Preparation for City Sewer Line Improvements Begins

Freshly unloaded manholes on Sixth Street.

If you saw workers unloading large, circular concrete manholes in or around alleys in south Roscoe yesterday, you were seeing the first phase of the sanitary sewer line improvements that will be going on in town this year. Equipment, materials, and supplies are currently being delivered, and work will begin in earnest on Tuesday, April 11. It will then go until completion, which should take about six months—more or less depending on the weather and other factors. Whitney Underground Utilities of Valley Mills is the company in charge of replacing the old sewer lines from the 1940s and '50s and replacing them with new ones. Theirs was the lowest qualified bid at $581,787.

The old lines need to be replaced to eliminate exfiltration, or leakage, of sewage from the old lines, which can get into and contaminate the water table, and infiltration, or water entering the lines from rains, which unnecessarily causes a larger volume to be cleaned and filtered, which increases expenses. The new lines will also provide better service to residents. They will be set deeper than the old ones and have more manholes for easier access to problem areas.

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SPRING CLEAN-UP ENDS FRIDAY

The Spring Clean-Up dumpsters by the City Shop on 3rd and Laurel.

The City of Roscoe’s annual Spring Clean-Up is underway and will continue until Friday evening. Hours of operation are from 8am to 7pm. The three dumpsters are located just east of the City Shop on Third and Laurel Streets. City Manager Cody Thompson reports more activity this year than usual as dumpsters have been filled repeatedly.

As always, there are items that may not be placed in the containers. These include paint, oil, oil filters, chemical containers, and tree limbs. Air conditioners and refrigerators must be tagged land-fill acceptable.  There is no curb service, and since the Spring Clean-Up is for Roscoe residents only, anyone dropping off anything must be prepared to show a City of Roscoe water bill or other proof of Roscoe residency.

For more information, contact City Hall during business hours at 325-766-3871.

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WILKINSON SISTERS LEAD ROSCOE AT POST TRACK MEET

Once again, as they’ve been doing all season, the fleet-footed Wilkinson sisters, Bonnie and Lyndi, led Roscoe’s track teams, this time on Friday at the Bold Gold Caprock Relays in Post. In a meet with nine teams (Colorado City, Lubbock Roosevelt, Post, Idalou, New Deal, Roscoe Collegiate, Lamesa, Plains, and Sweetwater), all of them but Plains larger schools than Roscoe, the Plowgirls finished a respectable fifth.

Bonnie won the triple jump and was third in the 400-meter dash, while Lyndi finished second in the 800-meter run, and both were on the Plowgirl relay teams that finished second in the 4 x 400 meters and fourth in the 4 x 200 meters.

For the Plowboys, Jayden Gonzales finished second in the pole vault with a vault of 11½ feet.

Here are the complete results for the Plowgirls and Plowboys:

Plowgirls

Event                          Place        Athlete                   Time/Distance
Triple Jump                   1          Bonnie Wilkinson           36’7"
800 meter run              2          Lyndi Wilkinson           2:33.67
400 meter dash            3          Bonnie Wilkinson         1:03.64
4 x 400 m. relay           2           Plowgirls                        4:22.50
   (Jaci Alexander, L. Wilkinson, Jaleigh Morales, B. Wilkinson)
4 x 200 m. relay           4           Plowgirls                         1:58.57
   (Morales, L. Wilkinson, Alexander, B. Wilkinson)

Plowboys

Pole Vault                      2          Jayden Gonzales              11’6”

Next up for both Plowboys and Plowgirls are the Cottonwood Relays in Roby this Friday, March 31. This will be their last meet before the District Meet in Albany next Thursday, April 6.

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HUGE CROWD ENJOYS RANDY ROGERS BAND AT LUMBERYARD SATURDAY NIGHT

Randy Rogers at the Lumberyard Saturday night.

Roscoe’s population more than doubled Saturday night as some 1800 country music fans from all over the Big Country were at the Lumberyard for the Randy Rogers concert. And, despite all the high winds of the preceding days, it was a perfect evening for the outdoor event.  The winds were almost calm the entire evening with temperatures ranging from the mid-seventies earlier to the high sixties later.

The show was a make-up for the originally scheduled event by the band last fall that was canceled because of a pouring rain.

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FFA JUDGING TEAMS OFF TO WEEKEND MEETS IN CANYON, CLARENDON

The RCHS FFA Judging Teams will participate in two invitational meets this weekend, the first at West Texas A&M University in Canyon on Friday, and the second at Clarendon College in Clarendon on Saturday.

Here are the teams and members of each:

Horse Judging
Jasmine Foster
Kayla Justiss
Rebecca Shaw
Logan Wicker

Livestock
Lynzie Atkison
Tait Fullwood
Reese Kiser
Abigail Meadows
Zeke Murphy

Cotton
Cade Garrett
Giselle Herrera
Ainsleigh Nelson
Mariann Rainey
Nolan Reeves

Vet Med
Caleb Boren
Morgan Bowers
Jovanah Guzman
Alfonso Islas
Kayla Justiss

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WEATHER REPORT: WIND, RAIN, AND A TORNADO

There's a puddle in my driveway this morning.

It’s been a wild week for the weather. First, there were some seriously high winds on Thursday and Friday with winds of 37mph on Friday with gusts up to 50mph, and then there was last night’s storm that came in from the southwest with lightning, thunder, and strong winds. A tornado warning was issued at 9:30pm after radar indicated rotation, and wind gusts of 73mph were reported 11 miles southwest of Sweetwater. Residents of northwest Nolan County as well as anyone on I-20 between miles 233 and 266 were warned to “Take cover now!” and from some of the posts I saw on Facebook, many of my friends did just that. However, I missed it because I didn’t have the television or radio on, so I didn’t find out about it until later.

