJOR BOB ANTHONY

Major Bob Anthony

Major Bob Anthony was the son of Mr. and Mrs. L. G. Anthony, 300 Ash St., and husband of Marjorie Stevenson. He was a graduate of Roscoe High School and played basketball at McMurry College. After entering the Army Air Corps in 1941 and training in California and Colorado, he served in the USA and the Pacific. He was awarded the Presidential Citation and Purple Heart. A bomber pilot, he was killed in action during a raid on Tokyo, August 8, 1945, two days after the atomic bomb was dropped on Hiroshima.

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† ROBERT J. KLEPPER

Robert J. Klepper, 68, of Roscoe passed away Monday, May 22, 2017, in Abilene. He was a 1966 graduate of Roscoe High School.

His wishes were to be cremated and no other services are planned. All arrangements are under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home.

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RCHS Teams Up with Office Depot to Provide Drone Courses to Other Schools

Dusty White, right, instructs students in drone flight.

In keeping with its goal of providing a model for other schools for new, more effective methods of instruction, Roscoe Collegiate High School through Edu-Drone, Inc., is embarking on a business venture with Office Depot to disseminate its drone-course curriculum nationwide to interested schools and school districts.

Over the past year, RCHS has developed a ground-breaking course taught by experienced drone operators. In doing so, the school has established a curriculum that teaches high school students how to repair and fly drones while also preparing them for FAA certification as drone pilots.

The class is a win-win both for students and businesses. For the students, certification provides immediate employment and career opportunities, and for businesses, the program produces qualified potential employees who can come in and quickly help them get up and running in this new, rapidly expanding field.

Office Depot has made a promotional video for Edu-Drone that describes Roscoe Collegiate’s curriculum for the course. It is accompanied by a flyer that explains how schools can obtain this curriculum for their STEM Certification Programs to prepare students for the "$82.1 Billion in U.S. Economic Impact and 100,000 Jobs Projected in the Drone Industry by 2025."

Proceeds from the sale of the curriculum will benefit the Roscoe school and community.

The video is available by clicking here.

The flyer is available by clicking here.

For more information, contact Office Depot at committedtolearning@officedepot.com.

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BONNIE WILKINSON WINS GOLD AT STATE MEET, LYNDI GETS BRONZE

Bonnie Wilkinson with her gold medal on the winners' stand after winning the triple jump.

After their performances at the Area Meet in Odessa, the Wilkinson sisters, Bonnie and Lyndi, had high hopes for winning medals at the UIL State Track & Field Meet in Austin last weekend—and that’s just what they did. Bonnie brought home the gold by winning the triple jump with a distance of 36’11½”, which she achieved on her final jump. It was her personal record at an official meet. Lyndi, a senior running in her final high school meet, also had a personal best for the 800-meter run with a time of 2:18.85, which was fast enough to earn her third place and a bronze medal. Both are significant achievements, especially when you consider that there were 208 2A UIL high schools in Texas with track teams this year.

Bonnie, a sophomore, also finished fourth in the 400-meter race with another personal best, 59.25 seconds, which was less than a half-second behind the third-place finisher.

The Plowgirls’ 4 x 400 meter relay team—Jaci Alexander, Lyndi Wilkinson, Jaleigh Morales, and Bonnie Wilkinson—finished eighth with a time of 4:11.78.

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PLOWBOTS OFF TO UIL STATE ROBOTICS MEET IN AUSTIN THIS WEEKEND

As a result of their strong finish at the Hub City Regional Meet in Lubbock back in March, the Plowbots, Roscoe School’s Robotics Team, qualified for the State Meet and will be competing this weekend, May 19-20, in the FIRST Division State Championship for Competitive Robotics at the Austin Convention Center in downtown Austin.

