Mother Nature 1 - West Texas Wind Festival 0

People dance "on the bricks" just minutes before the thunderstorm hit.

It didn’t rain on the parade—but it was only because there was no parade—as a surprise shower hit the West Texas Wind Festival about 7pm Saturday evening and sent the gathering crowd scattering for cover.

The rain seemed to come out of nowhere. One minute the crowd was enjoying the music of the Dusty Creek Band. Many of them sat in lawn chairs set up on Cypress Street facing the outdoor music stage. Others walked around greeting and visiting friends and acquaintances, and still others milled around in Old Town Park or checked out street vendors’ merchandise, while several couples danced “on the bricks.” Many others were just arriving from the parking lot and looking for a good place to watch T. G. Sheppard and the Texas Hall of Fame Band, who were scheduled to begin the feature show at 8 o’clock. Most had noticed the few clouds gathering overhead, but as there was clear sky visible underneath them, few were paying any attention to them, even when a few sprinkles started landing here and there.

But then almost instantly, everything changed. The scattered raindrops suddenly became a deluge as lightning flashed and thunder crashed. Rain fell in sheets, and even some pea-sized hail fell from the sky as strong winds caused tree branches to sway. People ran every which way looking for cover, and the hard shower continued long enough that street vendors closed up shop while people ran to their vehicles and left the area. Water ran in streams down the sides of the streets, and the sound equipment set up for the bands was fried by the downpour. Word went around that the fireworks show had also been called off, and the 2017 West Texas Wind Festival had become history before ever reaching the main event.

Lots of people made their way to the Lumberyard, not only to get out of the rain but also to continue the celebration. It was packed in a short time both inside and out, and the Dusty Creek Band, which had been playing on the music stage on Cypress when the rainstorm hit, set up on the small stage of the Lumberyard and resumed their show.

Meanwhile, T. G. Sheppard, who was staying in a motel in Sweetwater, had been informed of the Roscoe rainstorm and the cancellation of the Wind Festival. He assumed his day was done, but when Lumberyard owner, Cody Thompson, told him that the Dusty Creek band had more sound equipment and was playing at the Lumberyard to a large crowd, he decided to return to Roscoe, saying he’d talked to some people who’d come a long way just to see him, one a woman from Minnesota, and he didn’t want to disappoint them or others. So, he quickly arranged with his backup group, the Texas Hall of Fame Band, to return to Roscoe.

T. G. Sheppard performs at the Lumberyard after the storm.

When he arrived a short while later, the Dusty Creek Band yielded the stage to him and his band, and, to the delight of the crowd, he put on his show. He sang his most popular past hits and got the crowd to join in with him when he sang “Do You Want to Go to Heaven?” So, despite the disruption of festivities by the storm, those who stuck around got to see T. G. Sheppard put on his show anyway, and everyone who did went away satisfied.

Plowboy Mudbog

The Plowboy Mudbog started and finished before the rain ever hit. Here are the final results for the winners of each class.

Street Class
1. Ben Allen           Buffalo Gap   '79 Tan GMC “Badger”       338’6”
2. Levi Purcell       Clyde              '97 Red Ford Explorer         280’5”
3. A. Steward         Sweetwater    '97 Black Ford F150            210’6”

Modified Class
1. David Pantoja    Roscoe           '77 Grey Chevy Blazer           483’
2. Jared Waters     Hobbs, NM   '84 Black Chevy Pickup       451’1”
3. D. Smallwood    Rotan              '40 Ford “Mudslut”             442’7”

Open Class
1. Wacey Daniel    Big Spring   '92 Chevy “Green Go” Cleared Both
2. Justin Wright     Rotan          '03 Chevy Pickup          Cleared 1st
3. James Pantoja    Roscoe        Toyota 4Runner                   448’6”

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RCHS RECEIVES PRAISE, ENCOURAGEMENT AT STEM ADVISORY MEETING

State Senator Charles Perry at the STEM Advisory Meeting.

The RCHS system model of education got plenty of kudos at the semi-annual STEM Advisory Meeting at the STEM Center Monday evening, and several dignitaries were on hand to hand out the compliments. These included Texas Senator Charles Perry, Texas Representative Stan Lambert, and Assistant Texas Agriculture Commissioner Dan Hunter.

After the program began with a 4H poster presentation by Roscoe fifth graders, high schoolers Cam Boren and Cynthia Thorn demonstrated the FarmBot, an open source project of a robot that plants, weeds, and waters plants.

RCISD Superintendent Kim Alexander followed with an update on the P-20 System Model for Success, saying that 90% or more of RCHS seniors now graduate with Associates Degrees and adding that both the Edu-Vet and Edu-Drone programs provide valuable experience as well as certifications that give students a leg up on employment in those fields. He also mentioned the commercial venture with Office Depot to spread the drone curriculum to other schools.

