T. G. Sheppard to Perform at West Texas Wind Festival

T. G. Sheppard.

Folks attending this year’s West Texas Wind Festival on Saturday, October 21, will get a rare treat—a chance to see country music legend T. G. Sheppard at the free concert and street dance “on the bricks” in downtown Roscoe.

American country singer/songwriter T. G. Sheppard (born William Browder in Tennessee) has had 21 No. 1 hits on the U.S. Country charts, including 8 consecutive number ones between 1980 and 1982, over thirty others in the top ten, and has been named one of the top 100 country artists of all time.

At the age of 15, he ran away from home to Nashville to become a country singer. He recorded his first No. 1 hit with the song “Devil in the Bottle” in 1975, and its follow-up, “Trying to Beat the Morning Home,” also went to No. 1. In those early years, he became friends with Elvis Presley, who gave him his first tour bus, giving him the confidence and means to hit the road for the first time.

By 1987, he had produced a dozen more No. 1 songs including “Last Cheater’s Waltz,” “I’ll Be Coming Back for More,” “War is Hell (on the Home Front Too,” “I Loved Them Every One,” “Faking Love,” and “Slow Burn.”

His most recent accomplishment has been his 2015 album Legendary Friends & Country Duets, a duet CD with some of music’s biggest icons including Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Conway Twitty, Kelly Lang, Ricky Skaggs, The Oak Ridge Boys, Englebert Humperdink, Lorrie Morgan, Crystal Gayle, Delbert McClinton, Mickey Gilley, and others. He says this is the music he is most proud of. The 90-minute DVD filmed at the sessions was awarded Best Music Documentary at the Tele Awards in Los Angeles.

This year’s Wind Festival will also feature the Plowboy Mudbog, the usual downtown street scene with vendors, and another great fireworks show.  Lyndall Underwood and the Dusty Creek Band will also play at the Lumberyard after the fireworks, so make plans now to attend.

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PLOWBOY TUFF TRUCK & DEMO DERBY WINNERS NAMED

Roscoe Police Chief Felix Pantoja takes a turn at the Tuff Truck course.

The summer sun was hot on Saturday afternoon, but it was no hotter than the action on the field with vehicles of all shapes and sizes losing bumpers, fenders, and tailgates as they negotiated the Tuff Truck course and smashing one another into submission in the demolition derby. Most of the drivers were from the local area, but one was from Elkhart, Indiana.

The winner of the Tuff Truck competition was Roscoe’s Nick Pantoja in his ’84 Ford F150, while Bo Oleson of Sweetwater in his ’76 Buick was the last car running in the Demolition Derby, followed by Nick Pantoja in his ’89 Lincoln Town Car and Nathan Evans of Snyder in his ’98 Ford Crown Victoria.

Police Chief Felix Pantoja demonstrated his driving skills for the crowd while Robert McBride beat all comers in the drag races in his stock Jeep. And a good time was had by all who attended.

Proceeds benefitted the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department and Jayteens, and the organizers wish to thank the sponsors: SJ Auto Sales, Pickrell Wrecker, and Legacy Tattoo Parlour.

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KIDS LEARN ABOUT BUGS ON FIELD TRIP TO 69 RANCH

Third-graders David Villa and Henry Herrera are ready to catch some bugs. (Photo by Marca Gibson)

Third, fourth, and fifth grade kids from Roscoe, Highland, and Blackwell learned about bugs on a field trip last week to the 69 Ranch near Maryneal. They heard a talk from entomologist Dr. Paul Martin from Seguin, who even ate a cricket. He also explained about the bugs that benefit the Rolling Plains farmers.

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ROSCOE LIONS CLUB FISH FRY BEFORE FOOTBALL GAME FRIDAY

The Roscoe Lions Club is sponsoring a fish fry at the school cafeteria Friday evening. Details are given below:

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PLOWBOYS FACE ANSON HERE FRIDAY

Clemente Aguayo makes a dash for the end zone against Albany. (Photo by Tamara Alexander)

After a week off, the Plowboys resume their football season Friday evening with a non-district game against Anson at Plowboy Field. Dave Campbell’s Texas Football has predicted the Tigers to win District 4-2A-I this year, while the Plowboys are 2A division II.

However, the two teams’ records so far make the match-up look like a good one, and it should be a good test for the Plowboys before entering district play. The Plowboys are 2-1 with road victories over Haskell and Early and a home loss to Albany, while Anson is 2-2 with home victories over Hamlin 35-14 and Haskell 47-24 and losses on the road to Jim Ned 55-16 and Albany 55-13.

Anson’s experience with Albany Friday night looks a lot like the one Plowboys’ had the week before. The Tigers ran back the opening kickoff for a TD to go up 7-0 and then didn’t score again until the fourth quarter as the Lions quickly recovered and dominated the game. Albany led 35-7 at the half and 48-7 at the end of three.

To win, the Plowboy defense will need to contain Anson’s quarterback Drew Hagler, who rushed for 105 yards on 25 carries against Albany and completed 9 of 17 passes for 59 yards. The Plowboy offense will need good blocking as well as strong running from Francisco Garcia and an efficient passing game. And both sides of the ball should be ready for a tough, hard-fought game.

Kickoff is at 7:30pm.

