The Rains Just Keep Coming

If this weather keeps up, this year could well go down in local history as The Year It Rained. This past week, we’ve had three or four light rains and one heavy one, which came on Saturday night and dropped between 1.5 and 3 inches over the Roscoe area.  Here in town, people I talked to reported getting between 1.7” and 2.25”.  Kenny Landfried's official total was 1.71'.

Roscoe didn’t get anything on Friday, but one person told me he got three-quarters of an inch south of town, forcing him to postpone planting cotton.

On Sunday, it rained again in amounts ranging from .6” west of town to just a tenth or so east of town with the official total .31". Then yesterday in two showers, I had a total of .22", while Kenny Landfried had an official total of .24".  I don’t know what others got yesterday, but enough has fallen this past week that no one is complaining about a lack of moisture, and we may not be done yet.

Many, but not all, farmers say they’ve got their cotton planted. Some are still waiting for their fields to dry up, and others who have planted have enough water standing in places to drown the cotton that was just coming up.  Even so, the general mood is upbeat, and people are smiling. Many of those with cattle talk of building up their herds since there is an abundance of grass.

The warmest temperatures came last week before the rains came. On Wednesday, it got up to 92°, on Thursday 93°, and on Saturday 90°.  The highs for all the other days were in the eighties with yesterday’s 81° the lowest maximum for the week. Lows ranged from the mid-sixties to the low seventies.

The best chance of rain for the coming week is this afternoon with forecasters giving us a 40% chance of more precipitation.  That drops to 20% tomorrow and 10% on Saturday, when standing water should be evaporating and people able to mow their lawns once again. High temperatures should range from today’s projected 79° to Sunday and Monday’s 89°. Lows will be around 70° all week.

Tropical storm Bill has made landfall and will most likely dump a lot more rain on places east of us, but we are unlikely to get much, if anything, from it.  Maybe it’s just as well.

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NOLAN COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE, ROSCOE POLICE STOP COPPER THEFT FROM MARYNEAL

The Chevy Tahoe with the copper roll on top.

Just about the time the big storm was blowing in on Saturday night, Roscoe Police received a call about a suspicious vehicle in the ditch on FM 608 at CR 105 about four miles south of Roscoe. Police Chief Felix Pantoja went out to investigate and found a white Chevy Tahoe with a huge roll of copper on top of the vehicle. The driver, wearing a company uniform and hard hat, told him that he’d had a blowout while on his way to deliver the copper to the company yard in Sweetwater.

Pantoja tried to contact someone from the company who could verify the driver’s story, but was unable to reach anyone at that late hour. Pantoja took the man’s name, Vicente Vargas, which matched the name on his company shirt and hard hat, and took photos of him and the vehicle. In the meantime, Vargas, 48, called for a tow truck and had the Tahoe towed to the Stripes station in Roscoe. Then, since Pantoja had no grounds to hold him, he released him.

The next morning, Lynn Turner, who lives not far south of the location where the Tahoe's blowout occurred, phoned the Nolan County Sheriff’s Office to report a large pile of scrap metal and several tools by his barn. Sheriff’s deputies along with Pantoja went out to investigate, and as they were doing so, Pantoja noticed the white Chevy Tahoe with the copper spool still on top of it going south on FM 608 toward Maryneal. The Sheriff’s deputies then stopped the driver, and upon contacting the company, learned that he had been fired in May but the company had not taken back his company shirt and hard hat.

Nolan County Sheriff’s officers then arrested him for felony theft of precious metal and booked him into the Nolan County Jail.

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RCHS STUDENTS WIN HONORS AT STATE 4-H ROUNDUP IN COLLEGE STATION

Roscoe 4-H students show off their ribbons won at the State Roundup in College Station.

Roscoe Collegiate students participating in the Nolan County 4-H recently attended the State 4-H Roundup in College Station and returned home with many honors in the Science, Engineering & Technology Competition sponsored by the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension.

Senior division

Microbiology
1st - Juan Sanchez, Olivia Saddler, Samantha Ortega

Animal Science

1st - Ray Bohall
2nd - Spencer Little
3rd - Aaron Thomas

Intermediate Division

Animal Science
2nd - Joshua Stegge and Alfonso Islas

Plant Science
2nd - Jaci Alexander and Jaleigh Morales

State Best

1st - Juan Sanchez, Olivia Saddler, Samantha Ortega
3rd - Ray Bohall

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COMMUNITY CENTER ANNOUNCES FREE MOVIE EVENINGS STARTING NEXT TUESDAY

Starting next Tuesday, June 23, free movies will be shown at the Roscoe Community Center and everyone is invited. Guests are welcome to bring their own bean bags or chairs or sit in the ones provided at the Community Center. The first movie will be shown at 7:00pm and be followed by a second one at 9:00pm.

And although the movies are free, don’t forget to bring some money for snacks as the concession stand will be open.

The two movies to be shown next Tuesday are the animated film Penguins of Madagascar, followed by McFarland USA starring Kevin Costner.

For more information, contact Community Center Director Gail Presley at 325-518-4139.

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TOMMY HOOKER, TURNPIKE TROUBADOURS AT LUMBERYARD THIS WEEKEND

Another big weekend is planned for the Lumberyard with two great bands. On Friday night, Tommy Hooker will play in Roscoe for the first time, and on Saturday, the Turnpike Troubadours will also make their Lumberyard debut.

Tommy Hooker

Tommy Hooker labels himself a “Lifelong Singer and Musician of Real Texas Dancehall Music.” Born in 1953 in Arkansas and raised in Pecos, he began performing in 1967 in his brother’s band in Alpine.  He played in bands in Monahans, Fort Stockton, and Alpine before moving to Dallas and playing in clubs there. In 1981, he formed the Tommy Hooker Band and played throughout west Texas. Now, he is a regular act at Pearl’s Dancehall and Saloon in the Fort Worth Stockyards, where he packs the house. He plays traditional Texas Honky Tonk and Western Swing music made for dancing.

The Turnpike Troubadours

On Saturday night, the “Red Dirt” Turnpike Troubadours will be the Lumberyard’s featured act. Originally from Oklahoma, they were influenced by Cross Canadian Ragweed and Jason Boland but have developed their own sound. From their Oklahoma beginnings, they have worked their way up from small clubs to sellout crowds in such major music venues as Cain’s Ballroom in Tulsa, the Firehouse Saloon in Houston, and Antone’s in Austin. They have three studio albums: Bossier City, Diamonds & Gasoline, and Goodbye Normal Street. Popular singles include “Before the Devil Knows We’re Dead” and “Gin, Smoke, and Lies,” which you can listen to by clicking here.

For more information and reservations, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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