City Council Hears Complaints, Conducts Business

City Manager Cody Thompson addresses the City Council.

At its monthly meeting in City Hall yesterday evening, the City Council heard complaints from Bryan Sheridan about sewer problems and from Bandera neighborhood residents about poor drainage from rains. It also heard public works updates from the City Manager, approved the parade route for the Roscoe High Homecoming, and set a date for the Council’s budget workshop.

Roscoe resident Bryan Sheridan complained of a sewer problem at his home that has been ongoing for some time, explaining that raw sewage sometimes enters the basement bathtub and overflows causing considerable damage and an overwhelming odor when it does. City Manager Cody Thompson responded that he was well aware of the problem and would do what he could to alleviate it. He said the only real progress will come when the City undertakes extensive sanitary sewer line improvements starting in November. At that time, workers will be able to set the City line lower than it is now and lower than the line going from Sheridan’s home, which is currently level with the City line.

Thompson told Bandera residents that the City will attempt to alleviate their drainage woes by placing a 18" culvert in the southeast corner of that development, which will allow water to drain to the south. He said Cheyenne Smith is filing a right-of-way permit with the State Highway Department that allows them to install the culvert that will let excess water flow into the drainage ditch on the west side of FM 608.

Thompson reported to the Council that City workers have cleaned up the fallen tree limbs in town and have been patching potholes in the streets. Seal coating of City streets by the City and County, starting with Second Street, will begin later this week. Plans for the sanitary sewer improvements will be submitted for approval this month, bids for the job will be opened in October, and construction should begin in November.

He and other City employees will attend a mandatory TEDC (Texas Economic Development Council) school in Lubbock on August 25 and 26. He also reported that Joseph Galvan is no longer employed by the City of Roscoe.

The Council then approved the parade route submitted by the Homecoming Committee and set the City’s budget workshop for Monday, August 22, at 7:00pm.

--o--

OPENING RCISD ENROLLMENT NUMBERS SHOW SLIGHT DECREASE FROM LAST YEAR

The steady increases in RCISD student enrollment seen in the past five years have leveled off this year and, in fact, show a slight decrease from 2015 in total enrollment. Enrollment for all grades, pre-K through 12, this year is 604, down by 14 from last year’s initial enrollment of 618. Here are the figures for the two years:

                            Grades                       2015                  2016
Elementary       pre-K – 5                     365                   347
Junior High        6-8                              118                    123
High School        9-12                             135                   134
Totals                 pre-K – 12                   618                   604

The biggest dropoff for any grade was in kindergarten, where this year’s enrollment of 36 is 19 below last year’s 55. None of the other grades had increases or decreases of more than ten.

--o--

PLOWBOY PREVIEW TOMORROW AT PLOWBOY FIELD

Cheerleaders and crowd at a previous Plowboy Preview.

The annual Plowboy Preview will be held tomorrow, August 11, with a hamburger cookout behind the east stands starting at 6:30pm, with burger, chips, and drink costing $6.  Then at about 7:15, this year’s football players, coaches, cheerleaders, and band will be introduced in front of the east stands.

On Friday, the Plowboys will scrimmage Munday in Munday starting at 6:00pm.

--o--

LEWIS SNYDER MEMORIAL PLACED DOWNTOWN AT 50th ANNIVERSARY OF KILLING

The Lewis Snyder Memorial at Main and Broadway.

Thursday, August 4, marked the fiftieth anniversary of the senseless killing of Roscoe nightwatchman Lewis Snyder by a young man from Sweetwater who had gone on a spree after reportedly taking a hallucinogenic drug. Snyder, who had worked most of his life for the Roscoe, Snyder & Pacific Railway, had retired but took on the nightwatchman’s job to help cover medical expenses for his ailing wife. The killer, Mark Richard Harris, 15, was apprehended in Fort Worth and later tried. He was convicted and received a ten-year probated sentence.

On Thursday, one of Mr. Snyder's daughters, Mrs. Ethel Champion of San Angelo, placed the memorial on the northeast corner of Main and Broadway, near where he was shot and killed. You can see it there.

Editor’s note: In the years before Roscoe had a Police force, the City employed a nightwatchman as its chief law enforcement officer during the night. During the day, that duty was handled by the City Marshal.

--o--

ROSCOE MAN WANTED FOR SEXUAL ASSAULT OF MINOR

Christopher Boyd

An arrest warrant has been issued by Roscoe Police Department and the District Attorney’s office for a local man, Christopher Devon Boyd, 21. The warrant alleges sexual assault of a minor that occurred in Roscoe in July. He has yet to be arrested and is believed to be in hiding in Abilene.