Professors Gary Briers of Texas A&M and David Doerfort of Texas Tech then reported good news on the West Virginia effort to replicate the Roscoe System Model in the rural counties of that state. Professor Briers said that when they were invited to a town meeting there to introduce and explain the model, they expected to meet with educational leaders but were surprised to be dealing directly with the Governor’s Office. They were told that 500 to 600 people are expected at the town meeting. It will be interesting to learn if the state adopts the Roscoe system for their rural schools there and, if so, how they will adapt it to suit their particular needs.

Assistant Agriculture Commissioner Dan Hunter, better known in Roscoe as Danny, the son of Archie Hunter and an RHS grad, spoke of the relevance of Roscoe Collegiate’s Edu-Drone program. He said that drones were important to recovery efforts in the Houston area after Hurricane Harvey, mentioning that they were used in many ways, such as locating missing people and photographing hard hit areas. He also praised Roscoe’s work with the aspiration of cattle, something that the Russians wanted to learn more about when he visited them.

Texas Senator Charles Perry for District 28, which includes Nolan County, gave an update on the 2017 legislative session and spoke of the importance of educational innovation such as RCHS engages in. He said changes to the State are coming fast and it’s only by such initiatives that education will be successful in keeping up with them.

Texas Representative Stan Lambert of Abilene also spoke of Roscoe’s program and its importance as a model for other rural schools such as Throckmorton and Albany, both of which had representatives present at the meeting.

The meeting closed with a panel discussion in which Dr. Glenn Shinn challenged those present to see how many schools in this area they could spread these innovative ideas to before the next STEM Advisory Meeting next April.

The meeting underscored the importance of RCISD’s accomplishments and continued efforts to provide a model for rural schools not only in Texas, but also in the nation and other countries as well.

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PLOWBOYS PLASTER PLAINS 42-7

Francisco Garcia (33) heads for the end zone in first-quarter action. (Photo by Tamara Alexander)

As the two teams lined up for the kickoff at Plowboy Field Friday evening, no one quite knew what kind of game to expect from the Plains Cowboys. On one hand, the Plowboys had easily beat them in Plains last year, but on the other, the 2-3 Cowboys were coming off only a 21-14 loss to Hamlin, which suggested that they might be considerably better this year since Hamlin has been picked by many to win the district title.

The Plowboys received the opening kickoff but faced a strong south wind. Still, they came out throwing and completed a couple of passes for good yardage as they quickly moved down the field on a 5-play drive that covered 80 yards and was capped off by a 13-yard Francisco Garcia touchdown run. The extra-point kick was no good, but the Plowboys were up 6-0 and confident they’d be able to put up more. Plains was stopped the first time they got the ball, but after holding the Plowboys and forcing a punt, they scored on a 34-yard run around left end. The extra-point kick was good, and the Cowboys were ahead 7-6. Their lead didn’t last long, though. On the Plowboys’ next possession, Garcia broke free and ran 47-yards for the second Plowboy touchdown. Clemente Aguayo ran for the two extra points, and the Plowboys were ahead 14-7, which was also the score at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, the Plowboys took control of the game by holding the Cowboys scoreless while making three TDs. The first was a 15-yard Ortega run, the second a 52-yard pass play from Gonzales to Micheal Wright, and the third a 17-yard Garcia run. By halftime, the score was 36-7, and there was no longer any doubt about who would win the game.

In the third quarter, neither side was able to score, but in the fourth, the Plowboys struck again when Gonzales threw a short pass to Brandon Lavalais, who broke free and ran 88 yards for the final touchdown of the evening to make the score 42-7 and keep the Plowboys undefeated in district play with a 2-0 record, while Plains drops to 0-2.

The Plowboys also dominated the statistics, racking up 523 total yards to Plains’ 162 and 21 first downs to Plains’ 8. Gonzales completed 14 of 29 passes for 282 yards and 2 TDs, and Barret Beal completed 1 for 1 for 18 yards. Lavalais led the receivers with 5 catches for 175 yards and 1 TD, while Ortega caught 5 for 64 yards. Micheal Wright caught only one, but it was for 52 yards and a TD. Clemente Aguayo caught two for 21 yards, and Garcia and Nick Limones caught one each.

The leading rusher was Garcia, who had 17 carries for 173 yards and 3 TDs. Ortega ran 3 times for 36 yards and 1 TD, Diego Garza ran once for 14 yards, Zach Gordon 3 times for 8 yards, and Gonzales 5 times for 5 yards.

On defense, four Plowboys—Ortega, Paul Pantoja, Tait Fullwood, and Garza each had 5½ tackles; Aguayo had 5, Jacob Rainey 4½, and Lavalais 3, while Parker Payne, Wright, and Tristan Brooks each had 2.