There were reports of a tornado four or five miles south of town moving east. It apparently didn’t cause any significant damage that I’ve heard about, but it scared several people in the area, and one person said her car was hit by a traffic sign.

Along with the high winds and tornado, last night’s storm brought some rain, which started when the storm hit and lasted off and on until about 1am. I haven't heard yet from others in areas around Roscoe except for one report of 1.3" west of town and one of 2.3" in Mitchell County. Here in town my rain gauge recorded .76”, which makes this month’s total rainfall by my reckoning .84” (I also had .06" on Wednesday and .02" on Friday), which is below the 1.12” average for March. But, no matter how much it was, we’ll take it. At least it’s a start, and maybe we’ll get more in April.

Temperatures this past week were milder than the week before. The high was Sunday’s 82°F, and highs were in the seventies on four days. The low dipped to 44° on Friday and again on Monday.

Today’s high is predicted to reach only 65°, tomorrow’s will warm up to 79°, and Friday’s to 87° before cooling back to 79° on Saturday, and 68° on Sunday. Lows will be in the fifties or upper forties.

There is a 50% chance of rain on Sunday.

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Spring Clean-Up Begins Saturday

Dumpsters will be just east of the City Shop on 3rd and Laurel.

Roscoe’s annual Spring Clean-Up begins this Saturday, March 25, and will run through next Friday, March 31. This year it is being held next to the City Shop at 3rd and Laurel Streets, near the baseball field. Hours of operation are 8:00am to 7:00pm.

There will be three large dumpsters just east of the City Shop, two for all debris and one for tires. Items which may not be placed in containers are as follows: paint, oil, oil filters, chemical containers, and tree limbs.  Air conditioners and refrigerators must be tagged land-fill acceptable.  There is no curb service, and since the Spring Clean-Up is for Roscoe residents only, anyone dropping off anything must be prepared to show a City of Roscoe water bill or other proof of Roscoe residency.

For more information, contact City Hall during business hours at 325-766-3871.

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INJUN ROBERT SAYS 2017 CROP OUTLOOK NOT SO GOOD

The dawn wind was from the southwest.

As he has in years past, “Injun Robert” McBride performed the “Sunrise Wind” ceremony at dawn yesterday morning, March 21, the first day after the beginning of Spring, and saw a brisk southwest breeze blow the smoke of his fire to the northeast. According to the ancient lore of the Plains Indians, that outcome foretells a below-average crop for this year.

Those unfamiliar with the ritual may appreciate some background information to understand its import. Known in the Comanche language as Taba’na Yuan’e, or “Sunrise Wind” ceremony, it was a traditional practice of the Plains Indians long before the white man came. It was observed around 1881 by a Mr. Crim, who oversaw the mule teams used in building the T&P railway across west Texas. While in the Van Horn area on the morning of March 22, he noticed puffs of smoke coming from all the Indian huts in sight. He asked what was going on and was told that the Indians were seeing what kinds of crops they would have that year by building a fire just before dawn and then, as the sun appeared, observing which direction the wind blew the smoke.  This was always done on the morning after the first day of spring.

According to legend, an east or northeast wind meant a "very good” year, north or northwest "average," west or southwest "poor," and south or southeast "very bad.”

In the early 1970s George Parks, editor of the Roscoe Times, learned of the ceremony, which was still being performed annually in Muleshoe by old Mr. Crim’s son, referred to by the locals there as “Injun John.” “Injun George” learned the particulars from “Injun John” and replicated them here for many years until shortly before his journey to the happy hunting grounds in 1983. In addition to observing the smoke, “Injun George” added a rain dance around the fire in hopes that it would lessen the effects of a bad forecast and increase those of a good one.

In 2012, “Injun Robert” revived the tradition, even adding a “rain turtle” in 2014, although he abandoned it for 2015 since it didn’t seem to help. As with “Injun George” before him, his predictions have been mostly but not always accurate. Here’s his record so far with the annual number of bales ginned at the Central Rolling Plains Co-op used as his measure of success. (Since the gin’s opening in 2007, the Co-op has ginned an annual average of 62,172 bales.)

            Year         Wind            Prediction      Bales Ginned
            2012     Northwest        Average           66,985
            2013     Southwest        Poor                 71,849
            2014     Southwest        Poor                 32,274
            2015     Northwest        Average           75,636
            2016     Southwest        Poor                 87,827
            2017     Southwest        Poor                    ?

A look at the predictions reveals a couple of anomalies, one in 2013 and the other this past year, 2016. In both, a southwest wind portended a poor crop. But the 71,849 bales in 2013 at worst would have to be classed “average,” and almost everyone would agree that last year’s 87,827 bales was in no way a “poor” year.

It's enough to make one wonder how accurate the Indians were with their predictions. We’ll just have to wait and see how this year turns out. Let’s hope it’s wrong again!

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ROSCOE DEBATERS BREAK EVEN IN UIL STATE FINALS

RCHS debaters Alfonso Islas and Josh Stegge

Roscoe Collegiate High School’s debate team of sophomores Josh Stegge and Alfonso Islas, who won the District Championship back in January, didn’t win state last week in Austin, but they did do well enough to break even in their matches with other state finalists, winning two matches and losing two.

They beat Thorndale and Crawford and lost to Centerville and Malakoff Cross Roads—not bad for a couple of sophomores in Roscoe’s first year of debate competition. I think we can call that a win.

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RCHS ONE-ACT PLAY TEAM, A TOP DISTRICT FINISHER, MOVES ON TO BI-DISTRICT

Roscoe's One-Act Play team.

At the UIL District meet in Anson on Wednesday, March 8, the RCHS One-Act Play team was one of the top three finishers, which qualifies them to move on to the Bi-District competition at Irion County High School tomorrow. The schools in district competition were Albany, Anson, Hamlin, Haskell, Hawley, Roscoe, and Stamford, and the other two teams to advance are Haskell and Stamford.