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WEATHER REPORT: SUMMER HEAT TURNS TO COOL RAIN

Dark, rainy skies over Roscoe this morning.

It’s been only a few days, but it’s already hard to believe that at the demolition derby on Saturday afternoon I heard people complaining about the heat. Since then the weather has changed with sunny skies becoming increasingly cloudy with intermittent drizzle and light rain. Daily highs have also steadily dropped. Starting with last Wednesday’s 99°F, the high fell on Thursday to 96°, Friday, 92°, Saturday 89°, Sunday 80°, Monday 77°, and yesterday 74°. Today’s high is forecast to be only 66°. Lows have also steadily dropped from Wednesday’s 72° to this morning’s 61°.

Light rain began on Sunday with a shower of .16”. On Monday, light rain and an afternoon shower yielded another quarter- to half-inch or so, and yesterday was cool, cloudy, and wet with a light rain varying from sprinkles to light showers and back to sprinkles again. Areas west of town seemed to get less, as little as a quarter-inch, with more to the east with .82” at Avenger Field and as much as an inch and a half in Sweetwater. Roscoe weatherman Kenny Landfried recorded .13” on Sunday, .39” on Monday, and .58” by ten o’clock last night.

There are reports of multiple accidents between Roscoe and Sweetwater this morning, so if you must get on I-20, please be sure to drive carefully.

The cool, rainy weather is forecast to last through Friday morning at which time skies should begin to clear and temperatures to slowly rise. There is a 90% chance for more rain today diminishing to 70% tomorrow and Friday morning. (This is a good thing as the Plowboys are playing here Friday evening.) Today’s high will be around 66°, tomorrow’s 67°, and Friday’s 64°. The weekend will be partly cloudy with Saturday’s high set at 73° and Sunday’s 81°. Sunny weather returns on Monday with the highs next week all in the low eighties with lows of around 60°. There is almost no chance of rain next week.

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† DENA FAYE TROUTT

Funeral services for Dena Faye Troutt, 89, of Roscoe, were held at 10am on Friday, September 22 at First Baptist Church with Reverend David Draper officiating. Interment followed at Lone Wolf Cemetery. She   passed away at Nolan Nursing and Rehab on Tuesday, September 19.

Dena was born January 24, 1928, in Sweetwater, and married LaRoy Troutt on January 27, 1945, also in Sweetwater. She was a member of the First Baptist Church in Roscoe for many years. She loved gardening and cooking. She worked for Dr. Terry at Johnson Hospital in Loraine, at Roscoe Nursing Home, and at Walls Sewing Factory in Roscoe. She took care of all family members that became ill or had poor health.

Survivors are her daughters, Rita Fried and husband Ray of Sweetwater, and Vickie Haynes and husband Jarvis of Roscoe; grandchildren, Koti Lindsey and husband Cole of Sweetwater, Chris Fried and wife Jamie of Cooper, Carli Posey and husband Stephen of Kyle, and Barb Devries and husband Peter of Wichita, Kansas; great-grandchildren, Sully, Sutton, Finn, Claire, Walker, Colt, and Baylie; and sister, Martha Campbell of Amarillo, as well as nieces, nephews and cousins.

Dena was preceded in death by her husband, LaRoy Troutt; daughter, Linda McDaniel; grandson, Phil Haynes; and brother, A. B. Fitzgerald.

Pallbearers were Ray Fried, Jarvis Haynes, Chris Fried, Stephen Posey, Cole Lindsey, Sully Templeton, and Sutton Templeton.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials be made to First Baptist Church of Roscoe, 401 Main St., Roscoe, TX 79545.

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† WANDA ADAMS WOMBLE

Funeral services will be at 10:00am tomorrow at McCoy Chapel of Memories in Sweetwater with Rev. James Womble presiding for Wanda Adams Womble, 86, of Maryneal, who passed away Monday, September 25, at Sweetwater Healthcare Center. Interment will follow at the Maryneal Cemetery. A family visitation will be held from 6 to 8 P.M. today at McCoy Funeral Home.

Wanda was born January 28, 1931, in Maryneal, to Henry Buster and Jewell (Jennings) Adams. She was a lifelong resident of Maryneal and graduated from Highland High School in 1948. She married P.A. Womble, Jr., May 21, 1949, in Sweetwater. A lifelong member of the Maryneal Baptist Church, she was very active and supportive of her church, community, school, Veterans of Foreign War Sweetwater Post #2479, and the American Legion Auxilary. She was president of the Highland P.T.A. in the 1960’s. She enjoyed sewing for family and friends, camping, and fishing.

Survivors include her husband of 68 years, P.A. Womble, Jr. of Maryneal; a son, John Womble and wife Sandy of Maryneal; two daughters, Gena Davis and husband Truman of Sweetwater, and Julie Hurn and husband Acey of Sweetwater; six grandchildren, Adam Womble of Keller, Lisa Merket Galvan and husband Manuel of Ballinger, Michael Sager and wife Jennifer of Sweetwater, Laura Merket Leath and husband Rex of Wasilla, Alaska, Josh Womble and wife Kit of Sweetwater, and Kevin Sager and wife Stephanie of Sweetwater; fourteen great grandchildren, Kaylee and Brodie Womble of Keller, Amber, Ashlie, and Cameron Galvan all of San Angelo, Hartley Sager of Sweetwater, Jeffrey Leath and wife Isabel, Wesley, Joshua and Wylie of Wasilla, Alaska, Konnor Womble of Sweetwater, Bailey, Brianna and Buster Sager of Sweetwater. Also surviving are thirteen step-grandchildren and eleven step-great grandchildren, numerous nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her parents and a sister, Virginia Muncy, on October 3, 2015.