Big Game in Seagraves Friday

Friday the Plowboys travel to Seagraves for one of the most important games of the season. Seagraves is coming off a 34-28 loss to Hamlin, but they were behind 28-6 at halftime and came back in the second half to outscore the Pied Pipers 21-6 and narrow their lead to 6 before losing the game. Last year, their second-half comeback knocked Roscoe out of the playoffs, so the Plowboys will most likely have to play all four quarters well to win the game. A victory over the Eagles will keep the Plowboys undefeated and in good shape for their showdown with Hamlin the last game of the regular season, but it won’t be easy as it’s a must-win situation for the Eagles if they want to stay in contention for the district title.

Kickoff for the game is at 7:00pm as it is for all district games.

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CHRIS KNIGHT TO PLAY AT THE LUMBERYARD SATURDAY

Singer/songwriter Chris Knight and his band will be at the Lumberyard Saturday night. Knight is from Kentucky but is well known in Texas and was named an “Honorary Texan” in 2006 by Governor Rick Perry. In addition to releasing records of his own songs, he has written songs for Confederate Railroad, John Anderson, and Randy Travis.

He has produced eight albums since 1998. Top singles include “Framed,” “It Ain’t Easy Being Me,” “Becky’s Bible,” “Oil Patch Town,” “The Jealous Kind,” “Cry Lonely,” “Down the River,” and “North Dakota.”

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

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WEATHER REPORT: COOLER OVERALL WITH A SUDDEN SHOWER

The City Windmill points north yesterday afternoon.

In general, the temperatures for the past week were cooler than the week before, but that’s to be expected, I guess, as we move deeper into fall. And most of the week, there wasn’t even a hint of precipitation—except for that one surprise downpour that came at the worst possible time for Saturday’s West Texas Wind Festival. Its damage was not in the amount of rain that fell but in its suddenness and ferocity. The total accumulation was only about .3”, and it was over in about fifteen minutes, but it lasted long enough that it forced the festival’s cancellation.

Earlier that day the high temperature of the week was recorded at 86°F. Friday and Monday both had highs of 80°, but the other days rose only into the seventies, and yesterday’s high was only 69°. The low for the week was this morning’s 43°.

Today should be sunny and warmer with a high of 79°, and tomorrow will be windy with a high of around 86°. However, a norther is due tomorrow evening, making the season’s first freeze a distinct possibility Friday morning. Friday’s high is projected to be only 54° and Saturday’s only 59°, so if you haven’t already got your jacket or coat out since March, you probably will in a couple of days. And, if you plan to go to the football game in Seagraves Friday evening, you will definitely want to bundle up as a sharp north wind is expected along with the drop in temperature. On Sunday, high temperatures will return to the seventies and probably remain that way all next week. Morning lows will be within a degree or two of 50°.

There is no rain in the forecast. (But that’s what I said last week.)

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West Texas Wind Festival This Saturday

T. G. Sheppard

Plans are being finalized for the eleventh annual West Texas Wind Festival this Saturday, and organizers are expecting a large crowd, especially for the free concert and the fireworks show.

The downtown streets will be lined with vendors all afternoon and evening, and the downtown shops will be open for business. The Roscoe Historical Museum will also be open, and the Roscoe Express Shuttle will be on hand to take people to and from selected parking areas, the Plowboy Mudbog, and downtown all afternoon at no charge.

The Plowboy Mudbog competition begins at noon at the baseball field at Second and Sycamore in east Roscoe. It will go on until 4 or 5pm depending on the number of entries. Admission is $5 for adults (17 and older) and $3 for kids (11-17), with free admission for children (10 and under).  Proceeds from gate and concession stand will benefit the Roscoe Collegiate High Class of 2018.

The Roscoe Collegiate School will be holding an open house Saturday afternoon at the Edu-Drone office in the Shelansky Building. Edu-Vet will also be in the same building to answer questions and inform visitors about the program, and the Early Childhood Center on South Main Street will be open for tours.

Lyndall Underwood & the Dusty Creek Band.

Music for the free concert and street dance on Cypress Street will begin at six with Lyndall Underwood & the Dusty Creek Band.

Then at around eight, American country singer/songwriter T. G. Sheppard will take the stage. A country music legend, he has had 21 No. 1 hits on the U.S. Country charts, including eight consecutive number ones between 1980 and 1982 and over thirty others in the top ten. He has also been named one of the top 100 country artists of all time.

No. 1 hits include among others “Devil in the Bottle,” “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.”

The fireworks show will follow Sheppard’s performance at about 9:40pm and conclude this year’s Wind Festival, although those who aren’t ready to go home yet can move over to the Lumberyard, where Lyndall Underwood & the Dusty Creek Band will play until midnight with no cover charge.

Plowboy Mudbog

As always, mudboggers will be coming in from near and far to try their vehicles in Roscoe’s blackland mud at the Plowboy Mudbog,

Registration for entrants begins at 9:30am Saturday morning at the northwest corner of George Parks Baseball Field at Second and Sycamore Streets.  The driver entry fee is $30.