Roscoe students received these individual honors:

Best Actor Award – Caleb Ward
All-Star Cast Award – Jovana Pena
Technical Crew Award – Johnny Cuellar

The name of the play is “Wait Until Dark” by Frederick Knott.

Cast members include Braiden Moore, Nolan Reeves, Caleb Ward, Jovana Pena, Parker Payne, Jaci Alexander, Christian Acuna, Arthur Pope, and Bonnie Wilkinson. Crew members are Jose Chavira, Johnny Cuellar, and Lyndi Wilkinson. Director is Gay-Lynn Moses, and Co-Director is Vanessa Galvan.

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JODEY ARRINGTON & SID MILLER TO MEET & GREET AT THE LUMBERYARD APRIL 10

Jodey Arrington                                          Sid Miller

U. S. Congressman Jodey Arrington and Texas Commissioner of Agriculture Sid Miller will be in Roscoe at the Lumberyard on Monday, April 10, from 9am to 3pm to meet with area farmers, ranchers, and other interested citizens. They will discuss the upcoming farm bill and provide other information.

The event is being sponsored by Richard Kemp’s Farm & Ranch Report of KGLD.FM 106.9, "the Country Giant," in Abilene.

Everyone is invited, so come meet your Congressman and Commissioner of Agriculture.

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PLOWGIRL/PLOWBOY RESULTS FROM PIPER RELAYS

The Piper Relays in Hamlin on Saturday saw the participation of 29 schools: Abilene Christian, Albany, Aspermont, Borden County, Breckenridge, Bronte, Childress, Chillicothe, Clyde, Colorado City, Cross Plains, Hamlin, Hawley, Home School, Jayton, Knox City, Merkel, Munday, Rankin, Roby, Roscoe, Rotan, Santa Anna, Seymour, Shallowater, Snyder, Spur, Stamford, Water Valley.

Here are the results for Plowgirls and Plowboys who finished in the top six of their events:

Plowgirls

Event                           Place       Athlete                      Time/Distance
400 meter dash            2          Bonnie Wilkinson                  1:02.29
800 meter run              2          Lyndi Wilkinson                    2:34.21
4 x 100 m. relay            3          Plowgirls                                    52.63
4 x 400 m. relay           2          Plowgirls                                 4:23.02
Triple Jump                  2          Bonnie Wilkinson                  35’8½”

Plowboys

Triple Jump                   6          Micheal Wright                          39’

The Plowgirls and Plowboys will participate in the Badger Relays at Merkel tomorrow afternoon.

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HUGE CROWD EXPECTED FOR RANDY ROGERS AT LUMBERYARD SATURDAY, BRI BAGWELL FRIDAY

The Randy Rogers Band.

The Randy Rogers Band will be in town Saturday night for the Lumberyard’s first big show of the spring. The popular appeal of the band is evident not only in the size of the crowds at their live performances, but also in the success of their albums.

Since 2008, they have released four studio albums, and all four have made it to the top five on the US country charts: The Randy Rogers Band (2008), Burning the Day (2010), Trouble (2013), and Nothing Shines Like Neon (2016).  Their live album Homemade Tamales – Live at Floore’s (2014) reached number eleven and the band has also also produced two other CDs with Wade Bowen, Hold My Beer, Vol. 1 (2015) and Watch This (2016), the first peaking at number 4.

Top singles include “Too Late for Goodbye,” “In My Arms Instead,” “One More Sad Song,” “Kiss Me in the Dark,” “One More Goodbye,” “Satellite,” and “Neon Blues.” (Click title to watch video.)

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

Bri Bagwell.

Texas Country singer and songwriter Bri Bagwell will be at the Lumberyard Friday night as she makes up for missing a show earlier this year.

Born and raised in Las Cruces, NM, she has been singing since childhood, originally performing with her twin brothers.  She now travels the Texas honky-tonk circuit. She has been to Nashville and hopes to become country music’s next superstar. Her musical influences include Miranda Lambert, Patty Griffin, and Johnny Cash. This video features her singing her single “Whiskey.”

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

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WEATHER REPORT: WINDY AND UNSEASONABLY WARM

Yesterday's front moves through.

It was a typical week for March in west Texas as regards the wind. That is to say, it was windy every day with southerly winds of anywhere from 10 to 25mph with gusts up into the thirties on most days. Temperatures, on the other hand, were much warmer than average for the last official week of winter. Since Thursday, the highs have been in the eighties, and on Monday and yesterday they were 90°F and 91° respectively, some twenty degrees above the norm. Lows were within a degree or two of sixty during the same six-day stretch.

Yesterday afternoon we got a break from the heat when a cool front moved through around six o’clock. First it clouded over and in just a short while there was lightning and thunder, the first we’ve heard in about a month. Then we actually got some precipitation. It wasn’t a lot—my rain gauge measured .06”, which means it did little more than get the sidewalk wet—but it was nice while it lasted since it’s the first we’ve had all month. It also caused the temperature to drop about 15 degrees, and the cooler breeze felt nice.

Today will be a little cooler than the past few days, but it will still top out at about 85°. Tomorrow’s high will be only about 80°, Friday’s 73°, and Saturday’s 79° before returning to the eighties for Sunday and the beginning of next week. There is a 60% chance of rain currently forecast for next Wednesday, but nothing more than 10% between now and then.

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City Council Hears City Plans, Police Report, Awards Cemetery Bid

Cody Thompson addresses the Council at yesterday's meeting.

At its monthly meeting at City Hall yesterday evening, the Roscoe City Council got updates on City projects and plans, as well as the monthly Police report. It also accepted a cemetery maintenance bid and approved plans to open bidding for the management of the City Swimming Pool this summer.