Pallbearers will be Jerry Muncy, Terry Muncy, Cameron Galvan, Daniel Davis, Doyn Hartman, Craig Diddle, Steve Ford.

Honorary Pallbearer will be Randy Merket.

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Plowboy Tuff Truck & Demolition Derby Here Saturday

A Tuff Truck races through the obstacles in April.

The competition will be fierce in north Roscoe this weekend at both the Plowboy Tuff Truck contest and the Demolition Derby. Both events will feature Roscoe drivers--and at least one female in the Demolition Derby--as well as several entries from elsewhere.

The Tuff Truck event involves vehicles running an obstacle course for speed, and the Demolition Derby pits drivers crashing their cars into one another until only one is still able to run.

The event will be held just northwest of the railroad tracks on Business 84 at Cypress Street downtown. Gates will open at 2:30pm. Admission is $5 at the gate with ages 12 and under getting in free. Proceeds will benefit the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department, and the concession stand will be run by the Jaycee Teens Club.

The event is sponsored by Crane Service, SJ Auto Sales, Pickrell Wrecker, and Legacy Tattoo.

For rules and other information check the Plowboy Tuff Truck & Demo Derby Facebook page.

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ALBANY HUMBLES PLOWBOYS 52-12

An Albany ball carrier heads for an opening in the Plowboy defense.

Few football-savvy Plowboy fans went to the game Friday evening expecting to see the Plowboys defeat the Albany Lions. After all, the Lions, ranked first in the region and third in the state in Class 2A-II, were coming in with resounding victories over Colorado City and Dublin, both decent 3A teams.

Instead, most fans just hoped for a competitive game with a spirited showing by the home team, one that suggested they could at least stay on the field with the best in their class. Unfortunately, that didn’t happen as Albany dominated the game from start to finish.

Albany scored on all three of their first-quarter drives. After the Plowboys received the kickoff and were held and forced to punt, the Lions drove the ball down the field and scored their first touchdown on a 3-yard run less than four minutes into the game. The extra-point kick was good, and they were up 7-0. Following the kickoff, they held the Plowboys again, got the ball and put together a second-drive similar to the first with a similar result. This time they scored on an 18-yard pass, kicked the point, and went up 14-0. When the Plowboys stopped the run, Albany passed, and when the Plowboys stopped the pass, they ran. They have an accurate quarterback with big, fast receivers, as well as big running backs who can break tackles—and all this behind a strong line. After their third drive of the quarter, they were up 21-0.

The highlight of the evening for the Plowboys happened early in the second quarter. On a third down from the Plowboy 44, Jayden Gonzales hit Clemente Aguayo with a short pass over the middle. Aguayo broke free, and the race was on as he headed for the end zone with an Albany defender in close pursuit. He was tackled just as he hit the right pylon for the touchdown, and the Plowboys were on the scoreboard. They got two tries for the extra points as Albany committed a penalty on the first, but were unsuccessful with both, and the score was 21-6. The Lions then scored two more TDs before the quarter ended and at halftime were up 35-6 with the game essentially over.

After scoring twice more in the third quarter, the Lions were ahead 49-6 and at that point sent in the substitutes. The only remarkable things that happened after that were a 42-yard Albany field goal that split the uprights with plenty of distance and a game-ending Plowboy touchdown by Francisco Garcia on an 8-yard run up the middle to make the final score 52-12.

Albany dominated the stats as they did the game, gaining 24 first downs to the Plowboys’ 12 and 414 total yards to the Plowboys 250. For the Plowboys, Jayden Gonzales completed 12 of 21 passes with 1 interception. Clemente Aguayo led the receivers with 4 catches for 74 yards and 1 TD; Brandon Lavalais caught 3 for 33 yards, Jose Ortega 2 for 11, and Junior Martinez 3 for 5. Francisco Garcia led the rushers with 22 carries for 89 yards and 1 TD, Gonzales had 7 for 20, Nick Limones 2 for 16, and Ortega 1 for 2.

On defense, Parker Payne had 6½ tackles; Nick Limones, Paul Pantoja, and Cade Garrett each had 6; Diego Garza had 5, and several others had fewer.

The Plowboys are now 2-1 on the year. They have a week to lick their wounds and recover as they have an open date this weekend. Their next game is next Friday, September 29, with Anson at Plowboy Field in another non-district matchup.

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ROSCOE HARD TIMES MARKS SEVENTH YEAR OF PUBLICATION

Caden Smith (12) follows the blocking of Michael Massey (69) in 2010.

This month marks the seventh anniversary of the publication of the Roscoe Hard Times. The blog’s first reporting of Roscoe news was on September 10, 2010, with an account of the Roscoe-Stamford football game in Mustang Bowl. Seven years may not sound like a very long time, but the photo that accompanied the article shows that it’s been a while, what with Caden Smith carrying the ball while following the blocking of Michael Massey. Since then, both have graduated from high school and college and been working in their respective professions for a while now.