Entries will be in six classes:

1. Street: 35” tires and under with limited engine modification
2. Super Street: 35” with engine vac under 13”
3. Modified: 36” to 39” with limited engine modification
4. Super Modified: 36” to 39” with engine vac under 13”
5. Open: 40” and over.
6. Tractor Wheels  

Since there’s an advantage in going last rather than first, each mud vehicle makes two runs, with the second run in reverse order from the first. Street and Super Street classes will do both their runs first, and then the rest of the classes will follow in order.

The public gate will open at 11:00am with the mudbog competition beginning at noon.  Admission is $5 for adults (17 and older) and $3 for kids (11-17), with free admission for children (10 and under).  Proceeds from the gate and concession stand will benefit the RCHS Class of 2018.

Spectators are encouraged to bring sun block, canopy, and lawn chairs. For more information, see the Plowboy Mudbog Facebook page, or contact Felix Pantoja at 325-514-8384.

Downtown Schedule:

6:00pm/7:30pm – Dusty Creek Band
7:40pm – Announcements - Giveaways
8:00pm – T. G. Sheppard & Band
9:40pm – Fireworks Show
10:00pm – Event Ends

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PLOWBOYS RIP ROBY 47-6

Nick Limones (12) runs behind the block of Rey Martinez (74). (Photo by Tamara Alexander.)

It was a long night for the Lions. They came into Friday night’s game undefeated with a 5-0 record and high hopes of defeating the Plowboys—or, failing that, at least playing them a close game. But the Plowboys were ready for them, and, as the game wore on, it became more and more apparent that neither was going to happen.

Blame it on Friday the 13th if you will, but when a school like Roby has only around half the students as the other schools in its district,* their game results are likely to be negative, as they were Friday evening. The Roby boys played hard throughout the game, and their quarterback showed both talent and grit, but the game was an uphill battle for the Lions from the outset.

*Texas Football lists the District 4-2A-II school enrollments for grades for 9-12 as follows: Seagraves 154, Tahoka 153, Roscoe 138, Plains 127, Hamlin 115, Roby 74.

The first possessions of both teams were stopped by interceptions, but then about mid-quarter the Plowboys put together a drive that ended with a Jayden Gonzales pass to Clemente Aguayo for a one-yard touchdown, and the Plowboys led 6-0. The next time the Plowboys got the ball they scored again, this time on a 48-yard pass play from Gonzales to Brandon Lavalais. After missing his first extra-point kick, Jose Ortega succeeded on the second, and the Plowboys led 13-0.

Roby came back, though, with a drive early in the second quarter that ended with an 8-yard Kyler Covington run around right end to the end zone. The extra-point attempt failed, but the Lions were still in the game, behind by seven, 13-6. The Plowboys responded on their next possession when Gonzales hit Jose Ortega with a 14-yard scoring pass that made the score 19-6. And before the quarter was over, they got another touchdown when Francisco Garcia broke a couple of tackles on his way to a 62-yard touchdown run that gave the Plowboys a commanding halftime lead of 27-6.

The Plowboys made two more touchdowns in the third quarter to put the game out of reach. The first was a 5-yard pass from Gonzales to Garcia and the second a 5-yard Garcia run that made the score 41-6. They got another in the fourth on a 52-yard Garcia run to make the final score 47-6.

For the game, the Plowboy offense made 493 total yards to Roby’s 155 and 24 first downs to Roby’s 8. Jayden Gonzales completed 15 of 32 passes for 177 yards and 4 TDs. Brandon Lavalais caught 4 passes for 73 yards and 1 TD, Jose Ortega 3 for 39 and 1 TD, Francisco Garcia 3 for 36 and 1 TD, and Clemente Aguayo with 4 for 28 and 1 TD. Diego Garza had 1 catch for 11 yards. The leading rusher was Garcia, who had 14 carries for 232 yards and 1 TD, Nick Limones had 5 carries for 41 yards, Gonzales 3 for 22, and Ortega 2 for 21.

Leading the defense was Parker Payne with 7 tackles, followed by Garrett Bowers with 6, Paul Pantoja with 5, Ortega with 4½, Aguayo with 4, Garza with 3½, Limones with 3, and others with 2 or 1.

The Plowboys are now 4-2 on the season and 1-0 in district, while Roby is 5-1 and 0-1.

 Plowboys vs. Cowboys at Plowboy Field Friday

The Plowboys will play at home again Friday night, this time against Plains, another district foe. The Cowboys are currently 2-3 on the year and coming off a 21-14 loss to Hamlin in their district opener on Friday. They have victories over Smyer and Sudan and losses to Lubbock Christian and Wink, as well as to Hamlin.

Kickoff at Plowboy Stadium is at 7:00pm.