City Manager Cody Thompson updated the Council on plans for Spring Super Saturday on April 8. The event will run from 11am to 7pm for all retailers and until 11:30pm for the Lumberyard. The Roscoe Express will shuttle visitors to local businesses, and the Roscoe Historical Museum will be open.

This year’s celebration will introduce two new exciting events in a new venue. In the open area just northwest of the railroad tracks on Cypress and across Business US 84 from McVey’s Nursery, a Tuff Truck Competition will open the festivities as drivers tackle obstacles and race for time, followed by a Crash Up Derby, which is simply a demolition derby by another name. All proceeds will benefit the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department. Then live music will begin at 5pm at the Lumberyard with popular country singer Jamie Richards & Band, followed by country legend Charley Pride, this year’s star of the show. It should be quite a memorable evening.

Thompson also announced that the City’s annual Easter Egg Hunt in Old Town Park, across the street from City Hall, will be on Saturday, April 15, from 2:00 to 3:30pm.

Work has progressed at the City Shop, where a concrete slab for a new equipment building has been poured. City workers have also built forms for new sidewalks and will be busy pouring cement for driveways and sidewalks the next couple of weeks. Preparations are also underway for Spring Clean-up which this year will be from March 24-31. Dumpsters for trash, tree limbs, debris, and tires will be just east of the City Shop on 3rd and Laurel Streets near George Parks baseball field.

Applications for funding of water lines by the Texas Water Development Board have been completed, and sanitary sewer line improvements will soon begin. Tire stops have been installed in the city parking lot across Broadway from the Blackland Smokehouse and the Wildflower Boutique.

Roscoe Police Chief Felix Pantoja gave the Council the Police report as well as a mandatory racial profiling form, which documents the ethnicities of drivers stopped by the Roscoe police.

The Council approved the bid of Skeet Kimbrell of Roscoe to take charge of maintenance of the Roscoe Cemetery. It also approved the placement of advertisements for the management of the City Swimming Pool for the summer. For more information, contact City Hall at 325-766-3871.

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LARRY BLACK NAMED TEXAS AGRICULTURE CO-OP GINNER OF THE YEAR

Roscoe Gin Manager Larry Black

At its state meeting in Frisco on Monday, the TACC (Texas Agriculture Cooperative Council) named Larry Black its 2016 Ginner of the Year. Black is the Manager of the Central Rolling Plains Co-op’s Roscoe Gin and has been since 2002. The Roscoe Gin has undergone considerable remodeling and upgrading during his tenure, and it broke its record this year for number of bales ginned in a single season.

Congratulations, Larry, on a well-deserved honor!

Central Rolling Plains Co-op Board of Directors: Roddy Alexander, Leslie Rannefeld, Kenny Landfried, Larry Black, Ralph Stirl, Steve Moore, James Parrott, Larry Williams. Not pictured: Rolan Petty, Scott Etheredge, Ricky Bowman.

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CENTRAL ROLLING PLAINS CO-OP COMPLETES GINNING SEASON

The Central Rolling Plains Co-op Cotton Gin.

The 2016 cotton crop is in. The Central Rolling Plains Co-op Cotton Gin completed its ginning season last Wednesday, March 8, as it produced its final bale. That’s a little late as far as finishing the season usually goes, but this year’s late freeze extended it and increased the yield. Back in October at the gin’s open house dinner, most of those who wrote down their predictions for this year’s number of bales underestimated what this year’s result would be. The final total is 87,827 bales, even more than Gin Manager Larry Black expected, and a new record for the Roscoe Gin. The 109,991 bales in 2007 includes some 40,000 bales that were ginned in Inadale, the last year that gin was open,

 Here’s how this year’s total compares to the gin’s output for the previous nine years:

                                             2007           109,991
                                             2008             57,184
                                             2009             39,626
                                             2010             70,379
                                             2011               9,966
                                             2012             66,985
                                             2013             71,849
                                             2014             32,274
                                             2015             75,636
                                             2016             87,827

Since the ten-year average for the gin including 2016 is 62,172 bales, this year’s total is 25,655 bales, or 34%, above the average.

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PLOWBOYS, PLOWGIRLS HOST BLACKLAND DIVIDE RELAYS

Karina Cisneros, far right, finished second in the 1600 meter run.

The Blackland Divide Relays at Plowboy Field Friday afternoon was a chilly affair with a sharp northeast wind and temperatures in the upper fifties. Even so, there was a large crowd on hand to view the events.

The varsity boys’ teams finished in this order: Munday, Post, Stamford, Merkel, Colorado City, Roby, Hawley, and Roscoe. The varsity girls’ teams finished in this order: Post, Merkel, Munday, Stamford, Roscoe, Colorado City, Jayton, Roby, and Eula.

Bonnie Wilkinson once again stood out for the Plowgirls. She won two events, the 400-meter dash and the triple jump, and was on the Plowgirls’ 4 x 400-meter relay team, which placed second, and the 4 x 100-meter relay team, which finished fourth. Her sister Lyndi was first in the 800-meter run and was also a member of the two Plowgirl relay teams. Karina Cisneros finished second in the 1600-meter run.

Here is a listing of the Plowboys and Plowgirls who finished in the top six of their events, along with their best time or distance, whether seed or final.

