Isabel Aguayo and Devon Carter Freeman are Homecoming Queen and King

Devon Carter Freeman and Isabel Aguayo

At the ceremonies held at halftime of last Friday’s football game, Isabel Aguayo was crowned Homecoming Queen and Devon Carter Freeman Homecoming King.  

The Band Sweetheart was Alura Renteria, and the Band Beau was Eduardo Gallegos. 

Homecoming Queen Nominees were Shalana Mitchell, Jacinda Morales, and Lynnsi Moses, and King Nominees were Matthew Cuellar, Corey Hatcher, and Eric Padilla. 

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MUNDAY TOO MUCH FOR PLOWBOYS AT HOMECOMING

The Munday Moguls upped their season record to 4-1 with a decisive victory over the Plowboys on Friday night, 55-6.  The Plowboys held the Moguls to a 6-0 first quarter, but once Munday got rolling there was no stopping them for the rest of the evening.

The Plowboys did get a 61-yard touchdown run from Eduardo Gallegos in the fourth quarter, but it was too little, too late.  The main solace for the Plowboys now is that they have completed their grueling pre-district schedule against some of the best teams in the Big Country and should be playing teams closer to their own level from here on out.

This Friday night, however, they are off.  They’ll begin district play next Friday night, October 7, at home against the Hamlin Pied Pipers.  The pre-season favorite to win District 7AII, the Pied Pipers also have an open date this Friday.  

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CITY MAKES PLANS FOR BIGGEST WIND HARVEST FESTIVAL YET 

The Bellamy Brothers

At its meeting at the City Hall last night, Roscoe’s Entertainment Committee made advance plans for this year’s Fifth Annual Wind Harvest Festival on Saturday, October 15.  Organizers expect this to be the annual event’s biggest celebration ever.  The feature attraction, a free concert by the Bellamy Brothers, will bring in folks from all over the Big Country, and a huge crowd is anticipated.

However, the Bellamy Brothers are not the only draw as several other popular activities will take place that day.  In addition to the free concert and street dance, there will be more street vendors than ever, a Plowboy Mudbog, a Fire Department Cookoff, inflatables for the kids, and a fireworks show.

FREE CONCERT AND STREET DANCE

The free concert and street dance “on the bricks” downtown on Cypress Street will open with Lawless Flatz, a popular band from Roby, from 5:30-7:30pm.  The Bellamy Brothers will play from 8:00 to 8:45 and then break for the fireworks show at around 8:45.  They will return immediately following the fireworks, around 9:05 or so, and then play until 10:00.

FIRE DEPARTMENT COOKOFF

The Barbecue Cookoff, sponsored by the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department, will award prizes in three categories:

                          1st Prize    2nd Prize    3rd Prize 
     1. Steak        $1000        $500        $250
     2. Ribs            $500        $250         $150
     3. Chicken     $250        $150           $75

The entry fee is $75, and contestants must enter all three categories.  Deadline for entry will be the cooks' meeting at 8:00am on October 15.  Judging will take place in the afternoon, and prizes will be awarded at the recognitions ceremony around 7:15pm.

Dry camping only will be available starting at 6:00pm on October 14, and generators may be used.  Spots will be available on a “first come, first pick” basis.  For more information, call organizer Gary Armstrong at 325-235-4110.

VENDORS

There will be a multitude of vendors selling all sorts of things in the downtown area throughout the Wind Festival.  Vendors will be open for business from 10:00am-10:00pm. Vendor space, still available, is free for non-profits and $40 for all others.  If interested, contact Kelly Etheredge soon at 325-725-0756.

PLOWBOY MUDBOG

A Plowboy Mudbog will be held at George Parks Field on Sycamore Street.  Since its inception, this event has steadily grown both in the quality and number of entrants and in the number of spectators.  Organizers Felix and David Pantoja anticipate that this will be the best Plowboy Mudbog yet and will feature some of the best vehicles in west Texas and eastern New Mexico.  

Registration for contestants starts at 9:30am on the day of the event, and the fee is $25 per driver.  Seat belts and helmets will be required. 

The public gate opens at 11:00am.  Prices for admission are $5 for 14 and up, $2 for 7 to 13, and free for kids 6 and under.  Events will run from noon until finish around 4:00 or 5:00pm. 

