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In the Heart of the Blackland Divide

Wednesday, July 27, 2011

Construction Underway on New Railroad Siding

Union Pacific crane and bulldozer at work a mile west of Roscoe.

If you regularly cross the railroad tracks on Business US 84 in downtown Roscoe, you may be tired of the frequent delays caused by stopped trains blocking traffic.  If so, you may be happy to learn that the Union Pacific Railway is doing something to alleviate the problem by building a two-mile long siding just west of town.  Trains will use the new siding to allow trains coming from the other direction to pass, making stops on the siding downtown unnecessary.

The Union Pacific’s long range plans are to create a double track all the way to El Paso over the next decade so that trains coming from opposite directions can freely pass one another without the delays caused by waiting on sidings.  


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NO BREAK IN THE HEAT AND DROUGHT

Roscoe endured another week of dry weather and hundred-degree temperatures as Abilene reported its 47th day this year with a high of 100°F or more, a new all-time record since records began being kept in 1888.  San Angelo reported its 60th day, also a record—and we’ve still got several days left in July before even getting to August—so the old records will not be just broken, but shattered by the time summer is over.

This year will undoubtedly go down as the hottest on record not only in Abilene and San Angelo, but also in most, if not all, of Texas.  I have unsuccessfully attempted to find out how many 100°+ days Roscoe has had this year but am confident that it, too, like other cities in this part of the state, is experiencing its hottest summer ever.  Yesterday’s high of 104°F unfortunately seemed downright ordinary, and the forecast for the coming week is for more of the same. 

Many forecasters are now saying that the only break from the current weather pattern may be the arrival of a hurricane on the Texas coast. 

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Channel One's Shelby Holliday interviews Cliff Etheredge.
ROSCOE WIND FARM TO BE FEATURED IN CHANNEL ONE NEWS DOCUMENTARY

The Roscoe Wind Farm is once again the subject of a national news documentary, this time for Channel One, which broadcasts news programming via satellite to middle schools and high schools throughout the United States.  The documentary will be about alternative sources of energy in America and is due to be shown this fall. 

The current issue (September 2011) of Cowboys & Indians magazine also has a nice article on the Roscoe wind farm along with several photos. 

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IRA POKER TOURNAMENT TO BENEFIT OFFICER DARRELL CAMPBELL

A no-limit “Texas Hold ‘em” poker tournament will be held this Saturday, July 30, at 6:00pm in Fran Farmer’s barn at 11014 Farmer’s Lane in Ira, to benefit wounded officer Darrell Campbell of the Snyder Police Force and formerly a Roscoe policeman.  


Buy-ins are $50 with re-buys allowed, and late buy-ins will be allowed until 7:00pm.  All buy-ins go to the Darrell Campbell Fund.  Payouts will be $1000 for First Place and $500 for Second Place (donated funds).  Players of all levels are welcome.  The environment will be learner friendly, and soft drinks will be available. 


As previously reported in the Hard Times, Officer Campbell was shot in the head while answering a domestic disturbance call in Snyder on July 12.  He is currently recovering at University Medical Center in Lubbock and making progress daily but needs continuous non-stop support from his family.


The goal of the poker tournament is to raise as much money as possible to ease the burden on the Campbell family and to have fun while doing it.  For more information, contact the event coordinator, Corey Chester, at 325-574-0077, or send e-mail to corey.chester@alexanderspest.com.

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