The Plowbots are coached by instructors Dan Boren and John Cox. Team members include Driver—Camden Boren, Navigator—Braxton Parrott, Pilot—Becca Shaw, “Gearman”—Tristan Brooks, Lead Mechanic—Martin Luna, Game Analysts—Brayan Medina-Solis and Ryan Highsmith; and Scouts—Caleb Ward, Christian Acuna, Arizona Guerra, and Riley Sheridan.

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THIRD SUNDAY LUNCH AT COMMUNITY CENTER THIS WEEKEND

The parking lot was full at the Community Center Saturday..

May 21 - 11:30am-1:30pm
Mexican Pile On, dessert and drink $7
We hope to see you then!!!
_____

Our May Trades Day was a great success!!  Thanks to all vendors & to all who came and supported our event.

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ROSCOE HIGH SCHOOL SENIORS BEAUTIFY THE TOWN

RCHS Seniors put a fresh coat of paint on the old Doc Daily building on Main and Broadway.

If you wondered what was going on with all the activity at the building on the southeast corner of Main and Broadway or outside the Methodist Church last week, you were seeing the RCHS seniors performing some community service before they leave for college and the workforce.

One group planted trees to shade the playground at the Open Door Child Care Center and did landscape work for First United Methodist Church. Another group painted the building on the corner of Main and Broadway as well as cleaned up downtown.

The AVID College Readiness class at RCISD plans to serve the community throughout the year next year. If you have any community service needs, please contact Kellie Seals at the high school: (325) 766-3327.

                                                                                    --Kellie Seals

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WEATHER REPORT: PREDICTED BIG RAIN TURNS OUT TO BE A FALSE ALARM

Storm clouds in the northwest yesterday evening.

Back when I was a boy growing up in Roscoe, there was always a fireworks stand on the edge of town before Christmas and the Fourth of July. The big exploding fireworks back then were cherry bombs, silver hammers, and baby giants. All were bigger and more powerful than the smaller Black Cat firecrackers that everyone also bought. The very thought of what a cherry bomb would do to a tin can or red ant bed created quite a bit of anticipation. However, the greater the anticipation, the greater the disappointment when you lit the fuse on one, ran away as quickly as possible, and put a finger in each ear—only to see the fuse go out and the mighty cherry bomb become a harmless dud.

That’s pretty much the way I felt last night when the predicted rainstorm passed over Roscoe. For several days, the forecasters had been predicting a big storm for Tuesday night. As the day for the storm drew closer, the percentages for the chance of rain went up until by yesterday meteorologists were predicting anywhere from 85% to 100%. Well, last night finally came, and the storm approached from the west with plenty of wind, lightning, and thunder. Unfortunately, it turned out to be a big dud. My rain gauge recorded a grand total of .04”, not even enough to create a small puddle in my driveway. What a disappointment!

Fortunately, we are now being told that the chances of rain will be 80% on Saturday. So, maybe we’ll get a substantial rain then. If not, then there’s another possibility next Tuesday, when chances are currently at 50%. In any case, this area needs a good, substantial rain. The black land is so dry that there are cracks in it, and May is over halfway gone.

The coming week will have temperatures pretty much the same as last week with highs in the eighties except for Saturday and Sunday when they will dip into the seventies. Lows will be in the sixties except for the weekend when they fall into the fifties. Skies will be sunny or partly cloudy, and farmers and ranchers will be scanning the skies for rain clouds.

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Election Puts New Faces on School Board, City Council

The election results as reported on KTAB-TV Saturday night.

In what many considered something of a surprise, two incumbents, one on the RCISD School Board, the other on the Roscoe City Council, were passed over in favor of first-time candidates in the local election on Saturday. The School Board will have two new members in Edward “Spider” Herrera and Kenny Hope, Jr. David Pantoja is a former member who is back after a break, and James Arnwine is a returning incumbent. Steve Anthony, who was running for re-election, came up a few votes short, as did first-time candidate Christie Galvan. The Members of the School Board are now Jason Freeman, Wes Williams, Frankie Santiago, David Pantoja, Spider Herrera, and Kenny Hope, Jr.