Mudbog Categories are as follows:

1.    Street Class (35” wheels, limited engine modification)
2.    Super Street (35” wheels, engine vac under 13”)
3.    Modified Class (36”-39” wheels,  limited engine modification)
4.    Super Modified Class (36”-39” wheels, engine vac under 13”)
5.    Open Class (40” wheels and over, no blowers or nos)

All proceeds benefit Roscoe Little League baseball.  For more information, contact Felix Pantoja at 325-514-8384 or David Pantoja at 325-280-1917--or check out the Plowboy Mudbog page on Facebook. 

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WEATHER REPORT

The past week was once again dry and sunny and somewhat hotter than one would expect with several days topping out in the high nineties.  Lows were in the low seventies and high sixties. No rain is in the forecast.

The hot weather didn’t seem to affect the migration patterns of the buzzards and butterflies, however.  Last week a huge number of buzzards could be seen circling in the sky one afternoon as they gathered up to go south for the winter.  And in the past few days, the entire area has been inundated with the annual fall migration of the monarch butterflies.  So, even though cold weather is not here yet, these events are sure signs that it is on the way. 

New Downtown Establishments Open for Business

The old Ag Center building is the new home of the Feed Store & More.

Although neither has yet had an official grand opening, both of Roscoe’s newest downtown commercial ventures are open and doing business.  

Still without its new sign, the Feed Store & More, in the old Ag Center building across the street from the Lumberyard on Cypress Street, is now in full operation.  A joint venture of Bruce McGlothlin and Chuck Harvey, it stocks feed for horses, cattle, lambs, goats, dogs, and pigs and is currently selling spring-cut alfalfa hay with some fresh-cut on the way.  You can also buy hen scratch and deer corn there.  More items will be available as time goes on.

Work hours are 7:30am-7:00pm Monday through Saturday, and 12:00-5:00pm on Sundays.  Amber Bollinger is the sales clerk, and the telephone number is 325-766-2211.  

Prices may vary from week to week because of the current situation regarding feed, but Chuck Harvey assures me that they'll meet or beat any prices you’ll find in Sweetwater. 

The Feed Store is only Phase One for the business.  A new general store, Ye Ol’ General Store, is also planned for the building next door where Dandy Fence used to be.  It is scheduled to open later this year.  

VP Tire & Service on East Broadway is now open.

VP Tire & Service, on 702 E. Broadway where Jesse Faust’s Garage once was, is being run by David Pantoja and Mark Diaz.  They started full operation on September 10 and sell both new and used tires, do general maintenance such as oil changes, flats, and brakes, and make minor repairs.  There are also plans to have a service truck.   Like the Feed Store & More, they are also waiting for a new sign.

Their hours of operation are from 7:30-5:00 Monday through Friday and 8:00-12:00 on Saturday.  

The owners vow that their prices are also as good as or better than what you find in Sweetwater not only for tires but also for labor.  For more information, contact David Pantoja at 325-280-1917.

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VICKIE’S GIFTS ADDING NEW SPACE

Vickie’s Gifts, owned by Vickie Haynes and in business on 211 Main Street for the past 13 years, is currently undergoing expansion with a new wing under construction.  

When it is complete, the store will have some 3000 additional feet.  Eight hundred feet of that will be a courtyard where items are sold, a thousand will be for storage, and the other fourteen hundred will be additional shop space.  The plan is to have everything complete by mid-November.  

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DOROTHA MAE (MRS. WILSON) SMITH

Dorotha Mae Ford Smith, 89, passed away on Saturday, September 17.  Funeral services were held on Monday at the Roscoe Church of Christ, followed by interment in the Roscoe Cemetery.

Dorotha Mae Ford was born August 17, 1922, in Beardstown, Texas, and grew up in Roscoe.  She wedded Wilson L. Smith on January 6, 1940, and was married to him for 67 years until his death on July 17, 2007.  

She is survived by three children, Jimmy Wilson Smith and wife Candy of Plano, Barbara Smith O’Neil and husband Pete of Dallas, and Stacey Smith Cheney of Plano, as well as eight grandchildren and fourteen great-grandchildren.  

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MERKEL DOWNS PLOWBOYS 39-0

The Plowboys endured another rough game as Class 2A Merkel proved to be too much for the Plowboys.  The outcome was never in doubt as the score was 33-0 at the half.  Baylor Mullins passed for 115 yards and two touchdowns for the Badgers as Merkel improved its record to 2-1 for the year.