At first, I didn’t know how often I wanted to report the news, so I just posted it as soon as I got it. But after a couple of months, I found it was just easier both for me and the readers to publish it once a week. As a result, I’ve been posting it on Wednesday mornings ever since, minus two or three times a year when I’m off on vacation or when I have visiting family in town.

In April of 2013, the Sweetwater Reporter contacted me and asked if I’d be willing to send them articles for a weekly page they were planning that featured Roscoe news. They wanted to publish it on Thursdays and call it the “What’s Happening in Roscoe” page. This worked out nicely with the Wednesday posting of the Hard Times, so for the princely sum of $25 per week, I started sending them articles I’d written for the Hard Times along with accompanying photos. I’ve been doing that for four and a half years now, and it’s been a nice arrangement for both them and me.

I liked it because it got several old friends off my back who wanted me to come out with a print edition because they didn’t have the means or know-how to access the blog. And for the Reporter, it was a way of keeping their Roscoe subscribers and maybe picking up a few new ones. However, just this past week, they notified me that they’re going in a new direction and will be cutting out some regular features, and “What’s Happening in Roscoe” will be among them. The last one will appear next Thursday, September 28.

Far be it from me, however, to criticize this move. I know that small town newspapers are having trouble staying afloat these days when practically everyone has instant internet access in their purse or pocket—and the Sweetwater Reporter is no exception. In a way, though, the change is unfortunate because those of us who like to clip printed articles that feature us or our loved ones will no longer have the opportunity when they’re ones that originally appeared in the Hard Times.

The move, however, will have no bearing on my regular Wednesday morning postings of the Roscoe Hard Times. My plans are to continue as long as I have the energy and will to do so. It’s my way of giving back to the community in a way that keeps me busy and mentally active, something we retired folks need.

Anyway, thanks to all you readers who regularly check the Hard Times to find out what’s going on in Roscoe.  You make me feel useful and keep me on my toes.

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AT THE LUMBERYARD: TWO TONS OF STEEL TOMORROW, MICKY & THE MOTORCARS SATURDAY

The Lumberyard will be hopping this weekend with Two Tons of Steel taking the stage tomorrow night with no cover charge, and Micky and the Motorcars coming to town Saturday.

Two Tons of Steel

San Antonio’s favorite Texas Country band, Two Tons of Steel, has been popular in the Hill Country for over twenty years. In the Alamo City, they've won “Band of the Year” twelve times and the San Antonio Current’s “Best Country Band” ten times. Every summer they play the summer-long event “Two Ton Tuesday Live from Gruene Hall," which draws over 10,000 fans annually. They have released eight albums and appeared on the cover of Billboard magazine. Top singles include “Sedated,” “Hold Over Me,” “Your Kiss,” and “Crazy Heart.” This event is on the Lumberyard as there will be no charge for entry.

Micky & the Motorcars

Micky and the Motorcars, a hot alternative Texas country band originally from Idaho now based in Austin, return for an encore performance at the Lumberyard Saturday night. The band has released seven mainstream albums: Ain’t in It for the Money (2004). Careless (2007), Naïve (2008), Live at Billy Bob’s Texas (2009), Raise My Glass (2011), Hearts from Above (2014), and Across the Pond: Live in Germany (2015). Top singles include “Carolina Morning,” “July, You Are a Woman,” “Careless,” and “Hearts from Above.”

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

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REMAINS OF DOCTORS J. W. AND T. D. YOUNG AND WIVES MOVED TO ROSCOE CEMETERY

The remains of Dr. and Mrs. J. W. Young and Dr. and Mrs. T. D. Young have been moved from the Sweetwater to the Roscoe Cemetery. Since they all spent the bulk of their adult lives in Roscoe, their family thought it fitting that their remains should be here with those who loved, honored, and respected them during their lives.

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WEATHER REPORT: SUNNY SKIES, SUMMER HEAT

Yesterday's late Summer sky.

Despite the fact that the kids are back in school and football season is well underway, autumn does not officially begin until this Friday, September 22, the day of the fall equinox. And the weather we’ve had this past week has been a stark reminder that summer is still with us. On Thursday, the high was 100°F, and last Wednesday and yesterday weren’t far behind at 96°. Today will also will provide no relief with a forecast high of 98°. The lows have also been warm, mostly in the seventies.

It seems that this year we got our September weather in August, and now we’re getting August in September. And it’s not just the temperature. August, which is typically dry, had several showers this year, and September, which is typically the second wettest month in west Texas (after May), has been bone dry.

According to the meteorologists, we’ve got four more days of 90° or more before the fall weather begins on Sunday with its predicted high in the eighties, followed by a week of rainy weather when highs will be only in the seventies with lows around 60° and dropping into the upper fifties. Chances for precipitation will vary from 60% to 80% next Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday—or at least that’s what they’re saying at this time.

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Plowboys Corral Early Longhorns 20-13

Jose Ortega (2) runs for yardage against Early in the first quarter.