In the Roscoe City Council election, KC Hope had more votes than either incumbent and replaces long-time member Helen Perry, while incumbent Billy Joe Jay returns for another two-year term. The Council is now made up of Robert McBride, Billy Joe Jay, Suzie Alford, Edwin Duncan, KC Hope, and Mayor Pete Porter.

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CITY COUNCIL WELCOMES NEW MEMBER, CONDUCTS BUSINESS

City Secretary Donna Parker swears in new Council Member KC Hope, left, and Billy Joe Jay.

At its monthly meeting in City Hall yesterday evening, the City Council heard reports from the City Manager and Police Chief and swore in the two winners of Saturday’s election, incumbent Billy Joe Jay and new member KC Hope, to two-year terms. The Council also joined in expressing appreciation to Police Officer Dickie Summers upon his retirement from the Roscoe Police Force and to outgoing Council Member Helen Perry for her long service to the City both as a Council Member and as former director of the Community Center. It also approved Atmos Energy Corporation’s negotiated settlement regarding the company’s 2017 rate review filings, a routine legal procedure that must be done every year.

City Manager Cody Thompson reported that a plan will be put together with RCISD school officials regarding regulations for school zone traffic on Main Street near the Early Childhood Center, which is opening when school resumes in August. The plan will also involve the Texas Department of Transportation since Main Street is also a state highway, FM 608, and must conform to state regulations regarding school zone speed limits, cell phone usage, and possible installation of warning lights.

The City will re-work 7th Street from Ash Street east to Main Street starting in mid to late May. The finished street will not have the inversion as it does between Ash and Cedar since there is a slight natural drop from Ash to Main, so drainage will not be a problem. The street will also be widened and sealcoated later in the summer during the annual City-County sealcoat program. Estimated cost to the City will be $28,000, which will be taken from the Street Maintenance Fund.

The sanitary sewer improvements by Whitney Underground Utilities should begin this week. Equipment and supplies are still being delivered.

Business investors from Fort Worth/Weatherford will visit within the next couple of weeks to see about putting in a Travel Center at or near the intersection of FM 608 and US 84 on the Young Farm property. One investor has already visited the property and will be visiting this time with an additional partner.

Police Chief Felix Pantoja gave the Police Report for April. The Department had 101 calls for service and 3 crash reports. It filed 4 cases and issued 17 traffic warnings and 3 citations. The Department’s grant application for $6,225.10 for new radios was approved by the West Central Texas Council of Governments, and new handheld radios and radios for police vehicles have been purchased.

The Council then approved the appointment of Rita Norwood as manager of the City Swimming Pool this summer.

City Hall will be closed on Monday, May 29, in observance of Memorial Day.

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ROSCOE COLLEGIATE ISD SETS NEW STANDARD FOR COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS

(RCISD Press Release)

RCHS Western Texas College graduates.

On Friday, May 5, 2017, twenty-seven of twenty-eight (96%) of the entire Roscoe Collegiate Independent School District’s (RCISD) senior class graduated from Western Texas College in Snyder with the Associate Degree, two weeks before they will cross the high school graduation stage in Roscoe.

Already a state and national leader in college and career readiness as an Early College/STEM Academy, RCISD continues to elevate the standard. Now in Year 9 as an Early College, the first year in 2009 RCISD had one graduate, followed by 38%, 52%, 58%, 73%, and 89% in 2014. Then, in 2015 the District reached its target of 90%, followed by 92% in 2016, and 96% in 2017. Of those 96% graduating from Roscoe Collegiate this year with the Associate Degree, 96% have also earned industry recognized workforce endorsements.