Top rushers for the Plowboys were Eduardo Gallegos with 40 yards, Eric Padilla with 36, and Chris DeLeon with 32.   

The Plowboys are now 0-4 after facing two good 2A teams and two of the region’s class A powerhouses, with none of the games at home.  That is hardly the kind of schedule one would hope to have for a relatively young and inexperienced team such as the Plowboys.  

And, even though Friday night is their home opener, things won’t be any easier for the Plowboys as they face 3-1 Munday, whose only loss was to Stamford and whose average margin of victory for the last three games against Olney, Jim Ned, and Haskell is 37 points. 

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WEATHER REPORT

Although there was plenty of lightning and distant thunder last night, another week has passed without any rain.  

According to the U. S. Drought Monitor, conditions in Texas continue to deteriorate.   It is now in its worst single-year drought ever with practically the entire state in the most extreme drought category possible, as can be seen on the U. S. Drought map by clicking here.  

Texas has just finished its driest 11 months on record and also just experienced the hottest June through August ever in the United States.   The absence of any significant tropical activity along with the probability of a second consecutive La Niña winter give little hope that the current weather pattern will end soon.  

Happy Equinox, everybody!

Christi Pepper Beal Appointed to City Council

New Council Member Christi Pepper Beal and Mayor Pete Porter.

At its meeting at the City Hall last night, the Roscoe City Council appointed Christi Pepper Beal to fill the empty council seat formerly held by Council Member Bobby Dyer, who was unable to complete his term due to ongoing physical problems.  Beal will serve in his place until next spring’s elections.  

Two Roscoe citizens had indicated to the Council their desire to fill the empty seat—Christi Pepper Beal and Robert Fortin.  Both were present at last night’s meeting to express their reasons for wanting to serve, and after hearing them, the Council appointed Beal.  

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PLOWBOYS LOSE AT STAMFORD 58-14

The Stamford Bulldogs were simply too much for the Roscoe Plowboys at Stamford last Friday night.  Bulldog quarterback Bo Wimberly hit his speedy receiver, Jesse Ramos, four times with long-range scoring bombs while Stamford held the Plowboys in check all evening.  Stamford led at halftime 38-7.  

Running back Eduardo Gallegos made both Plowboy TDs with long runs, one of 55 yards in the second quarter and one of 77 yards in the fourth.  

The Bulldogs are now 3-0 on the year while the Plowboys are 0-3.  Roscoe goes to Merkel on Friday to play the 2A Badgers, who are 1-1 on the year after beating Colorado City 34-21 and losing to Wall 31-23.

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APPLICATION WORKSHOP TOMORROW FOR PROSPECTIVE HOMEBUILDERS APPLYING FOR STATE FINANCIAL SUPPORT

The City of Roscoe will hold an application workshop tomorrow (Thurs. Sept. 15) afternoon from 4:00-6:00pm for people interested in applying for financial support from the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs.  The program is for low-income homeowners who wish to tear down their old substandard home and replace it with a new one.   

See last week’s Roscoe Hard Times for more details, or call City Hall at 325-766-3871.

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CADEN SMITH MAKES A&M FOOTBALL TEAM AS WALK-ON

As many Roscoans suspected he would, former Plowboy sports star Caden Smith has been successful in his bid to make the Texas A&M football team as a walk-on.   

The Abilene Reporter-News published a nice article about him in Monday’s paper.  You can access it by clicking here.

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CITY BEGINS PREPARATIONS FOR FIFTH ANNUAL WIND HARVEST FESTIVAL

The Bellamy Brothers

 The City of Roscoe is already making preparations for this year’s Fifth Annual Wind Festival, which will take place on October 15.  Besides the usual preparations regarding vendors, the kids’ area, the Plowboy Mudbog, the fireworks show, the Fire Department cookoff, and other events, the City anticipates a larger crowd than ever because of the popularity of this year’s headline band, the Bellamy Brothers.  

A well-known duo since the seventies, the Bellamy Brothers have made their mark on both the popular and country & western charts.  Their hits include “If I Said You Had a Beautiful Body” and “Let Your Love Flow,” both of which made it to number one on the pop charts, as well as “Spiders and Snakes,” “Redneck Girl,” “Santa Fe,” and many others.  

The larger crowd will require more attention than usual to such matters as visitor parking, restrooms, and security.  