The Plowboys spoiled Early High’s homecoming celebration with a 20-13 victory over the Longhorns Friday evening. An improved Early team was looking for its second straight victory, but fell short as the Plowboys proved too much for them for the second year in a row.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Plowboys struck first in the second when Jayden Gonzales hit Jose Ortega with a 23-yard pass for a touchdown. Gonzales then passed to Cade Garrett for a two-point conversion and the Plowboys were up 8-0. Early then responded with a scoring drive of their own, and after the extra-point kick trailed by only a point, 8-7. The next time the Longhorns got the ball, they scored again with a 38-yard pass play for their only lead of the game. Their extra-point try was no good, but they were still ahead 13-8. Roscoe got the ball back shortly before halftime and regained the lead when Francisco Garcia went over from the one. The extra-point try failed, but the Plowboys were back in front 14-13, which was the score at the half.

In the third quarter, Jose Ortega broke free for an 85-yard touchdown run, and the Plowboys extended their lead to seven 20-13. There was no scoring in the fourth quarter by either side, and at game’s end the Plowboys had chalked up their second victory in two tries.

The Plowboys made 26 first downs to Early’s 22. They also led in total yardage with 441 yards (222 rushing and 219 passing) to Early’s 316 (70 rushing and 231 passing). Early also had 3 turnovers to none for the Plowboys. The Plowboy defense once again held firm and played a major role in the victory.

On offense, Gonzales completed 14 of 37 passes for 219 yards and one TD, and Jose Ortega led the Plowboy rushing with 96 yards in 2 rushes and one TD, while Garcia had 82 yards in 33 rushes and one TD. Gonzales also had 38 yards in 11 carries. Leading the receivers was Brandon Lavalais with 9 catches for 131 yards, while Ortega had 3 for 77 and 1 TD, and Junior Martinez had 2 for 30.

On defense, Ortega had 7 tackles and Cade Garrett 5, while Joel Guia, Nick Limones, and Tristan Brooks all had 4. Several others had 3, 2, or 1.

This weekend the Plowboys will have their home opener against Albany, which is likely to be their toughest opponent before the playoffs. Texas Football’s pre-season ranking for the Lions in state for 2A-II was third behind only Tenaha and Bremond, both recent state champs, and the THSCA (Texas High School Coaches’ Association) currently ranks the Lions number one for 2A-II Region II. They beat Colorado City 21-0 in their first game and Dublin 61-21 last week. Both are 3A schools.

Kickoff at Plowboy Field is at 7:30pm Friday.

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CITY COUNCIL APPROVES 2017-18 BUDGET WITHOUT RAISING TAXES OR CITY FEES

City Manager Cody Thompson reports to the Council at yesterday's meeting.

At its monthly meeting in City Hall yesterday evening, the Roscoe City Council set the 2017-2018 tax rate, adopted the new City budget, and approved the budgets for the City’s A and B Tax Boards. It also heard City updates from the City Manager and the monthly Police Report from the Police Chief, as well as a request from Ronald Kimbrell, who maintains the Roscoe Cemetery.

The City budget for the new fiscal year starting October 1 contains no change in fees for water, sewer, or trash pickup and actually slightly lowers the property tax rate. Since the overall property valuation will be a little greater, the City tax rate will drop from the current $.797715 per $100 valuation to $.791344 per $100 to raise the same amount of revenue as this year. Thus, most property owners will see no tax increase if their property valuation hasn’t changed. The Council also approved the 2017-18 budgets for the City’s A and B Tax Boards, keeping them virtually the same as this year.

City Manager Cody Thompson reported to the Council that City workers will clean the filters of the Reverse-Osmosis Water Treatment Plant sometime around the end of this month. The City is also working with a contractor on identifying the most feasible lines to replace with the remaining sanitary sewer funds.

The City is still waiting on TxDOT (Texas Department of Transportation) to install school zone signage on Main Street around the new Early Childhood Center. The City has submitted all necessary paper work to the State, whose responsibility it is to do anything concerning FM 608, which is a state road.

In the mural lot on Main Street and Broadway, the City will be putting up a 40-foot working windmill donated by Scott and Jay Etheredge. The windmill will have a metal trough below in which it re-circulates water.

The ten-acre tract in east Roscoe, just across Broadway from American Legion Post No. 227, will be the location of a new Oncor substation. Construction is already underway there.

Thompson also reminded the Council that planning is underway for the West Texas Wind Festival on Saturday, October 21. T. G. Sheppard will be the headline act for the free concert, and the usual live music, Plowboy Mudbog, downtown vendors, fireworks show, and other activities will be festival features. Next Saturday, September 23, the Plowboy Tuff Truck and Demolition Derby will be held on the City’s north side. Proceeds will benefit the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department, and the concessions will be run by the Jayteens.

Roscoe Police Chief Felix Pantoja then gave the Police Report for August, saying there were 111 total calls for assistance, 28 traffic warnings, and 14 City Ordinance violation warnings. He said that although no citations were issued this past month for traffic and ordinance violations, the same could not be said for this month since police plan to be tougher with offenders.

Ronald Kimbrell, the Roscoe Cemetery’s maintenance man, requested an extension on his contract with the City, which runs out this month. By law, the Council couldn’t act on the request this month, but will settle the matter next month.

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CALEB DEAN WINS SPICEWOOD DEMOLITION DERBY

Caleb Dean with his trophy beside his '73 Chevy Impala.