Now as the District continues to raise the bar as a state and national model, The Roscoe Collegiate P-20 System Model for Student Success, RCISD has begun negotiations with Four Year Universities to bring Four Year and Graduate Degree Programs to Roscoe, thereby enabling the District to reach another target, which is 90% of its graduates completing Four Year Degrees and 50% of its graduates completing Graduate Degrees by 2025. If successful in bringing the Four Year and Graduate Degree opportunities to Roscoe, that program will also be made available to young and mid-career adults from Roscoe and surrounding areas, as part of a Local Rural Economic Development Effort for Nolan County.

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COMMUNITY CENTER TRADE DAY THIS SATURDAY, MAY 13

The Roscoe Community Center at 100 Bois d'Arc will hold its May Trade Day this Saturday from 8am to 4pm.

16 vendors will be on hand for your shopping convenience.
The concession stand will be serving
Breakfast Burritos  $2
Fancy burritos for lunch. $5
Plain Jane. burritos. $4
Plus lots of snacks
Come out and shop the trades day and all the local businesses!

------

Third Sunday Lunch
May 21 - 11:30am-1:30pm
Mexican Pile On, dessert and drink $7
So mark your calendars!!

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CENTRAL ROLLING PLAINS CO-OP HOLDS ANNUAL MEETING

Co-op members gathered for supper before last night's meeting at the School.

The Central Rolling Plains Co-op treated its stockholders to a fish and chicken dinner last night at the Roscoe School Cafetorium, catered by River Smith of Lubbock.  Items of business included the manager’s report, regional reports, audit report and the election of Ricky Bowman as Vice President and James Parrott as Board member. Steve Moore is the President and Leslie Rannefeld the Secretary. Roddy Alexander and Tanner Martin were elected to the Advisory Board. 

At the Co-op’s Open House at the gin last fall, members were challenged to guess the number of bales the gin would produce for the year with a $100 prize going to the person getting the closest without going over the actual amount.  The winner of that challenge was Tanner Martin, who guessed 87,565 bales.  The final total for the year was 87,827.

Dividend checks and equity retirement checks were also distributed and door prizes awarded.

Stockholders who were unable to attend last night's meeting may pick up their checks at the Co-op office at 102 Pecan St. until Friday afternoon, after which the remaining ones will be mailed to recipients.

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WILKINSON SISTERS FEATURED ON KTXS-TV EVENING NEWS

(Photo by KTXS-TV)

If you were watching the 6 or 10 o’clock news on KTXS-TV Monday evening, you were treated to a sports feature on the Plowgirls’ Wilkinson sisters, Bonnie and Lyndi, who will be going to the state track & field finals in Austin this weekend. Lyndi will be running in the 800-meter race, while Bonnie will participate in both the 400-meters and the triple jump. And both will be part of the Plowgirls' 4 x 400-meter relay along with Jaci Alexander and Jaleigh Morales. The video segment is also available online on the Big Country Homepage. You can access it by clicking here.

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BIG WEEKEND AT THE LUMBERYARD WITH GARY P. NUNN FRIDAY, JOHNNY BUSH SATURDAY

Gary P. Nunn

Large crowds are expected at the Lumberyard this weekend as Gary P. Nunn and the Bunkhouse Band return on Friday night and Johnny Bush and the Bandoleros perform on Saturday.

Gary P. Nunn was a pioneer of the outlaw music scene in Austin in the 1970s when he played with Willie Nelson, Michael Murphy, and Jerry Jeff Walker and has been a fixture of the Texas music scene ever since. Over the years he’s received numerous awards, including induction into the West Texas Walk of Fame, and in 1985 Texas Governor Mark White named him Texas’ Official Ambassador to the World. Best known for songs such as “London Homesick Blues,” “What I Like About Texas,” “Love is Just a Two-Step Away,” and others, he and his Bunkhouse Band take pride in being a dance band as well as a show band. In February, they were named the 2017 Ameripolitan “Honky-Tonk Band of the Year.” So, bring your dancing shoes when you come Friday evening.

