Rains Boost Cotton Crop

Saturday evening's storm moves in from the southwest.

This week’s showers couldn’t have come at a better time for this year’s dryland cotton crop, and area farmers are breathing a sigh of relief over the rains that have fallen since Saturday. One referred to them as a “million-dollar” rain for the area. Ranchers also welcomed it, of course, but the cotton had reached the point that if it didn’t get a rain soon, all its early promise was going to be lost as it withered under the relentless August heat. This is not to say that decent weather won’t also be needed from now until the harvest, but at least the area is still on course for a great crop.

The first rain came seemingly out of nowhere at midday on Saturday, and although some forecasters were giving the area as much as a 30% chance of rain for the day, most people were caught by surprise by the storm’s suddenness and ferocity as it blew in from the west. One minute the sun was shining brightly as it had been for days, and then the storm hit with thunder, lightning, high winds, and sheets of rain. It then moved on east, but while it lasted, it dropped as much as two inches. Roscoe weatherman Kenny Landfried recorded 1.66” while others had more or less, depending on location. The sun came back out, and most assumed that that was it.

But that evening just about sunset, another storm blew in, this one from the southwest, and like the earlier one, it came in with a bang—thunder, lightning, and wind. The downpour didn’t last as long though, and it tapered off to a gentle rain before moving on. Totals for this one were generally less than an inch—Kenny Landfried got .77”, while I had .86”, but combined with the earlier rain, it gave most area locations somewhere around an inch and a half to two inches or more for the day.

Then yesterday morning more rain fell, and the weather was cool and cloudy all day with a light rain falling most of the time. The temperature never got out of the seventies, and the official rainfall total was .81” for the day. Not everyone got that much, but most would agree that what they got the past few days has been enough to make a real difference for the plant life in these parts. And the puddles in town are as big as they ever get, short of a flood.

The forecast is for a return to normal August weather for the next couple of weeks. Skies will be sunny today with a high of around 95°F. Tomorrow and Friday are predicted to be cloudier but with highs still in the mid-nineties. Then on Saturday, skies will clear again and highs of around 95° are forecast for the next week or so with lows of around 73°. Chances for rain are 20% or less for the foreseeable future.

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PLOWBOY PREVIEW TOMORROW AT PLOWBOY FIELD

Cheer Pals lead a cheer at a previous Plowboy Preview.

The annual Plowboy Preview will be held tomorrow, August 17, with a hamburger cookout behind the east stands starting at 6:00, with burger, chips, and drink costing $6.  Then at 7:00pm, this year’s football players, coaches, cheerleaders, and band will be introduced in front of the east stands.

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PLOWBOYS SCRIMMAGE AT HOME WITH MUNDAY FRIDAY

Fans can get their first look at this year’s Plowboys in a scrimmage with Munday at Plowboy Field Friday starting at 6:00pm. Next week they’ll take on Hawley in Hawley for their final warmup before starting their season with the Haskell Indians in Haskell on September 1.

Here is the Plowboy football schedule for 2017:

Date                 Opponent         Location           Time
Aug. 18            Munday**         Home               6:00pm
Aug. 24            Hawley **         Away                6:00pm
Sept.   1            Haskell              Away                7:00pm
Sept.   8            Early                  Away                7:30pm
Sept. 15            Albany               Home                7:30pm
Sept. 22            Open
Sept. 29            Anson                Home               7:30pm
Oct.    6             Menard              Away               7:30pm
Oct.  13             Roby*                Home                7:00pm
Oct.  20             Plains*              Home               7:00pm
Oct.  27             Seagraves*        Away               7:00pm
Nov.   3             Tahoka*             Home              7:00pm
Nov. 10             Hamlin*            Away                7:00pm
                        ** = Scrimmage
                        *   = District Game

As the schedule shows, the Plowboys play three of their five district games at home, but the two that may be the most significant, Seagraves and Hamlin, are both away games. Because of the long distances needed for travel, all district games will begin at 7:00pm.

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STUDENT ENROLLMENT AT ROSCOE REMAINS CONSTANT FOR SECOND CONSECUTIVE YEAR

After experiencing steady growth from 2011 to 2015, the Roscoe Collegiate Independent School District has seen its initial fall enrollment level off now for the past two years. As of Monday, the total enrollment at RCISD was 611, seven more than last year at the same point but down seven from 2015, the year before. The largest growth this year has been in the Early Childhood classes.

                           Grades                    2015              2016            2017
Elementary        pre-K – 5                365               347             358*
Junior High        6-8                          118                123              121
High School        9-12                        135                134              132
Totals                  pre-K – 12              618               604              611

* This figure counts the pre-K students who have enrolled but not yet attended their first class because 4-year-olds begin next Monday, August 21, and 3-year-olds the following Monday, August 28.

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FUNDRAISER FOR DOUG RICHBURG AT VFW SATURDAY

Doug Richburg

A fundraiser for Doug Richburg will be held this Saturday at the VFW. All monies collected from all sources go to benefit Doug and his medical expenses and needs. There will be door prizes and an auction of donated items by individuals and businesses. Music begins at 2:00pm and lasts until at least midnight.

Free entry lasts until 7:30pm and is $10 after that. A BBQ sandwich meal provided by Big Boys BBQ will be served from 4:30-7:30pm.

If you have something to donate for a door prize or for the auction, or if you would like to make a money donation, contact Mark Wayne Hagood or Brenda Sutton Stevens by Facebook private message. They can arrange for an item to be picked up.

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“IF WORD GOT OUT, WOOD THEY COME,” ABILENE REPORTER-NEWS PUBLISHES ARTICLE ON LUMBERYARD

(Photo by Greg Jaklewicz)

The Abilene Reporter-News published another nice article on the Lumberyard and its importance as a west Texas music venue, this one by staff writer Greg Jaklewicz. It appeared in Friday’s paper and was accompanied by several photos. You can access it by clicking here.

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ROSCOE COMMUNITY CENTER NEWS

3RD SUNDAY LUNCH
There will be NO 3rd Sunday Lunch on August 20.
The next lunch is scheduled for September 17

COOKBOOK NEWS
The center is putting together a cookbook with all recipes from all the great cooks in our community. If you would like to submit a recipe, please get them to any board member or mail them to

Roscoe Community Center
P.O. Box 152
Roscoe TX 79545

GENERAL RCC NEWS

Our next scheduled meeting is set for September 11 at 6:00pm at the Community Center.
We invite anyone who might be interested in being part of the Community Center. We have several community service projects in the works and need people to help make them successful.

For more information call President Shawn Scott at 325-242-2687 or visit with any Board member.

COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS
Several dates open for rentals, so call and book your next event
Call Misty @ 325-338-1005

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CAMERAN NELSON AT LUMBERYARD TOMORROW NIGHT

Cameran Nelson

Yes, you read that right. Country singer Cameran Nelson will be playing live at the Lumberyard in an unusual Thursday night appearance tomorrow night. Nelson is originally from Haskell but 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.” And his  single, “Little That We’re Livin’ On,” has also received radio play.

Cover charge is $10. For reservations and more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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