Competitors in the upcoming Plowboy Demolition Derby were put on notice of the competition they’ll be facing next Saturday, September 23, when Caleb Dean won the Full-Size Championship at the Spicewood Destruction Derby last week. The exciting action of that contest, which lasted a total of 13 minutes, 11 seconds, is captured in this video.



Dean’s car, a ’73 Chevy Impala, was painted yellow and referred to as 88. The car he plans to drive in the Roscoe derby is a ’76 Cadillac Deville, which will also be painted yellow and numbered 88. His fiancée, Kimberly Stowe, whom you might call the Danica Patrick of the area demolition crowd, will be driving the ’73 Impala but with a new paint job, probably pink.

The Plowboy Tuff Truck & Demolition Derby is next Saturday, September 23, and will start at 2:30pm in the open field just off Business 84 on Roscoe’s north side. For details, see notice in left-hand column.

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WEATHER REPORT: MILD WEATHER COMES TO AN END

Flags were limp yesterday afternoon as winds were calm.

The Roscoe area experienced another week of temperate weather, but the forecasters say that is all coming to an end as temperatures return to summer-like levels for at least the next week or so.

This past week was another week of nice, mild sunny weather with gentle breezes. Afternoon highs never got out of the eighties until yesterday with its return to the nineties. The high before that was 86°F on Thursday while the weekend highs never got above 85°. Evenings were nice with light winds and mild temperatures. Lows were in the high fifties or low sixties all week. The low temperature for the week was Monday’s 58°.

That all began to change yesterday afternoon when the mercury rose to 93°. Today’s high should be around 96° and tomorrow’s a sweltering 100°. That should be good for the cotton but uncomfortable for people since we’ve all grown used to the milder temperatures in the past couple of weeks. Friday’s high is forecast to be 96° and Saturday’s 93° before dropping to 91° for Sunday and Monday and 92° for Tuesday. Lows will also be higher, either in the low seventies or upper sixties for all the coming week.

Once again, there is no rain in the forecast.

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† LARRY MONROE WILLIAMS

Funeral services were held at 11:00am yesterday at First Baptist Church of Roscoe for Larry Monroe Williams, 67, who went home to heaven Saturday, September 9, from his home in Roscoe with his family by his side. Burial followed in the Roscoe Cemetery. Larry fought a brave battle with cholangiocarcinoma for over two years.

He was born February 12, 1950, in Sweetwater, the son of Herbert and Mary Lois Boston Williams of Roscoe. Larry married his high school sweetheart, Virginia Alexander, on July 24, 1971, at First Baptist Church of Roscoe. He graduated as valedictorian of the class of 1968 at RHS. After high school, he attended and graduated Cum Laude from Baylor University in 1972. He was in the Acapella choir, Kappa Nu fraternity, and Alpha Chi and Beta Gamma Sigma honor societies. He passed his CPA exam in 1972 and worked for Haskin and Sells Accounting Firm and Gulf Life Holding Company in Dallas. He moved back to Roscoe and became a partner in Riggs and Wooten in Sweetwater in 1974. In 1977, he began to farm full time with his father as W-2 Farms. Recently he was farming with his brother, Wes Williams, as Vista Farms 2.

Larry served on the Roscoe School Board for 15 years. He served on the 10th District Farm Credit Council and the Central Rolling Plains Cooperative board in Roscoe for 23 years. He was currently a member of the Roscoe State Bank board of directors as well as a board member of the Plains Cotton Cooperative Association since 2005, serving as chairman of the audit and warehouse committees. He was also a deacon at First Baptist Church of Roscoe, serving the past 39 years. He was a member of the Sweet Water Emmaus Community. Larry had a beautiful singing voice, singing solos, duets, and quartets since his teenage years. Two favorite songs requested for him to sing were “O Holy Night” at Christmas and “Feel the Nails” at Easter.

Survivors include his wife of 46 years, Virginia of Roscoe; three daughters: Amanda (Mandy) Williams of Belton, Stacey Williams Kelley of Keller, Christy Williams Fairey and husband Mac of Moody; one son: Jeremy Williams and wife Brandi of Keller; six grandchildren: Madison and Kelsey Fairey, Christopher and Hailey Kelley, and Riley and Avery Williams; father and step-mother Herbert and Mary Kerby Williams of Roscoe; brothers Randy Williams and wife Fonda of Bosque County, TX and Wes Williams and wife Shelly of Roscoe; sisters Nancy Althof and husband Daylon of Roscoe and Judy Suggs and husband Jay of Roscoe. Larry was preceded in death by his mother, Mary Lois Williams, and grandparents Mr. & Mrs. John Boston and Mr. & Mrs. William Edward Williams.

Pallbearers were Larry Black, David Duncan, Vernon Duncan, John Jay, Wayne McFaul, Allen McIntire, Miguel Montealvo, Eddie Smith, Bryan Studdard, and Randy Whorton.

Donations may be made to First Baptist Church of Roscoe, PO Box 626, Roscoe, TX 79545 or Hendrick Hospice Care, 1651 Pine Street, Abilene, TX 76051.

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Plowboys Defeat Haskell 44-14 in Opener

The Plowboy defense buries the Haskell ball carrier. (Photo by Tamara Alexander)

The Plowboys won their first game of the season Friday evening, defeating Haskell in Haskell 44-14. Roscoe jumped out to an early lead and never looked back in outplaying an inexperienced team with a new coach and several new starters.