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PLOWBOY, TWO PLOWGIRLS QUALIFY FOR REGIONAL IN CROSS COUNTRY

Alfonso Islas

Victoria Martinez and Riley Sheridan (Photos by Tamara Alexander)

Plowboy Alfonso Islas, Jr., and Plowgirls Riley Sheridan and Victoria Martinez will be competing at the Regional Cross-Country Meet in Lubbock on October 23. All three qualified at the District 8-2A meet at the Anson Golf Course on October 10.

Alfonso, a junior, finished ninth in the varsity boys’ 5K run with a time of 20:53.09. Riley, a freshman, placed fifth in the girls’ varsity 3200-meter run with a time of 13:40.40, and Victoria, also a freshman, placed tenth in the same race with a time of 14:31.23. Runners had to finish in the top ten to advance to the regional meet. Fifteen boys competed in the boys’ 5K run, and 43 girls competed in the girls’ 3200-meter run.

Kadee Martinez won the JV girls’ 3200-meter run, and several other Plowboys and Plowgirls competed in the 7th, 8th, JV, and varsity races.

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ROSCOE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL’S FALL FESTIVAL THIS FRIDAY

A contestant throws rings on bottles at a previous fall festival.

The Roscoe Elementary School is holding its annual Fall Festival this Friday, October 20, 5:00-7:00pm, at Circle Drive in front of the Elementary School building.

As always, there will be activities of all kinds, prizes, and games of luck and skill, including a cake walk, bingo, snacks, and much more to make the festival a fun evening for everyone. Proceeds benefit the Roscoe Elementary School.

The festival will precede the Plowboys’ home football game with the Plains Cowboys.

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RCHS ONE OF THIRTY SCHOOLS INVITED TO JOIN GLOBAL LEARNING NETWORK

Roscoe Collegiate High School has been designated a “World-Leading Learner” and is one of thirty schools worldwide to join the Global Learning Network.

The following is the official press release of the Global Learning Network:

Roscoe Collegiate High School Among 30 Schools Named “World-Leading Learners” and Invited to Join Global Learning Network

Roscoe Collegiate High School to Join the Global Learning Network’s 2017 Cohort of 30 Schools from the United States, Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, and Canada

Roscoe, TX – October 16, 2017 – Today, Roscoe Collegiate High School was named a 2017 World-Leading Learner and invited to join the Global Learning Network (GLN), a community of educators from exemplary schools that develop, practice, and share innovative approaches to education that ensure their students are prepared for career and lifelong success.

In December, leaders from Roscoe will head to Boston and meet school leaders from the U.S., Singapore, Switzerland, Germany, South Korea, and Canada for the Global Learning Network’s 2017 Convening of World-Leading Learners: Rethinking Education for the 21st Century, co-hosted by America Achieves and the OECD.

“We’re thrilled to join the Global Learning Network and to be recognized by America Achieves and the OECD,” said Dr. Kim Alexander, Superintendent of Roscoe Collegiate Independent School District. “I’m so proud of our work in Roscoe and look forward to sharing our approach to rural innovation and career preparation with leaders from school around the world, and learn how other schools are preparing their students for success beyond the classroom.”

“We are witnessing the most significant and fast-paced economic change in recent global history. We need to recognize the significant implications these changes have on the workforce and the knowledge and skills students will need for their future careers,” said Jon Schnur, Executive Chairman of America Achieves, which runs the Global Learning Network. “Schools need to change as the world is changing. This year’s cohort is made up of exemplary schools from around the world that are adapting to prepare their students to be successful in a fast-changing labor market. I’m looking forward to meeting the leaders of these schools at the Global Learning Network Convening in December.”

“Modern schools need to help all students achieve their highest potential, and to play active roles to shape societies and economies of future in a changing world.  We look forward to the convening of world-leading learners to share the best practices between schools and explore new ways for schools to develop as learning organizations”, said Andreas Schleicher, Director for Education and Skills and Special Advisor to the Secretary-General of the OECD.

America Achieves’ Global Learning Network, in partnership Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), invited a cohort of 30 high schools from around the world to participate in the Global Learning Network’s 2017 Convening of World-Leading Learners: Rethinking Education for the 21st Century. In the United States, state departments of education and partner organizations nominated schools for this opportunity. Once nominated, schools were interviewed, and 17 schools were selected from 7 states. Outside of the U.S., 13 schools from 5 countries were invited by the OECD. Each school was selected for their strong progress in at least one of the following categories:

• Excellence - schools that exhibit high academic achievement;
• Equity - schools that are reducing the achievement gap between racial and socioeconomic groups;
• Innovation - schools that are aligning classroom outcomes with local labor market skills that are crucial to success in the 21st century economy.

For more information about the Global Learning Network and the 2017 cohort of World-Leading Learners, please visit www.globallearningnetwork.americaachieves.org

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BUSINESS US 84 CLOSED AT RAILROAD CROSSING TODAY AND TOMORROW

The Cypress railroad crossing downtown.