Johnny Bush

And for Johnny Bush and the Bandoleros, let’s hope that “the third time’s the charm” for him and the Lumberyard. He first came to the Lumberyard three or four years ago, but when he did, so did a norther. It was so cold that only the bravest showed up, and many people who wanted to see him stayed at home. Then, back in April, he was scheduled again, but his appearance had to be postponed because of cold weather and high winds. This Saturday, however, if the weather forecast is anything close to correct, this country legend and his band will finally be able to put on the kind of show they’ve wanted to all along. The forecast is for a beautiful evening with temperatures in the eighties and upper seventies, clear skies, and a light south breeze.

Over his long career, he has produced 23 albums. Songs he is best known for include “Undo the Right,” “Whiskey River,” “Each Time,” “You Gave Me a Mountain,” “I’ll Be There,” “There Stands the Glass,” and “Green Snakes on the Ceiling.”

Both performances will begin around 9:30pm. For reservations and more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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WEATHER REPORT: COOL AND WINDY

Saturday's sunset.

The weekend was warm with temperatures peaking at 90°F on Saturday and 89° on Sunday, but otherwise the days were much cooler than one would expect for May. The highs last Wednesday and Thursday were both only 73° with 81° on Friday. Then on Monday and yesterday they were 76° and 72° respectively. The lows were not that low, however. The lows for the week were 48° on Thursday and Friday morning, but on Sunday and Monday morning the lows were 61°, while yesterday morning was a humid 65° and this morning 67°.

The winds were also noticeable most of the week with high winds from 17-22mph for the past five days with gusts up to 29—until last night when the gusts were up to 37. The weekend was clear, while Monday and yesterday were overcast. But the most important aspect of the weather was once again the lack of any rainfall. May is typically the rainiest month of the year, but so far we haven’t got a drop, and the ground is dry with cracks.

There is a 30% chance of rain and isolated thunderstorms today with afternoon temperatures returning to the mid to high 80s for the rest of the week. After today, the next day with a chance of rain is on Sunday when once again there will be a 30% chance with isolated thunderstorms. Beyond that, you have to wait until Wednesday and Thursday of next week, that is, unless something happens the meteorologists can’t foresee at this time.

But it is May, so we’ll just have to wait and see.

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Wilkinson Sisters Lead Plowgirls to State Finals

Lyndi Wilkinson                                    Bonnie Wilkinson

Led by the Wilkinson sisters, Lyndi and Bonnie, the Plowgirls, with only five girls participating, finished third (in a tie with Post) at the UIL Regional Track & Field Meet in Odessa last weekend.

Lyndi Wilkinson won the 800-meter run, Bonnie Wilkinson was second in the triple jump and 400-meter run, and the Plowgirls’ 4 x 400-meter relay team of Jaci Alexander, Lyndi Wilkinson, Jaleigh Morales, and Bonnie Wilkinson also finished second. Since the first and second finishers in each event qualify for the State Track & Field Meet, they all qualified and will participate in Austin next weekend, May 11-13.

The other Plowgirl, Kinzie Buchanan, finished seventh in the shot put, and while she didn’t qualify for the state meet, she is just a freshman, so her strong finish promises greater results in the future.

The two Plowboys at the Regional Meet were Micheal Wright, also just a freshman, and Jayden Gonzales. Micheal’s triple jump of 40’ 1” was a personal best, as was Jayden’s pole vault of 12’ 6”, which got him the fifth-place finish.

Here are the finishes with times and/or distances:

Plowgirls

Event                          Place               Athlete            Time/Distance
400 meters                      2          Bonnie Wilkinson           60.38        
800 meters                      1           Lyndi Wilkinson           2:25.91
4 x 400 meter relay        2          Plowgirls                        4:10.46
     (J. Alexander, L. Wilkinson, J. Morales, B. Wilkinson)
Triple Jump                    2           Bonnie Wilkinson            35’ 4”
Shot Put                           7           Kinzie Buchanan             34’ ½”

Plowboys

Triple Jump                   13        Micheal Wright                 40’ 1”
Pole Vault                        5         Jayden Gonzales               12’ 6”

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CITY COUNCIL, SCHOOL BOARD ELECTIONS AT COMMUNITY CENTER SATURDAY

This Saturday, May 6, is election day and voting in both the City and School elections will be in the Roscoe Community Center from 7am-7pm.