The scoring began in the first quarter when Jayden Gonzales hit Jose Ortega with a touchdown pass of 21 yards, followed by a two-point conversion to put the Plowboys up 8-0. Later in the quarter Gonzales hit Ortega with another scoring pass, this time from 10 yards out. The conversion attempt was good again, and at the end of the quarter, the Plowboys were up 16-0.

They extended their lead in the second quarter with two more touchdowns. The first was a pass from Gonzales to Junior Martinez in a play that covered 31 yards. An extra-point kick followed and the Plowboys extended their lead to 23-0. The second was another Gonzales pass to Ortega, this one for 8 yards. The extra-point kick was once again good, and the Plowboys led at halftime 30-0. On defense, the Plowboys dominated Haskell throughout the first half and held the Indians scoreless.

Haskell didn’t get on the scoreboard until the third quarter when the Indians capped a drive with a one-yard run for a touchdown followed by a successful extra-point kick to get on the scoreboard but still trailing 30-7. However, they narrowed the score to 30-14 shortly thereafter when one of their players intercepted a pass and returned it 51 yards for a touchdown. That was as close as they ever got, though, as Francisco Garcia scored on a 29-yard run later in the quarter to put the Plowboys in front 37-14.

In the final quarter, Junior Martinez made his second TD of the game on a pass play from Gonzales that covered 41 yards, closing out the scoring for the evening with the Plowboys winning 44-14.

The Plowboy defense played strong throughout the game, limiting the Indians to 56 yards rushing and 71 yards passing for a total of only 127 offensive yards and one TD. Jose Ortega led the defense with 9 tackles and one interception. Paul Pantoja had 5 tackles, and Joel Guia and Junior Martinez both had four tackles. Martinez also had an interception.

On offense, Gonzales completed 14 of 25 passes for 139 yards and 5 TDs, while Garcia rushed for 210 yards and one TD on 27 carries. Ortega had 6 receptions for 45 yards and 3 TDs, and Martinez had 5 catches for 90 yards and 2 TDs.

The Plowboys face a much tougher opponent this Friday when they go up against Early in a second straight away game. Roscoe beat the Longhorns 40-21 at homecoming last year, but this year could be a different story. Early, a suburb community of Brownwood, is steadily growing and now has a population of over 3000 and a 3A division I high school with 375 students, i.e., over 2½ times the students of RCHS. They are in the same district as Comanche, Clyde, and Merkel.

They defeated Bangs 35-7 in their season opener last week, but it is difficult to know how good they are. Bangs, a 3A-II school, is a perennial loser at football, winning only two games in the past two years, and Early has a similar history, also winning only twice in the past two years. However, their Junior Varsity was 7-3 last year, and their QB Ryan Trumpler led the team in touchdowns, rushing, and passing. He is now the varsity’s starting quarterback, and many of his teammates are also off that winning JV team. In any case, their lopsided win over Bangs last week indicates they are a better team than they were last year. Whether they’re good enough to beat the Plowboys this time around is something we’ll find out Friday.

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ROSCOE’S RURAL MAIL CARRIER DAVID DUNCAN RETIRES AFTER 37 YEARS

David Duncan at his retirement party in the Post Office Friday.

After 37 years with the U. S. Postal Service, Roscoe’s rural mail carrier, David Duncan, is moving on to a new phase of life after retiring on Friday. He says he’ll be spending more time in his shop in town working on his pet projects there but will be doing essentially the same things he’s doing now—just more of them.

He began supplementing his farm income in 1980 by working as a substitute at the Post Office, a position he held until 1990, when Roscoe’s rural mail carrier Bob Emerson died. He then took over full time and his been delivering the mail ever since.

He says he’s delivered mail to five generations of the J. B. Cotton and Martin family, and to four generations of others. He probably knows more people in and around Roscoe—and where they live—than anyone else and will be missed on his daily runs by most if not all the country folks he’s served over the years.

Here’s wishing you a happy retirement, David!

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This is the new commercial for Young Farm Estates. All three houses on the site are now taken with two occupied and the other to be moved into soon. Plans are underway for the construction of more homes in the development.

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WEATHER REPORT: COOLER WEATHER

North winds had the flags at school flapping yesterday.

It’s been a relatively uneventful week for the weather on the local level with mostly sunny days and clear nights, even though on the national level the big news remains hurricanes. Folks in southeast Texas and southwest Louisiana are just now beginning to deal with the aftermath of Hurricane Harvey and all its flooding while in Florida they’re battening down the hatches in anticipation of Hurricane Irma, which at the moment is barreling toward Florida as a Category 5 storm with 185mph winds.

We did get a little precipitation on Saturday. My rain gauge says we got .28” but weatherman Kenny Landfried recorded only .10” from the same shower. Temperatures remained a bit cooler than usual for this time of year. The high for the week was 93°F on Saturday and Monday’s high was 90° but the other days all saw highs in the mid to upper eighties with lows in the sixties.

Yesterday afternoon a cold front blew in with some blustery winds that cooled things off considerably. The high was 83°, but that was before the temperature started dropping. By seven o’clock it was down into the seventies and served as a reminder that fall is on the way. This morning it was down to 59°.