Plowboys

Event                  Place          Athlete                     Time/Distance     
800 meter run     4             Braiden Moore               2:10
4 x 100 relay          6             Plowboys “A”                  47.52
  (Jose Ortega, Micheal Wright, Jayden Gonzales, Junior Martinez)
4 x 400 relay        4             Plowboys “A”                 3:47.47
  (Jose Ortega, Braiden Moore, Micheal Wright, Junior Martinez)
Triple Jump         4            Micheal Wright              38’ 2½”

Plowgirls
400 meter dash    1          Bonnie Wilkinson          1:01.42
800 meter run      1           Lyndi Wilkinson            2:32.91
                                 6          Karina Cisneros              2:51.41
1600 meter run    2           Karina Cisneros             6:17.73
4 x 100 relay          4          Plowgirls “A”                   52.84
  (Jaci Alexander, Lyndi Wilkinson, Anahi Ortega Solis, Bonnie Wilkinson)
4 x 400 relay         2           Plowgirls “A”                  4:17.40
  (Jaci Alexander, Lyndi Wilkinson, Lynzie Atkinson, Bonnie Wilkinson)
Triple Jump          1            Bonnie Wilkinson           34’ 3¾”
Shot Put                 6            Kinzie Buchanan             29’ 1”
Discus Throw       4            Veronica Cuellar             90’ 1”

The Plowgirls and Plowboys’ next meet is the Piper Relays in Hamlin this Saturday, March 18. The Plowboys JV is off for Spring Break. They will resume in Merkel on Tuesday, March 21.

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THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH LUNCH THIS SUNDAY
March 19, 11:30-1:30
Menu: Hamburger meal, dessert, and drink - $6 per plate
Roscoe Community Center

COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS
Call Misty Reynolds – 325-338-1005

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TEXAS AG COMMISSIONER POSTPONES ROSCOE VISIT

Sid Miller

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller, who planned to lunch with local farmers and ranchers at the Lumberyard next Monday, has had to postpone the visit to an unspecified future date. His previously planned trip to Israel was unexpectedly moved forward a few days, causing him to cancel all his other plans for the first part of next week.

For more information, call 325-701-7823.

--o--

Matthew Buckley placed fourth in his weight class at the Regional Powerlifting Meet in Lubbock last week.

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WEATHER REPORT: SPRING TEMPERATURES, BEAUTIFUL SUNSETS

The old cotton house at sunset.

The weather was a mixed bag this past week with some miserable weather as well as some that was gorgeous. It was also a week of bright nights as the full moon came on Sunday and the days immediately preceding and following all had moonlit night skies. And, since it was also the week in which Daylight Savings Time began, we’ve all been learning to adjust to the extra hour of darkness in the early morning and the corresponding extra hour of sunlight in the evening.

Wednesday and Thursday’s warm afternoons changed to Friday, Saturday, and Sunday’s chilly ones with strong breezes from the northeast. Sunday morning there was a fog thick enough to get everything wet, but the weekend forecast for rain turned out to be wrong. Yesterday afternoon turned out to be gorgeous with a high of 77°, the wind becoming calm in the evening, and the western skies having a beautiful sunset. The high for the week was Thursday’s 81°F, and the low was Sunday morning’s 38°.

The outlook is for a warming trend with a 71° high today, followed by 77° tomorrow, and then six days in a row with highs reaching into the eighties and lows within two or three degrees of 60°. Rain is unlikely as the forecast chances are either 0% or 10%. The first official day of Spring this year falls on March 20, i.e., next Monday.

--o--

† PEDRO MEDINA

Holy Mass of Christian Burial for Pedro Medina, 39, of Roscoe was on Monday, March 13, at Saint Albert’s Catholic Church in Roscoe. He passed away at his residence on Friday, March 10. Burial followed at Roscoe Cemetery under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home.

Pedro had lived in Roscoe the past fourteen years and worked for Eagle Rail Car. He was a member of Saint Albert’s Catholic Church.

He is survived by his wife, Maria Solis; two sons, Brayn Medina and Pedro Medina, Jr.; a daughter, Venessa Medina; and his parents, Silvestre and Isidra Medina, all of Roscoe; a brother, Martin Medina & wife Gloria of Chicago, IL; two sisters, Adriana Medina & husband Filimon Carros of Mexico and Maria-De-Lourdes Medina & husband Reimundo Raigosa of Mexico.

Pallbearers were Brayn Medina, Alex Ortega, Miguel Ortega, Silvestre Medina, Manuel Palos, Pasquel Solis.

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† ALICE P. DENMAN

Graveside services for Alice P. Denman, 77, of Paris, will be held today, March 15, at Union Grove Cemetery by Bright-Holland Funeral Home with Patrick Cannon officiating. She passed away on Monday, March 13, at her home.

Mrs. Denman, the daughter of Henry Alexander & Pearl Vaughn Turner, was born Jan. 7, 1940, in Wood County, Texas. Her career with the Roscoe Independent School District spanned a number of years before her retirement. She was a member of the Roscoe Baptist Church.Her parents, three sisters, and two brothers preceded her in death.

Survivors include her husband, Ray Denman, whom she married on December 22, 1961, building fifty-five years of family and memories; three sons, Mark Denman of Reno, Texas, Matt Denman & wife Lisa of Reno, and Greg Denman & wife Sheila of Crawford; grandchildren, Molly Denman, Ross Denman, Raegan Denman, and Rylee Denman; along with several nieces & nephews and a host of friends.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, www.stjude.org or mailing address: 262 Danny Thomas Place, Memphis, TN 38105. Ph. 800-822-6344

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Charley Pride to Highlight "Spring Super Saturday" with Lumberyard Performance

Charley Pride

It’s official. Country legend Charley Pride is coming to Roscoe on April 8 as the featured performer for this year’s "Spring Super Saturday." He will bring his famous voice and sing some of the songs that made him famous: “Is Anybody Goin’ to San Antone,” “Crystal Chandeliers,” “Kiss an Angel Good Morning,” “Just Between You and Me,” “Does My Ring Hurt Your Finger,” along with 24 others that made it to number one on the Billboard Country Music chart and 23 additional ones that made the top 10.

He’s a member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame, has won several Grammys, and was featured in last year’s CMA Awards. His lifetime achievements are too numerous to mention, but it is interesting to note that he was a baseball player before he was a professional singer and was a star in the Negro League. He’s still an avid baseball fan and a part-owner of the Texas Rangers.