The City Council seats filled by Billy Joe Jay and Helen Perry are being contested. Both Council members are running to retain their seats, and KC Hope is also running. The top two vote-getters will be the winners.

Six candidates are running for four open School Board seats, and the top four vote-getters will be the winners. The candidates are incumbents James Arnwine and Steve Anthony, along with Christie Galvan, Edward (Spider) Herrera, Kenny Hope, Jr., and David Pantoja.

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FORMER PLOWBOY BUSTER FRIERSON MAKES COVER OF AMERICAN COWBOY

Buster Frierson

Plowboy ex Buster Frierson (RHS '93) is on the cover of the latest issue of American Cowboy as the classic American cowboy. A quarter horse trainer and breeder and rodeo star, he is the subject of an article about the modern working cowboy in a magazine dedicated to past and present American cowboys and cowboy life.

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PLOWBOYS, PLOWGIRLS HONORED AT ATHLETIC BANQUET

Several Plowboys and Plowgirls received honors at the annual Athletic Banquet held in the School Cafetorium last Thursday evening.

Plowboys

For the Plowboys, Brayden Beal was football’s Plowboy of the Year, and Roadey Mann received the Fighting Heart award. Football players receiving All-District, All-Big Country, and All-State selections were also recognized.

Football All-District 4-2A-II
First-Team Offense: MVP, Brayden Beal; line MVP, Matthew Buckley; Newcomer of the Year, Jayden Gonzales; line, Johnathon Cuellar; line, Isaias Aguilar; running back, Francisco Garcia; receiver, Jose Ortega. First-Team Defense: end, Paul Pantoja; utility back, Juan Garcia.
Second-Team Offense: receiver, Cade Garrett; line, Paul Pantoja; kicker, Juan Garcia. Second-Team Defense: tackle, Roadey Mann; end, Parker Payne; end, Tristan Brooks; linebacker, Austin Willman; back, Clemente Aguayo.
Academic All-District: Brayden Beal, Matthew Buckley, Johnathon Cuellar, Clemente Aguayo, Tait Fullwood, Parker Payne, Nick Limones, Junior Martinez.

2A All-Big Country
Quarterback, Brayden Beal; running back, Francisco Garcia; wide receiver, Jose Ortega; offensive lineman, Matthew Buckley; defensive back, Jose Ortega; defensive end, Paul Pantoja.

Texas Sports Writers 2A All-State
Quarterback, Brayden Beal; running back, Francisco Garcia; offensive line, Matthew Buckley; wide receiver, Jose Ortega.

Associated Press 2A All-State
Offensive lineman, Matthew Buckley; running back, Francisco Garcia; safety, Jose Ortega; defensive end, Paul Pantoja.

Old Coach 2A All-State
Offensive lineman, Matthew Buckley; defensive back, Nick Limones; defensive back, Clemente Aguayo

Basketball, All-District 8-2A
Second-team guard, Jose Ortega; Honorable Mention, Brayden Beal, Johnathon Cuellar.
Mr. Defense, Brayden Beal.

Academic All-District: Johnathon Cuellar, Brayden Beal, Cam Boren, Clemente Aguayo.

Powerlifting
Regional qualifiers: Matthew Buckley, Tait Fullwood, Francisco Garcia.
Plowboy of the Year: Matthew Buckley.

Track
Regional qualifiers: triple jump, Micheal Wright; pole vault, Jayden Gonzales.