The outlook is for continued temperatures that are slightly below normal. The forecast high for today is 83° although tomorrow should be a bit warmer at 87°. The days following will all see highs in the mid to upper eighties with lows in the low sixties.

And, once again, there is no rain in the forecast.

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† DIANA LYNN CANTRELL CONNOR

Diana Lynn Cantrell Connor, the most gung-ho Aggie who never attended A&M, the most indulgent mother who never had her own child, and the toughest fighter who never threw a punch, died on Friday, September 1, 2017, in Bryan, surrounded by family and friends. She was 61.

Diana was born in Sweetwater on August 24, 1956. When she was two, her family moved to Cooper, Texas, where they lived until moving to Roswell, NM in 1967. In 1971 the family moved back to West Texas, and Diana graduated from Cooper High School in Abilene in 1974. She attended TCU, graduating in 1978 with a degree in home economics, after which she went to work for the Texas Agricultural Extension Service as a home demonstration agent for Johnson County in Cleburne. In 1980 she moved home to Abilene to work as an electric living consultant with West Texas Utilities.

A lifelong Baptist, she met her future husband Mike Connor in Sunday school at the First Baptist Church. They were married in 1986. In 1989 Diana and Mike moved to Dallas, where she worked as an administrator for the Junior League. After moves to Tulsa in 1994 and Longview in 2000, the Connors settled in Bryan in 2003. Diana worked as a membership investment representative for the B-CS Chamber of Commerce from 2005 until 2011. Her outgoing personality made her tremendously successful, just as it won her legions of friends at every stop along her journey in life.

That journey was never easy. At age thirteen Diana was diagnosed with Type I diabetes, a disease which over the decades led to two organ transplants, open-heart surgery, the loss of a leg, and countless hospital stays. Her steadfast perseverance in the face of adversity and her refusal to complain about the lousy hand fate had dealt her would be remarkable enough. But even more extraordinary is the fact that she never let her physical hardships define her. Faced with challenges that would defeat a lesser person, she viewed each new health crisis as a bothersome nuisance to get past so that she could resume the urgent business of living.

For Diana, living meant helping others. Unable to have children of her own, she became a substitute mom and mentor to dozens of young people. She and Mike became the foremost boosters of the A&M Singing Cadets, a group to which her husband and brother had both belonged. For her many services, including the creation of an endowment to buy class rings for needy members, she was named an Honorary Singing Cadet, the organization’s highest honor. She likewise became a fanatical supporter and beloved friend of the A&M women’s basketball team, never missing a home game and traveling with the team to many tournaments and championship games. The number of home-cooked meals she served to Singing Cadets and basketball players would be impossible to count. Diana also became mom-away-from-home for many children of friends and relatives who attended A&M. That support for Aggies included Diana and Mike quietly paying a cousin’s entire way through A&M and launching him on a successful career.

As Diana’s health grew more precarious in her final two years, she summoned even greater determination to live with purpose and enthusiasm. A trip to Tennessee to root for the Aggie football team landed her in a Nashville hospital, which mostly irritated her because she had to miss the game. Typically, she insisted that Mike still attend. Her many trips chaperoning the Singing Cadets included a trip to Boston and New York just before her final illness. There was exactly zero chance that she going to miss the Cadets’ performance in downtown Manhattan or their visit with President George H. W. Bush in Kennebunkport.

After having her leg amputated, she was thrilled to be fitted with a prosthesis that briefly gave her new mobility. Only two weeks before her death, despite her family’s concerns, she made the trip to Dallas-Fort Worth for a reunion with old Tulsa friends. While in Fort Worth she insisted that her nephew Calvin show her his new fourth-floor dorm room at TCU, even though she was confined to a wheelchair. The next day she attended her final sporting event, cheering the Texas Rangers on to victory over the Astros. Clearly, nobody could tell Diana Connor what to do, although she never hesitated to set the rest of us straight when she thought her way was the right way. Her kid brother thought she was bossy, but in fact she just didn’t have time for foolishness.

Diana’s zest for life and her service to others were exceeded only by her devotion to her husband and best friend Mike. Few couples have ever shared so many of the same passions, and their marriage set an example for others to follow. Diana did not wear her Christian faith on her sleeve, but it enabled her to face the end with the same courage and resilience that characterized her entire life. Hers was truly a life well-lived, and she will be sorely missed by all who knew her.

Diana was preceded in death by her father-in-law Harold Connor of Daingerfield and is survived by her husband Michael Connor; her parents Jimmie and Mary Lynn Cantrell of Abilene and formerly of Roscoe; her mother-in-law Laverne Connor of Bryan; and her brother Gregg Cantrell, sister-in-law Stephanie Cole, and nephews Calvin and Nolan Cantrell of Fort Worth.

A memorial service will be held at the First Baptist Church of Bryan on Thursday, Sept. 7, at 2 p.m. at the First Baptist Church of Bryan. Visitation to immediately follow.

The family requests donations be made in her honor to the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (jdrf.org).

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Note: The memorial service for Diana Cantrell Connor will be livestreamed Thursday from First Baptist Church Bryan.  The Singing Cadets of Texas A&M will sing, and the women’s basketball coach will speak—among others.

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