In short, you don’t want to miss this opportunity to see one of most famous country singers of the past half-century. For reservations or more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457.

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SHELANSKY BUILDING TO HOUSE EDU-DRONE CLASSROOM, OFFICES

The Shelansky Building

Starting soon, the downtown Shelansky Building will be the new home of part of RCISD’s Collegiate Edu-Drone, LLC. A creativity center that will serve as the pilot training and simulation classroom will be located in the main room of the building, while the smaller offices will serve as office space for drone-related businesses. Greg Wortham, who also serves as adjunct faculty for business/ marketing for RCISD, will have an office in the complex. So will local area commercial drone pilots who will work with the program by providing on the job experience to students working toward drone pilot certification. The old Nitzsche Welding Building on Broadway will continue to be used as the pilot-training lab for drone instruction in a windless environment. The Edu-Drone program will be in the building starting with the fall semester.

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ROSCOE COLLEGIATE ISD TO OPEN NEW MONTESSORI EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

by Andy Wilson

RCISD Elementary School Principal

In August of this year, Roscoe Collegiate ISD will open its new early childhood center for three, four, and five-year-old children. Roscoe Collegiate Montessori Early Childhood Center will offer a comprehensive early learning environment using the Montessori method. The Montessori method of instruction is an approach to learning which emphasizes active learning, independence, and cooperation. Instruction is designed to remain in harmony with each child's unique pace of development. Montessori emphasizes individuality and independence in learning.

Roscoe Collegiate Montessori Early Childhood Center will offer full-day instruction for three, four, and five-year-old students. An extended school day may be an option for some students as well. Registration for the 2017-2018 school year will begin on April 12th and 13th and continue throughout the spring and summer for students who are not already enrolled in Roscoe Collegiate ISD. Transfers from other school districts are welcome and students will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis.

For more information, contact Roscoe Elementary School at 325-766-3323.

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TEXAS AG COMMISSIONER TO BE IN ROSCOE MONDAY, MARCH 20

Texas Agriculture Commissioner Sid Miller.

Sid Miller, the Texas Agriculture Commissioner, will be at the Lumberyard from 11am-1pm on Monday, March 20. The event is being hosted by Farm and Ranch Report of Abilene radio station KLGD, “The Country Giant,” 106.9. Farmers, ranchers, and other interested parties are invited to attend. KLGD reporter Richard Kemp broadcasts the daily Farm & Ranch Report Monday through Saturday at 12:15am and 6:15am.

For more information, call 325-701-7823. To reserve a seat, call 325-766-2457.

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PLOWBOTS HAVE MEET TO REMEMBER AT HUB CITY REGIONAL IN LUBBOCK

Editor’s note: The Roscoe Plowbots had a great meet in Lubbock, finishing first of 46 teams in the qualifying matches, and even though their alliance didn’t go on to win the meet championship, they impressed everyone with their performance. Dan Boren, one of their two coaches, wrote this detailed account, presented here as he wrote it.

Where is Roscoe?
By Dan Boren

On March 1st, the First Robotics Competition (FRC) team 3366—the Roscoe Plowbots traveled to Lubbock to compete in the Hub City Regional event. The event was host to 46 teams from the states of California, Oklahoma, Colorado, and Texas. The contest was also international with teams from Mexico and Turkey also participating.

The Plowbots arrived in Lubbock as last year’s Hub City Finalists, losing in the championship match on a last minute call by the referees. The game’s theme this year is Steamworks, which focused on early steam engines and modes of early flight. The game required teams to deliver gears to the airship in the center of the game field that would allow rotors to be turned, which would turn propellers allowing for “flight.” Additionally, teams were given the opportunity to “lift-off” with the airships by climbing a 4-foot rope during the last 30-seconds of the 3-minute match. Perhaps the most challenging aspect of this year’s game is the method of fueling the airship. The fuel is represented by 5-inch plastic balls that have to shoot in one of two openings of the “steam boiler.” The game pits a red alliance against a blue alliance each of which is made of three teams. During the 83 qualification rounds, the teams play with different combinations of teams in order to reach an overall individual ranking.

The matches for each regional begin on Friday and are completed on Saturday. Last Friday, the Plowbots played 9 matches. In those matches, the Plowboys finished with a record of 9-0. That record put the Plowbots in first place in the 46-team field. Having never finished higher than 17th in the qualification round, the Plowbots found themselves in that favorable, but unfamiliar position. So unfamiliar, that the primary question being asked was, “Where is Roscoe?” and “Where did team 3366 come from?” Saturday morning, team 3366 had just two matches to go to finish as the number one qualifier. However, during their 10th match, one of their alliance members lost connection to the communication system, so the Plowbots’ alliance had to compete 2 on 3 against the other alliance. The result was the first loss of the tournament. The loss dropped the Plowbots to 3rd overall with less than 10 total matches to go. That is when the excitement really escalated.

In match 79, the new number one team, 118—the Robonauts, from Crystal Creek, Texas, a perennial powerhouse, was upset in their last match moving the Plowbots up to number 2, behind team 1477-Texas Torque out of Conroe, Texas. The only chance the Plowbots had to reclaim the number one slot was to not only win their last match, but to score at least 301 points, which would give them the tie breaker of total points scored over Texas Torque. During the Plowbots’ breathtaking final match, they scored a grand total of 305 points, with those last 50 points coming in the last tenth of a second, giving the Plowboys their number one ranking in the qualifying matches. The Plowbots playoff alliance was upset by the eventual champions of the Hub City Regional, but that doesn’t take away from the great accomplishment of the David and Goliath story of the 2017 Hub City Regional. As a result of this competition, many more around the robotics world now know “Where Roscoe is!”

The win Saturday will undoubtedly qualify the Plowbots for the UIL State Championships May 17-20 in Austin. The team will travel to Dallas this week to compete in their only other scheduled regional at the Irving Convention Center.