Business US 84 at Cypress Street will be closed for street repairs today and tomorrow at the railroad crossing in downtown Roscoe. The Union Pacific Railroad is making some long-needed street repairs there, and the temporary closing will necessitate a detour for anyone who uses the crossing to enter or leave Roscoe.

County Road 111, where the Co-op Gin and Sanders are located, will be the easiest way to enter town for travelers coming from the northwest, while those who want to cross the railroad tracks from the east can use Cemetery Road (CR 104) just east of American Legion Post 227.

The Union Pacific has already been working on the crossing at night, as some have learned the hard way. Barring any unexpected delays, they expect to be done by tomorrow evening.

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WEATHER REPORT: COOL, CLEAR, AND BEAUTIFUL

Clear skies over Front Street during Monday's sunset.

The past week has moved from the warmer days of the latter part of last week to decidedly cooler weather that started on Sunday and has continued up to the present.

Thursday, Friday, and Saturday had warm afternoons and almost perfect evenings. The high temperatures were 87°F on Thursday, 91° on Friday, and 88° on Saturday with clear skies. Early Sunday morning a cold front moved through, dropping the temperature and bringing a strong north wind. The high on Sunday was only 73° with winds from 15 to 26mph and gusts up to 36mph. It also brought a light shower that measured less than a tenth of an inch, hardly enough to mention.

Monday and yesterday were beautiful with almost no wind and highs of 70° and 80° respectively. Early morning temperatures were chilly, however, with a low of 41° on Monday and 44° yesterday.

Today should be warmer with sunshine, a few clouds, and a high of 84°.  Tomorrow and Friday will be a bit cooler with highs of 79° and 81° and the south wind picking up on Friday and Saturday to around 20mph. The weather for the Wind Festival on Saturday should be warm and windy with an afternoon high of 88°. Another norther is due late Saturday or early Sunday, and temperatures will be considerably cooler with a high of only 74° and lows dropping from Saturday morning’s 64° to Sunday’s 51°.

There is no rain in the forecast.

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† ALFONSO PANTOJA

Holy Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10:00am tomorrow, October 19, at St. Joseph’s Mission in Loraine for Alfonso Pantoja, 78, of Roscoe, who passed away at his home Monday, October 16. Father Michael Udegbunam will officiate. Rosary is today at 7:00pm at McCoy Chapel of Memories in Sweetwater.

Alfonso was born August 2, 1939, in Loraine to Felix and Florencia Pantoja. He married Maria Diaz on January 4, 1958, in Loraine. He was a member of Saint Joseph's Mission Catholic Church in Loraine. Alfonso was a Tejano trumpet player, a truck driver, a farmer, and a painter. He attended school in Loraine. He loved going to anything for his grandkids and also enjoyed mud bogging.

Survivors are his wife, Maria Pantoja; sons, Tony Pantoja of Kerrville, James Pantoja and wife Connie of Arlington, Ray Pantoja and wife Gabby of Arlington, David Pantoja and wife Lus of Roscoe, Felix Pantoja of Roscoe, and Ruben Pantoja and wife Leslie of Maypearl; daughters, Martha Ensenia and husband Paul of Sweetwater and Isabell Moore of Roscoe; 24 grandchildren, 11 great-grandchildren, and numerous nieces, nephews, and cousins.

Pallbearers are Anthony Pantoja, Zeke Ensenia, Fernando Pantoja, Kevin Pantoja, Vincent Pantoja, and Dominic Pantoja. Honorary Pallbearers are Sam Pantoja and Anthony Torres.

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City Gets Windmill as New Landmark

The windmill on the northeast corner of Broadway and Main.

A windmill donated by Scott and Jay Etheredge is the latest addition to downtown Roscoe. Located at the intersection of Main Street and Broadway, it was raised on Thursday by Ivey Windmill, 7-Wells Pump of Colorado City, and Roscoe City employees. Help from 7-Wells Pump was needed because of the windmill’s large size. It does not pump water from the ground but is purely ornamental with a system that recirculates water.

It is an Aermotor brand windmill that was built in Sweetwater before that company moved to Mexico and then to San Angelo. The Etheredges purchased it in the fifties from Singleton Hardware in Roscoe and used it on their farm until it was taken down to make way for a wind turbine. It is 30 feet tall with a 12-foot blade. There is also a 500-gallon concrete tank, and railroad rails will be laid to outline the area’s perimeter.

Interestingly, it is only about a half-block from where the original City windmill and public watering trough once stood on the west side of Main (just north of Burritos Zacatecas). The old windmill was raised in the 1890s and taken down in 1911 after the old downtown water tower was installed and put in use.

--o--

PLOWBOYS MAUL MENARD 32-14

Brandon Lavalais (10) runs after catching a pass in the fourth quarter. (Football photos by Tamara Alexander)

The Plowboys scored early and often in Menard Friday night to break the Yellowjackets’ four-game winning streak. Jayden Gonzales threw two touchdown passes in the first quarter and one in the second, and Francisco Garcia ran for another TD in the second, while the defense shut out the Yellow Jackets both quarters to put the Plowboys up 26-0 at halftime. They then cruised to a 32-14 victory in the second half. Menard is now 4-2 on the year and the Plowboys are 3-2.