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NO CHANGES IN CITY BUDGET FOR 2012  

The 2012 budget for the City of Roscoe, which was approved last night by the City Council, is identical in all respects to the 2011 budget, i.e., there will be no tax increases, no raises for City employees, and no changes in any other areas for the coming year.

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WEATHER REPORT

Roscoe experienced yet another week of hot, dry weather with no threats of precipitation.  High temperatures ranged from the low to high nineties while the lows were in the low seventies to high sixties. 

Today's forecast is for a high of 98° and a low tonight in the 70°s, but a cold front is on the way, which will bring a 20% chance of rain and a high tomorrow in the mid 70°s with a low in the low 60°s.

Weather expert Bruce McGlothlin reports that the first freeze this year will come on November 12.  He says he can safely predict this date because it falls exactly three months after the first cold front in August, which came this year on August 12.  He cites as evidence of the accuracy of his method a steak dinner he once won off Dugan Daily, who dared to question it.  

Mark your calendar.

Plowboys Show Inexperience in Loss to Hawley

Plowboy Matthew Cuellar runs for good yardage against Hawley.

The Roscoe Plowboys kicked off this year’s Sammy Baugh Classic in Sweetwater with a game in Mustang Bowl on Thursday against the 2A Hawley Bearcats, a team they had always beaten in the past. 

The Plowboys played hard and at times showed promise, but their inexperience on offense was evident as they fumbled nine times and lost six, while on defense their tackling suffered all evening from failure to wrap up ball carriers when they had them in their grasp.

No team can win when they exhibit repeated shortcomings in those two aspects of the game, and the Plowboys were no exception, losing by a final score of 45-7. 

Hawley scored first on a 31-yard run by Keagan Fernandez to go up 7-0, but the Plowboys came right back with a long drive to the Hawley ten-yard line before turning the ball over on a fumble. 

Then, in the second quarter, Plowboy back Luke Rovig broke free for a 79-yard touchdown run, followed by an Eric Padilla extra point, and the score was tied 7-7.  To that point, the Plowboys looked every bit the equal of the Bearcats, and the game portended to be a good one.

Unfortunately, that proved to be the high point of the evening for the Plowboys as Hawley responded with a couple of touchdowns, aided by Plowboy fumbles and poor tackling, and by halftime Hawley was up 21-7.

The second half was not a pretty sight with repeated Plowboy fumbles followed by Hawley scores.  The Bearcats scored three touchdowns in the third quarter and another one in the fourth.  In the process, they rolled up 455 rushing yards for the night.

Life doesn’t get any easier for the Plowboys as they travel this Friday to play the Stamford Bulldogs, one of the most powerful Class A teams in this area with a 2-0 record and victories over Munday 47-21 and Anson 48-0. 

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APPLICATION PERIOD FOR STATE-SUPPORTED HOME CONSTRUCTION BEGINS ON FRIDAY

As the Hard Times reported back in May, the City of Roscoe has received funding through the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs to administer a program offering financial support to low-income homeowners who fulfill certain conditions for building new homes in Roscoe. 

In brief, the award provides up to five homeowners up to around $80,000 each to tear down their old, substandard home and replace it with a new one, provided the new home is the owner’s primary residence and other conditions are met.  The state provides the financing and the owners pay back what their income allows. 

The application period for involvement in the program begins on Friday, September 9, and ends on October 9 with applications available for pick up at the Roscoe City Hall. 

The City will host a public hearing and application workshop next Thursday, September 15, from 4:00-6:00pm at the City Hall.  All homeowners interested in applying for the program are encouraged to attend the workshop, which will provide program information and assist with completing the application materials. 

Financial assistance will be granted to the first five households to (1) complete and return the application information, (2) provide all requested information to verify eligibility, (3) meet all eligibility requirements, and (4) agree to participate in the program.   

Special advance arrangements can be made for persons with special needs or for persons needing alternative times or locations by calling City Secretary Donna Parker at 325-766-3871.  

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WEATHER REPORT

The end of last week was more of the same old weather we've been getting all summer--highs over 100° and lows around 79° or 80°.  But then on Sunday a norther rolled in and since then has amazingly dropped lows down into the low sixties and high fifties and highs into the low and mid eighties.  It is only 68°F as I write this.  The forecast for next week is for steady warming, but highs are still projected only to be in the low nineties. 

Perhaps fall is coming after all.  Now, if we could just get some rain . . . .