The Plowboys are coached by instructors Dan Boren and John Cox. Team members include Driver—Camden Boren, Navigator—Braxton Parrott, Pilot—Becca Shaw, “Gearman”—Tristan Brooks, Lead Mechanic—Martin Luna, Game Analysts—Brayan Medina-Solis and Ryan Highsmith; and Scouts—Caleb Ward, Christian Acuna, Arizona Guerra, and Riley Sheridan.

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PLOWBOYS, PLOWGIRLS RESULTS FOR TIGER RELAYS IN ANSON

At the Tiger Relays in Anson on Friday, the Plowboys finished fifth, the Plowgirls fourth, and the JV Plowboys second in a field of seven schools: Anson, Hamlin, Haskell, Hawley, Roby, and Roscoe Collegiate for the men’s teams, and Trent instead of Roby for the women’s.

First-place winners for the Plowboys included Junior Martinez in the Triple Jump, and for the Plowgirls, Bonnie Wilkinson in three events—the Triple Jump, the 400 meter run, and as a member of the Plowgirls’ 4 x 400 meter relay team that also finished first.

Here are the Plowboys and Plowgirls who placed in the top 6 for any event:

Plowboys

Event                           Place    Athlete(s)                     Time/Distance
400 meter run               2          Michael Wright             57.77
800 meter run               2          Braiden Moore              2:13.32
4 x 400 m. relay            2          Plowboys                         3:48.50
Pole Vault                       2          Jayden Gonzales           10’6”
Triple Jump                   1          Junior Martinez             40’6”

Plowgirls

400 meter run               1          Bonnie Wilkinson         1:04.59
                                          3          Anahi Ortega Solis        1:11.15
800 meter run               2          Lyndi Wilkinson           2:37.52
1600 meter run             4          Karina Cisneros            6:24.59
                                         6          Magdalena Garcia         6:42.90
300 m. hurdles             3          Lynzie Atkinson             57.68
4 x 100 m. relay            4          Plowgirls                         53.34
4 x 400 m. relay            1          Plowgirls                         4:26.46
Shot Put                         4          Veronica Cuellar            28’4”
                                         5          Kinzie Buchanan            28’
Discus                            4          Veronica Cuellar             82’4”
Triple Jump                  1          Bonnie Wilkinson           36’7¾”
                                         4          Lyndi Wilkinson             33’0¼”

On Friday Roscoe Collegiate will host the Blackland Divide Relays at Plowboy Field.

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DAVISSON BROTHERS BAND AT THE LUMBERYARD FRIDAY NIGHT

The Davisson Brothers Band.

A little bit of West Virginia will be in town Friday night when the Davisson Brothers Band kicks off the Spring season at the Lumberyard. It should also be a great way to start off Rattlesnake Roundup weekend. The weather outlook is fine, and the Davisson Brothers Band rocks with a unique sound, one that fuses country, southern rock, and bluegrass.  Check out their single “Jesse James,” by clicking here, or hear what they’re saying in Nashville about the band by clicking here.

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

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WEATHER REPORT: IT’S BEGINNING TO LOOK A LOT LIKE SPRING

The Texas Red Oak in my front yard is budding out.

It may be a little early on the calendar to be proclaiming that spring has arrived, but with each passing day that’s what it’s beginning to look and feel like. The peach and apricot trees have been blooming for a couple of weeks, but since they are notorious for starting too early, that in itself doesn’t mean a lot. But now, other trees have also begun to bud out, and we haven’t had any freezing weather in about a month. Spring fires are ravaging parts of the panhandle, and yesterday morning the skies in Roscoe were filled with smoke that a norther brought down all the way from the fires around Amarillo. Seventy and eighty degree afternoons are becoming more frequent, southwest winds are blowing, and the lowest low temperature in the Weather Channel’s 10-day outlook for this area is the 43°F forecast for Saturday.

The weather we had this past week is typical for this time of year. The highs last Wednesday through Saturday were all in the sixties with lows going as far down as Thursday’s 37°. On Sunday, it warmed up to 75° and on Monday the high for the week came when the temperature reached 82°. Today’s forecast high of 71° is on the cool side as tomorrow, Friday, and Saturday are predicted to have highs of 80°, 78°, and 80° respectively with lows in the upper fifties. On Saturday, the low will drop to 43° as a cold front moves through, and Sunday’s high will be only about 67°. There is a 60% chance of rain on Saturday, which sounds about right since the Rattlesnake Roundup in Sweetwater is this weekend. The rest of next week will have highs in the seventies and eighties with lows in the fifties.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying we definitely won’t get an April freeze. After all, we did get thunder in January and February, and you know what people say about that.. But the odds of something like that happening diminish with each passing day as the ground gets warmer and the days get longer.

Don’t forget to move your clocks forward an hour before you go to bed Saturday night.

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† BILLIE RAY SASIN

A memorial service followed by an interment with full honors was held on Monday afternoon, March 6, at the Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery for Billie Ray Sasin, 73, who fought a long and courageous battle with brain cancer. He peacefully entered his heavenly home early Wednesday morning, February 22nd, 2017.

Bill was born on May 12, 1943, in Roscoe to Adolf John Sasin and Francis Krista. He was a 1961 graduate of Roscoe High School. He was awarded the "Bronze Star" along with many more medals and honors. Bill was a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He was awarded "The Distinguished Flying Cross" for his heroism while flying a Cobra helicopter during an aerial battle in the Vietnam War. On one of his missions, he was shot down, which forced him to retire as a Lieutenant Colonel after 25 years of service.

Later in life, he met the love of his life and married Diane Marie Sasin. Together they enjoyed going to the movies and watching the Cowboys play at the AT&T Stadium. Bill was a devoted and loving husband, father, grandfather, and friend. He will be missed by everyone, more than words will ever be able to express. He was preceded in death by his father and mother, Adolf and Francis Sasin; brother and sister-in-law, George and Carol Sasin.

