Fiery Friday Crash at Destruction Junction Snarls I-20, US 84 Traffic

Traffic is halted as bridge burns. (Photo courtesy of Jason Freeman.)

New ships are christened with champagne, but the newly completed US 84 overpass east of Roscoe received its baptism with burning diesel Friday afternoon when an eastbound 18-wheeler overturned and its fuel tank exploded, sending a column of thick black smoke into the sky and backing up traffic for over a mile on I-20 and US 84.  Luckily, the driver managed to escape in time, and no one was hurt.

The accident occurred when the driver, hauling groceries from Amarillo, started off the pavement on the bridge over I-20 and overcorrected, causing the truck to overturn.  The spilled fuel engulfed the top and side of the overpass in flames and was hot enough that it damaged the recently poured concrete. 

Temporary repairs allowed traffic to open again on Saturday afternoon, but the damage will require more permanent work in the long run.  The crash left locals deploring the design of the merger of these two major highways as countless wrecks have occurred there over the years, many of them fatal.  Unfortunately, the recent year-long repair of the bridge involved no significant design changes to the overpass, the eastbound and westbound US 84 merge points, or the dangerous curve just east of the bridge’s underpass on I-20 West. 

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PIED PIPERS PUMMEL PLOWBOYS 34-0

Rafael Aguayo returns a kickoff against Hamlin.

After handily defeating Gorman a week before, the Plowboys had the tables turned on them Friday evening as a strong Hamlin team came in and overpowered them 34-0.  The Pied Pipers, whose only loss this year came on their opening game against state-ranked Anson, are on an 8-game winning streak and were just too big, fast, and talented for the Plowboys. 

Hamlin started fast, scoring on their first offensive series to go up 7-0.  However, that was the only score of the quarter as the Plowboys held them defensively but were unable to generate any sustained drives on offense. 
 
In the second quarter, the Pied Pipers began to pull away with two more touchdowns from their quarterback, making the halftime score 21-0.  Then in the third quarter, Hamlin made two more TDs, and the scoring for the evening was finished with Hamlin winning 34-0.

Hamlin’s passing attack was the best the Plowboys have seen this year, and the Pied Piper pass defense also kept the Plowboys from mounting any scoring drives.  Hamlin’s Caymon Georges completed 13 of 21 passes for 213 yards and two TDs, while Cutter Davila finished with 19 of 39 for 131 yards and 3 interceptions. 
 
The leading rusher for the Plowboys was Max Nemir with 12 carries for 61 yards, while Davila had 16 carries for 23 yards and Brayden Beal 4 for 17.

The Pied Pipers are now 6-0 in district play and will play undefeated and state-ranked Albany in Hamlin Friday night for the district championship. 

The Plowboys are 4-5 on the year and 3-3 in district play.  They are still in the running for third in district and could advance to a bi-district game with a win in Roby by at least 14 points on Friday.  The Lions are 4-2 in district and 5-4 on the year.   

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WORK BEGINS ON YOUNG FARM ESTATES

Young Farm Estates

Work has begun on Phase 1 of the housing development at Young Farm Estates in north Roscoe.  Contracts have been signed, and the rough cutting of streets is underway. 

When the current work is finished, contractors will lay the sanitary sewer lines, then the water lines, then the natural gas lines, and then the electrical lines.

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REP. SUSAN KING TO HOST TOWN HALL MEETING AT CITY HALL FRIDAY

Rep. Susan King

State Representative Susan L. King will be in Roscoe on Friday afternoon to host a town hall meeting at City Hall beginning at 2:00pm.  She will provide an update on the recent legislative session and will answer questions and address any concerns that her constituents may have on the district or state level.    

Rep. King is from Abilene and represents Texas District 71, which includes Nolan, Taylor, and Jones Counties. 

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ALL PROPOSED AMENDMENTS PASS AT YESTERDAY'S ELECTION; FISHER COUNTY GOES WET

Election judges Frances Hughes, Celia Pietzsch, and Doc Pietzsch were ready for voters at the Community Center yesterday.

Precinct 6 voters easily approved all nine constitutional amendments yesterday, along with the rest of Nolan County and the State of Texas.  A total of 111 citizens voted in Precinct 6, which includes the Roscoe, Highland, and Champion areas.  

Proposition 6, probably the most controversial and important, passed by a statewide 73% to 27%. It will take $2 billion from the state's "rainy day fund" and use it for loans to expand state water supplies, either by developing new ones or preserving and managing existing ones.  Local governments will provide funding for the projects.  

In Fisher County, voters approved the sale of alcohol by a vote of 537 for to 430 against. This approval includes beer and wine in grocery stores, package sales in liquor stores, and liquor by the drink in bars.

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COMMUNITY CENTER TAMALE SALE BIG SUCCESS

Roscoe Community Center

The tamale sale during last Saturday’s garage sale at the Community Center exceeded expectations as around 140 dozen tamales quickly sold out.  According to Community Center Events Coordinator Helen Perry, who made the tamales herself, they were gone before noon. 

The proceeds went to the Community Center fund and netted over $900, according to Roscoe Police Chief Felix Pantoja, who is also the President of the Community Center.  Helen Perry is also a member of the Roscoe City Council. 

The Community Center will be hosting a Thanksgiving Dinner again this year on Thanksgiving Day.  There will be no charge for those who can’t afford it, and a donation jar will be there for those who can. 

Our thanks go out to Police Chief Pantoja and Councilwoman Perry, who donate their time and efforts to organizing and putting on these events.

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OCTOBER POLICE REPORT
(from the Roscoe Police Department)

26 reportable calls including the following:

        4 unwanted subject calls at Stripes
        1 barking dogs complaint
        2 public assistance calls (fix flats, etc.)
        3 criminal trespass warnings
        1 report of drunk driving
        2 locked vehicles
        1 loud music complaint
        1 domestic disturbance
        3 fights in progress

The theft of Tom Griffith’s 1993 dark grey Chevy diesel pickup on October 23 was handled by the Nolan County Sheriff’s Department. 

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PLOWGIRLS FALL IN BASKETBALL OPENER TO EULA 40-22

The Plowgirls opened their basketball season last night with a loss to an always powerful Eula team in Eula 40-22.  Eula got off to an early start and led at the end of the first quarter 20-2. The halftime score was 28-6.
 
High scorers for the Plowgirls were Eva Aguayo with 9 and Samantha Ortega with 6.  Sunshine Telemantez had 5 and Ashton Payne 2.

The Plowgirls will play their home opener with Coahoma at the Special Events Center Saturday evening.  Tip-off for the JV game is at 5:00 and for the varsity at 6:15.

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WEATHER REPORT

Although we were given 30% and 40% chances for precipitation the past couple of days, all we got was some clouds, and there was never any serious threat of rain.  A cold front with 15-25mph north winds moved in last night, and temperatures dropped to a low of 44°F this morning.

This past week has really begun to feel like fall.  Daily highs never rose above the low seventies, and morning lows were in the upper forties and low to mid fifties.  The time change on Sunday has made obvious the shortening hours of light every day, leaves are falling, cotton is being stripped, and trucks are taking modules to the gin, all reminders that summer is history and it won’t be long until Thanksgiving.    

The forecast for today is for a high in the lower sixties and a low of around forty tonight.  Temperatures will slowly warm up again tomorrow and by Saturday will be back into the lower seventies with  lows in the fifties.  There is no rain in the forecast. 

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