The game was less than a minute and a half old when Gonzales hit Jose Ortega with a pass on a play that covered 71 yards for the game’s first score. The two-point conversion failed, but the Plowboys were up 6-0 with a lead they would never relinquish. Their second score came later in the quarter on another Gonzales pass, this one a 26-yarder to Micheal Wright. Once again, the conversion attempt failed, and the score remained 12-0.

In the second quarter, Francisco Garcia ran 21 yards for the Plowboys’ third touchdown. Gonzales then passed to Brandon Lavalais for a successful two-point conversion to make the score 20-0. Then, shortly before the half, Gonzales completed another scoring pass to Micheal Wright, this one covering 29 yards. The conversion failed, but the score was 26-0 for a commanding halftime Plowboy lead.

Menard got on the scoreboard in the third quarter to narrow the score to 26-8, but the Plowboys responded with a 20-yard touchdown run by Nick Limones. Once again, the conversion attempt was no good, but the score was now 32-8, which was also the score at the end of three quarters.

Menard got another touchdown shortly before the end of the game to make the final score 32-14.

Roscoe amassed 456 total yards of offense to Menard’s 238. Jayden Gonzales completed 14 of 23 passes for 298 yards and 3 TDs with no interceptions. Jose Ortega led the receivers in yardage with 3 catches for 92 yards and 1 TD; Brandon Lavalais had 4 catches for 73 yards, and Clemente Aguayo 3 for 57. Micheal Wright had only 2 catches for 55 yards but both were for TDs, and Nick Limones also caught two for 21 yards.

Limones was also the leading rusher with 9 carries for 91 yards and 1 TD; Garcia had 8 for 59 and 1 TD, Ortega 2 for 23, and Gonzales 4 for -15.

Limones also had the most tackles with 8½. Ortega had 7½, Aguayo 4, and Parker Payne 3½. Several others had two or fewer.

Plowboys Open District Play at Home Friday Against Undefeated Roby

The non-district season is now done, and the Plowboys’ remaining five games will determine their place in the playoffs. District play begins Friday when undefeated Roby comes to Plowboy Field.

The Lions are a surprising 5-0 and coming off a last-minute 21-20 win over Springlake-Earth. They have now defeated five teams they lost to last year and will no doubt be confident and determined to prove the pundits wrong with another victory, this one over the Plowboys. And if you don’t believe that, check out this article and video that appeared in the Abilene Reporter-News this week.

However, like Menard last week and unlike the Plowboys, their non-district schedule included no larger schools or 2A-II powers, so it is difficult to know just how good they really are. They return seven starters on both sides of the ball and are led on offense by quarterback Kyler Covington and an experienced line. Still, if the Plowboys bring their A game, they should be able to break Roby’s win streak.

Kickoff is at 7:00pm.

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CITY COUNCIL CONDUCTS ROUTINE BUSINESS AT MONTHLY MEETING

Council Members deliberate at last night's meeting

At its monthly meeting in City Hall yesterday evening, the City Council heard the City Manager’s report and approved a two-month contract extension for cemetery maintenance.

City Manager Cody Thompson reported that the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has told him that the school zone signage for Main Street near the Early Childhood Center should be up by the end of the week.

The City is preparing for the West Texas Wind Festival on Saturday, October 21, and will pick up the fireworks for the fireworks show on Friday. The Festival is now only 11 days away and will include the Plowboy Mudbog, live music with country legend T. G. Sheppard as the headliner for the free concert, vendors on Cypress and Broadway and at the Community Center, and a great fireworks show.

Local native rock from the Young Ranch has been placed in the area of the windmill and mural at the intersection of Main and Broadway. The windmill has now been raised along with a water pump and circular water tank and is now in operation.

The work currently going on behind the old McFaul Garage (and future Cotton Belle) and VP Tires is a company currently working on the sewer line that comes from the lift station on the city’s north side. They should be done by the end of the week.

Three companies have requested information regarding the commercial corner of Young Farm Estates. The goal is to have a firm commitment within the next 90 days. All the new residences at the Young Farm Estates are now being lived in or are spoken for.

Paul and Susan Dent have purchased the old Smacker’s building from Kelly Etheredge. Their plans are to continue to rent the building for functions, and they have kept Kelly as booking agent.

The Council also heard from Roscoe Cemetery maintenance man Skeet Kimbrell and approved his request to extend his current contract to include the months of October and November. During the winter months, the City will use its own workers to handle tree trimming and clearing of limbs and other debris.

The Council also approved a fireworks show and the closing of parts of Broadway and Cypress for the West Texas Wind Festival.