Survivors: His loving memory will always be cherished by his beloved wife, Diane Marie Sasin; son, James Frasor Sasin; daughter, Jennifer Ray Smith; grandchildren, Abigail Sasin and Talon Thibodeaux; twin brother, Ben Sasin and wife, Suzie Sasin; sister, Georgia Chandler; many nieces and nephews.

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Candidates Throw Hats in Ring for School Board, City Council

In the upcoming local election on May 6, voters will be electing two City Council and four School Board members to new terms.

Two City Council seats, those filled by Billy Joe Jay and Helen Perry, whose two-year terms are expiring in May, are being contested. Both Council members are running to retain their seats, but KC Hope is also running. The top two vote-getters will be the winners.

Four RCISD School Board seats are up for grabs. The four-year terms of James Arnwine, Steve Anthony, Bryan Heaps, and Cheyenne Smith are expiring. Heaps and Smith are not running for re-election, but Arnwine and Anthony are. Also running are Christie Galvan, Edward (Spider) Herrera, Kenny Hope, Jr., and David Pantoja. The top four vote-getters of these six will be declared the winners and will join the other School Board members, Jason Freeman, Frankie Santiago, and Wes Williams, whose ongoing terms are not affected by this election.

Early voting at City Hall will run from April 24 to May 2, and on May 1 and 2 will be open from 7am-7pm. Early voting at the Administration Building at Roscoe School is from 8am to 5pm, also from April 24 to May 2. Early voting judges are Belinda Ince and Donna Parker, and election judges on May 6 are Jeannie McBurnett and Ann Teaff. Voting on May 6 will be in the Roscoe Community Center.

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WORK MOVES FORWARD ON EARLY CHILDHOOD CENTER

The future RCISD Early Childhood Center.

After some approval and architect delays, construction is underway at the RCISD Early Childhood Center. The target completion date is August 1 for the facility in the old Town & Country Grocery building in the 1000 block of Main Street.

Finishing by then may seem a tight squeeze, but Superintendent Kim Alexander thinks it will be done. The school plans to move its early childhood Montessori program into the building early enough to use for the fall semester, “ready or not,” as Dr. Alexander puts it.

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PLOWBOYS, PLOWGIRLS SHOW POTENTIAL AT LONG SLEEVE RELAYS

Both Plowboys and Plowgirls had promising results at the Long Sleeve Relays in Hamlin on Friday. When looking at the places they finished, keep in mind that they were competing with over twenty other schools of varying classes. Also, since it was the first meet of the year, they are likely to improve as time goes on.

Here are the results:

Plowboys

Event                    Place             Athlete(s)                  Time/Distance
Pole Vault                3             Jayden Gonzales                  12’
Triple Jump            6             Michael Wright                    39’6”
4 x 100 Relay          6             Plowboys                               46.04
   (Jose Ortega, Michael Wright, Francisco Garcia, Junior Martinez)

Plowgirls

Triple Jump            2             Bonnie Wilkinson               33’10½”
800 m. run              2             Lyndi Wilkinson                  2:35
                                   6             Karina Cisneros                   2:51
4 x 400 Relay          3             Plowgirls                               4:21
   (Jaci Alexander, Lyndi Wilkinson, Jaleigh Morales, Bonnie Wilkinson)

The next meet for both Plowboys and Plowgirls is the Tiger Relays in Anson tomorrow afternoon.

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SCHOOL DISTRICT OFFICIALS TOUR ROSCOE SCHOOL FACILITIES

The RCISD STEM Center

Officials from several Texas school districts have visited Roscoe’s school facilities in recent weeks to learn more about Roscoe’s Early College and STEM programs with intentions of possibly setting up similar programs in their own school districts.

In February delegations came from Wilson, Sealy, and El Paso Parkwood, and others coming soon are from Coleman, Christoval, and Elgin.

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UPCOMING EVENTS:

SPRING CLEANUP

March 24 – March 31
7:00am-7:00pm
Dumpsters at 3rd and Laurel Streets (near City Barn)

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SPRING FLING

Saturday, April 8

Featuring Country Legend
CHARLEY PRIDE
at the Lumberyard

also
Plowboy Tuff Truck and Crash-Up Derby
(Proceeds benefit Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department)
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ROSCOE COMMUNITY CENTER NEWS

THIRD SUNDAY OF THE MONTH LUNCH
March 19, 11:30-1:30
Menu: Hamburger meal, dessert, and drink

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COMMUNITY CENTER RENTALS
Rental Special for the month of March
Hurry and Book your events!!
Call Misty Reynolds for more information: 325-338-1005

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We at the Community Center would like to thank everyone for supporting our fundraisers! Thanks to all for your generous donations! Plans are in the works to start Part One of the Kitchen Project, so stay tuned for pictures and progress!

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WEATHER REPORT: MOSTLY WARM WITH WIND

Yesterday's strong winds were from the southwest.

Temperatures were warmer than average on five of seven days this past week. Three afternoons, last Wednesday, Thursday, and yesterday, had highs in the eighties, the highest being Thursday’s 88°F. The weekend, however, was considerably cooler as Friday’s high was 62° and Saturday’s only 55°. The low of the week came on Sunday morning when the temperature dropped to 30°.

Strong spring winds blew on Thursday, Sunday, and yesterday with wind speeds of 20 and 25mph with gusts in the mid to upper thirties. There was no precipitation.

The weather will definitely be cooler starting today and extending through Saturday. Today’s high will be only about 60°, and the rest of the week will be similar with highs in the sixties until Sunday, when the high is predicted to be 82°, followed by a week of warm weather. Once again, there is no precipitation in the forecast.

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