Plowgirls

MVP Basketball: Veronica Cuellar
MVP Cross Country: Lyndi Wilkinson
MVP Track: Bonnie Wilkinson
Fighting Heart: Karina Cisneros
First-Team All-District Basketball: Veronica Cuellar
2nd Team All-District: Jaleigh Morales
2nd Team All-District: Bonnie Wilkinson
Honorable Mention: Jaci Alexander
Honorable Mention: Bergan Trevino
Miss Defense: Bergan Trevino

Academic All-District: Karina Cisneros, Lyndi Wilkinson, Bergan Trevino, Jovana Pena, Jaci Alexander, Jaleigh Morales

Track School Record Triple Jump: Bonnie Wilkinson 36' 7"

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TUESDAY DEADLINE FOR SWIMMING POOL MANAGER APPLICATIONS

The City of Roscoe is accepting applications for summer manager of the City Swimming Pool through Tuesday, May 9. Applicants should apply at City Hall during business hours. For more information, phone 325-766-3871.

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RANDALL KING, JB & THE MOONSHINE BAND AT THE LUMBERYARD THIS WEEKEND

Randall King

Two Texas Country bands will make their first appearances ever at the Lumberyard this weekend—the Randall King Band on Friday night and JB & the Moonshine Band Saturday.

Randall King is a Red Dirt singer/songwriter from Lubbock who played at the recent Outlaws & Legends weekend in Abilene. He is currently at work on a five-song EP that is due out this month. His song, “The Problem,” (Click title for YouTube video) rose to number 17 on the Texas Music Charts.

JB & the Moonshine Band

JB & the Moonshine Band is an up-and-coming Texas Country band from east Texas. Best known for their single, “Perfect Girl,” (Click title for YouTube video), which peaked at #7 on CMT Pure’s 12 Pack, their “Whiskey Days” was also a hit, reaching #7 on Billboard’s Texas Regional Radio Report,

The band has produced three albums, Ain’t Goin’ Back to Jail (2010), Beer for Breakfast (2012), and Mixtape (2015). Top singles also include “I’m Down,” “No Better Than This,” “Kiss Me That Way,”  and "Yes."

For reservations and more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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WEATHER REPORT: HOT, COLD, WINDY, AND DRY--AGAIN

Cloudy skies over Roscoe earlier this morning.

This week was in many ways a repeat of the one before it, with wild swings in temperature and wind direction, but consistently windy and consistently dry. The English poet John Donne once said, “April is the cruelest month.” He wasn’t referring to west Texas weather, of course, but he might as well have been. The wind in the past week has been relentless. One day it was from the northwest, the next from the southeast, the next from the west, and so on. But no matter which direction it came from or blew, it was always strong and gusty. In fact, the only day the gusts didn’t exceed 30mph was on Monday when they got up to only 28mph. The day before had gusts up to 44mph.

And just as it has been windy, it’s also been dry. The long-range forecasts of 50% chances of precipitation always diminish to nothing or almost nothing as the day in question approaches. Today is a case in point. Four days ago we were getting a 60% chance of rain for today. That diminished to 40% the next day, and by yesterday, it was down to 20%. The only precipitation we got all week was last Wednesday when it sprinkled just enough to get the sidewalks wet. That sprinkle was followed by blowing dust, so a large percentage of the vehicles in town got a layer of dirt so thick you couldn’t see through the windshield, and all the cars were the same color—dirt brown. I took my car to the car wash in Sweetwater and had to wait in line as others with the same idea got there before I did.

It was also seriously cold on Saturday and Sunday. The temperature on Sunday morning dropped to 38°F, which felt even colder because of the sharp, north wind. The scheduled appearance of Johnny Bush on the outdoor stage of the Lumberyard Saturday night was postponed to a later date because the north wind was so strong and chilly. By yesterday, the temperature was back up to 91°, but it was still windy.

The forecast high for today and tomorrow is only 73°, but the weather will warm back into the eighties on Friday and Saturday. The sun will shine, and there will be wind.

Unfortunately, there is no rain in the forecast, which is not good  because it’s getting pretty dry around here.  

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