He is currently free on bond on a capital murder charge from an incident that occurred in Snyder in 2013. If you have any knowledge of his whereabouts, contact law enforcement at 325-235-5471.

--o--

JESSIE MARTH CELEBRATES 102nd BIRTHDAY

Jessie Marth with four generations of her descendants on Sunday.

Friends and family gathered at the Salem Lutheran Church on Sunday afternoon to celebrate the 102nd birthday of Roscoe’s oldest citizen, Mrs. Jessie Marth. Still spry, she enjoyed the cake and the attention of everyone who had come to help her celebrate the completion of yet another year.

She was born on August 9, 1914, near Waxahachie in Ellis County and came to Roscoe with her family during the depression. She married Rudolph Marth on December 19, 1934, and they were together until he passed away in 1982. They had two children, Donald and Frances.

In addition to her life as a farm wife and mother, she is a member of the First Salem Lutheran Church. She was the first woman to serve on its Church Council and taught Sunday School for many years. She is a former member of the Friendship Club, the Home Demonstration Club, and the Bridge Club, and has served as a 4-H leader. She also volunteered at the Roscoe Care Home. She made quilts and afghans for each of her children and grandchildren. She also had the privilege of drawing plans for and having two homes built, one in 1950 and the other in 1970.

Here’s wishing her many more happy, healthy, and fruitful years!

--o--

PLOWBOY 2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE CORRECTIONS

There were two significant errors in the 2016 Plowboy schedule posted last week. One concerns the date and site of the Haskell game and the other the time for the beginning of the district games. The Haskell game will be played on Friday here in Roscoe instead of Sweetwater on Thursday in the Sammy Baugh Classic. And this year, because of the long distances between the schools, all district games will begin at 7:00pm instead of 7:30pm, which is when all non-district games will start.

So, disregard last week’s posting of the 2016 Plowboy football schedule, and use this one instead:

          Date                 Opponent        Location              Start Time
          Aug. 12            Munday**        Munday                6:00
          Aug. 18            Hawley **        Roscoe                  6:00
          Aug. 26            Haskell             Roscoe                  7:30
          Sept.  2             Early                Roscoe                   7:30
          Sept.  9             Albany              Albany                  7:30
          Sept. 16            OPEN
          Sept. 23            Anson              Anson                    7:30
          Sept. 30            Menard           Roscoe                   7:30
          Oct.  7               Roby*              Roby                      7:00
          Oct. 14              Plains*             Plains                    7:00
          Oct. 21              Seagraves*      Roscoe                  7:00
          Oct. 28             Tahoka*           Tahoka                  7:00
          Nov.  4              Hamlin*           Roscoe                  7:00

** = Scrimmage
* = District Game
The September 2 game with Early is at Homecoming.

--o--

WEATHER REPORT: STILL HOT AND DRY

The northeast sky during Monday's sunset. Photo by David Duncan.

It’s been another week of blistering heat, clear to partly cloudy skies, south to southeast winds, and no rain. Temperatures varied from highs of 100°F on Thursday to yesterday’s 96° with lows from 77° on Thursday and Monday to 74° on Saturday. On Monday night and yesterday morning there were big rains north of us but nothing around here until last night when a front from the west almost made it to Roscoe and left us with a sprinkle. It momentarily got the sidewalks wet but was not enough to be measureable. And today, tomorrow, and Friday should follow suit with highs of 98° to 100° and lows in the mid to upper seventies.

However, forecasters are currently giving us an 80% chance of rain on Saturday, 60% on Sunday, and 40% on Monday. High temperatures on those days should drop into the mid to low eighties with lows as cool as 69° on Monday morning. Let’s hope they’re right. We could sure use some rain and cooler weather for a change.

--o--

† CAROL LORENE WILKINS MOORE

A memorial service for Carol Wilkins Moore, 67, will be held at 4:00pm on Friday, August 26, aboard the White Light Yacht of Huntington Beach, California, and her ashes will be scattered at sea, as she wished.

She passed away at her home in Fountain Valley, California, Sunday morning, August 7, surrounded by love for her by her husband; her sister, Marselle Sloane; and her sister’s daughter and namesake, Lisa Carol.

She was born on June 8, 1949, in Roscoe and was a 1967 graduate of Roscoe High School. She was a CNE analyst for one company for fourteen years as computer network support for hospitals nationally.

She is survived by her husband, Dr. John Moore; her sister, Marselle Sloane; her brother Berry Wilkins; nine nieces and nephews; and a large extended family.

In Lieu of flowers please donate to your favorite charity or Orange Coast Memorial Foundation, Fountain Valley, California. 

--o--