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| George Parks with a group of boys on a trip to New Mexico in the 1940s. |
George Parks spent his life working for the good of Roscoe and, although he has been gone for almost thirty years, he is still remembered by many as a teacher, mentor, and friend who changed their lives for the better.
Now, several former Boys Club members are working to honor his memory with a monument to be placed in Memorial Park.
The monument will be made by Sterling Monument of Eastland, the same company that made the veteran’s memorial now in Memorial Park, across from the museum. It will be gray granite, 32” tall, 22” wide, and 6” thick and will have a 5” x 7” porcelain photo of George above the engraved words George Parks. Just below that will be an 18” x 18” bronze plaque with the words in the left-hand column.
The completed monument will cost $3100, which will be raised through donations.
This is where we need your help. If you are one of those whose life has been enriched by George Parks, this is your chance to honor his memory by contributing to the purchase of the monument.
About a third of the required amount has already been raised, but we still need the rest and hope to raise it before the end of August.
You can drop off your donation at the Roscoe State Bank, or you can mail it to the George Parks Memorial Fund, Roscoe State Bank, P. O. Box 609, Roscoe, Texas 79545. Make checks payable to the George Parks Memorial Fund.
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ROBERT MCBRIDE INTERVIEWED FOR “VOICES OF VETERANS” WEBSITE
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| Staff Sergeant McBride stands in front of his truck in Baghdad's "Green Zone." |
Roscoe City Councilman Robert McBride is the subject of an interview now available on the “Voices of Veterans” website, a program of the Texas Veterans Land Board that records the stories of Texas veterans.
The audio interview lasts for sixty-six minutes and covers McBride’s military odyssey from boot camp to jump school, deployment overseas, and action in Desert Storm, the first Iraq war. It then continues with his return to the States, his subsequent experiences as a drill sergeant, and his re-deployment to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, or the second Iraq war, where he was awarded the Silver Star for heroism. Finally, he recounts his return home, retirement from the Army after over twenty years service, and his eventual employment in his current position as Nolan County’s Veteran Service Officer.
The interview is illuminating, interesting, and straightforward. McBride answers the interviewer’s questions concisely and to the point without getting bogged down in details or digressions. I recommend it to everyone but especially to young people who are contemplating military service as a career.
The interview is available at http://www.glo.texas.gov/voices-of-veterans/interviews/mcbride.html.
The Voices of Veterans’ motto is “every veteran has a story to tell,” and they want to hear from other veterans interested in telling their stories. They can be reached at 1-800-252-VETS (8387) or by e-mail at vlbinfo@glo.state.tx.us. Oral history interviews can be conducted in person in Austin or by telephone from anywhere in Texas. Interviews usually last from one to two hours.
The audio interview lasts for sixty-six minutes and covers McBride’s military odyssey from boot camp to jump school, deployment overseas, and action in Desert Storm, the first Iraq war. It then continues with his return to the States, his subsequent experiences as a drill sergeant, and his re-deployment to Iraq during Operation Iraqi Freedom, or the second Iraq war, where he was awarded the Silver Star for heroism. Finally, he recounts his return home, retirement from the Army after over twenty years service, and his eventual employment in his current position as Nolan County’s Veteran Service Officer.
The interview is illuminating, interesting, and straightforward. McBride answers the interviewer’s questions concisely and to the point without getting bogged down in details or digressions. I recommend it to everyone but especially to young people who are contemplating military service as a career.
The interview is available at http://www.glo.texas.gov/voices-of-veterans/interviews/mcbride.html.
The Voices of Veterans’ motto is “every veteran has a story to tell,” and they want to hear from other veterans interested in telling their stories. They can be reached at 1-800-252-VETS (8387) or by e-mail at vlbinfo@glo.state.tx.us. Oral history interviews can be conducted in person in Austin or by telephone from anywhere in Texas. Interviews usually last from one to two hours.
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TWO ROSCOE BOYS STILL IN STATE BASEBALL PLAYOFFS
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| Barrett Beal pitching for the Cubs. |
They are Zeke Murphy, son of Billy and Melissa Murphy, and Barrett Beal, son of Christi Pepper Beal. Both were picked up by the Colorado City Cubs for the playoffs.
The Cubs won the District Tournament in Winters by defeating Winters 5-4, the Ballinger Rangers 18-4, and the Winters Brewers twice, 8-4 the first game and then 15-3 in the Championship game.
They then advanced to the State Tournament in Eastland, where they are currently playing. On Monday night they lost to DeLeon 11-1 but bounced back last night with a win over Hawley 20-14.
Today at 6:00pm they play the same Winters Brewers they beat in the district championship game. We wish them the best of luck.
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TWO FROM ODESSA KILLED IN I-20 WRECK EAST OF TOWN
Two Odessans were killed and three more injured in a one-vehicle rollover early Friday afternoon on I-20 between Roscoe and Sweetwater. All five were from the same family.
According to the Texas Department of Public Safety, at 12:45pm the driver, Kimberly Guynn, 57, traveling east, started to take the Highway 170 exit (that goes to Avenger Field) but then went back to the highway. In the process, she overcorrected, and the vehicle rolled toward the outside lane.
Ronnie Troutz, 65, was pronounced dead at the scene, while Kaysie Guynn, 28, died at Rolling Plains Memorial Hospital an hour later.
Kimberly Guynn was taken to Rolling Plains with neck injuries, while Ethan Guynn, 6, and Meta Troutz, 86, went to Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene with head and neck injuries respectively.
Everyone in the vehicle was wearing a seat belt.
Eastbound traffic on I-20 and on US 84 was backed up as far as Roscoe for over three hours.
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JOHNNY RODRIGUEZ DRAWS HUGE CROWD AT LUMBERYARD
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| Johnny Rodriguez at the Lumberyard. |
Parking places were hard to find downtown on Saturday night as a crowd of over a thousand people was on hand to see country music great Johnny Rodriguez sing on the outdoor stage of the Lumberyard.
To view a video clip of his performance, click here.
The Lumberyard is preparing for an even larger crowd when Mel Tillis comes to town on August 17.
To view a video clip of his performance, click here.
The Lumberyard is preparing for an even larger crowd when Mel Tillis comes to town on August 17.
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SCHOOL EMPLOYEE PLEADS GUILTY TO SEXUAL ASSAULT
Felix Abrigo, 47, a bus driver and custodian for the Roscoe Independent School District for the past fifteen years, pled guilty to second degree sexual assault last Tuesday in 32nd Judicial District Court. The assault was on an adult woman last June and was unrelated to Abrigo’s job at school.
Abrigo received ten years’ probation and will have to register as a sex offender, pay a $5000 fine plus $743 in court costs, and serve 240 hours of community service. He will also lose his job with the school since employing felons is against district policy.
Felix Abrigo, 47, a bus driver and custodian for the Roscoe Independent School District for the past fifteen years, pled guilty to second degree sexual assault last Tuesday in 32nd Judicial District Court. The assault was on an adult woman last June and was unrelated to Abrigo’s job at school.
Abrigo received ten years’ probation and will have to register as a sex offender, pay a $5000 fine plus $743 in court costs, and serve 240 hours of community service. He will also lose his job with the school since employing felons is against district policy.
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WEATHER REPORT
The area experienced another week of typical July weather with highs in the upper nineties or low one hundreds and lows in the low to mid-seventies. On Saturday, Sunday, and Monday the hot weather produced afternoon clouds that led to a few scattered showers here and there but nothing of any consequence.
The forecast is for more of the same with a 20% chance of afternoon showers.
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Thanks Dr. Duncan, a great job as always.
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