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LEE ROY PARNELL AT LUMBERYARD SATURDAY NIGHT, LESLIE TOM TONIGHT

Lee Roy Parnell

It’s another big week at the Lumberyard with singer/songwriter Lee Roy Parnell coming to town for a big show Saturday night. Opening for Parnell will be the Scooter Brown Band. Also, country singer Leslie Tom and her band will be at the Lumberyard tonight for a cover-free Wednesday night of live music.

Singer/songwriter Lee Roy Parnell was born in Abilene and raised in Stephenville. His father performed with Bob Wills, and Lee Roy performed at age 6 on Wills’s radio show. In 1986, he moved to Nashville to pursue his musical career.

He released his self-titled debut album in 1990, but his first hits came in 1992 with his album Love Without Mercy with its title song as well as “What Kind of a Fool Do You Think I Am” and “Tender Moment,” all of which made the top ten. He had two more the following year, “On the Road” and “I’m Holding My Own.” Other Parnell hits in this era include “A Little Bit of You,” which reached No. 2, “When a Woman Loves a Man,” “Heart’s Desire,” and “Mama, Screw Your Wig on Tight,” which was nominated for a Grammy in 1997 for Best Country Instrumental.

Over his career, Parnell has released nine albums, and eighteen music videos.

The Scooter Brown Band

Opening for Parnell will be the Texas “Red Dirt” Scooter Brown Band from Houston. They’ll be promoting their new CD, American Son. Brown is an ex-Marine who served a combat tour in Iraq with some songs that reflect that experience.

Since 2009, the band has produced four albums: Between Hell & Texas, Live in Big Texas, Valor, and now American Son. Singles include “American Son,” “Make It Out Alive,” “Between Hell & Texas," "When the Whiskey Starts Talking,” and “Time is Money.”

The Scooter Brown Band will take the stage around 7:30.

Leslie Tom

Country singer Leslie Tom from Denver will make a special appearance at the Lumberyard this evening as she begins a road tour of Texas. This will be her first visit to Roscoe, and there will be no cover charge. The show will begin around 8:30.

One of her singles is “Didn’t Think Twice,”  and here’s her version of “Stand by Your Man” from an appearance at the Hard Rock Café in Denver.

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WEATHER REPORT: COLD FRONT BRINGS CHILLY WEATHER

Monday's sunrise.

After warm weather over the weekend, a cold front moved through on Monday and gave the area another taste of fall weather, which has continued up to the present. Highs were in the 80s with lows in the 60s and upper 50s until Monday when the high dropped to 78°F. The low yesterday morning was only 46°, and yesterday’s high only 64°. High temperature for the week was Sunday's 91°.

It should be warmer today with a high of around 74° and even warmer tomorrow with sunny skies and highs of 88° on Friday and Saturday.

Another cold front is due on Sunday along with a 70% chance of rain. The highs on Sunday and Monday will be only about 69° with lows of 50°, but skies will clear on Monday with temperatures warming to 77° on Tuesday and into the low eighties in the days following. Lows will also warm to around 60°.

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† JOSHUA DELL WALDON

Joshua Dell “Josh” Waldon, 34, passed away Thursday, October 5, at his home.

Funeral services were held at 10:00am on Monday, October 9, at First United Methodist Church of Roby with Reverend Loran Rule officiating. Interment followed at Roby Cemetery with McCoy Funeral Home of Sweetwater in charge of arrangements.

Josh was born July 24, 1983, in Stamford and was a graduate of Roby High School. He was an ASC certified auto mechanic and owned and operated Waldon Automotive in Sweetwater for many years. He loved drag racing, riding his motorcycle, and most anything outdoors. He was the President of the Nolan County Cruisers Car Club in Sweetwater. He married Shyla Jo (Robertson) Byrne October 1, 2016, at their home in Nolan County. He lived in Fisher and Nolan Counties most of his life.

He is survived by his wife, Shyla Waldon, of Sweetwater; daughter, Mackenzie Waldon of Roby; son, Kaden Waldon of Roby; step-children, Weston and Bubba Byrne of Roby and Joley Byrne of Ralls; his mother, Bonnie Waldon of Plano; brother, Shelton Waldon of Sand Springs; sister, Chrissie Ratliff and husband Dustin of Rankin; maternal grandmother, Reba Kidd of Roscoe; nieces, Hailey and Hanna Waldon and Lacy Ratliff; and father-in-law and mother-in-law, Randy and Carolyn Robertson of Lovington, New Mexico.

Josh is preceded in death by his father, Buddy Scott Waldon; maternal grandfather, Woodrow Kidd; and paternal grandparents. Dub and Lenora Waldon.

Pallbearers were Ricky Hendricks, Juan Leva, Efrain Espinoza, Daniel Boyd, Brandon Ashford and Kevin Stuart.

Honorary pallbearer was Jacob Kenyon.

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† PHILIP RONALD FRY

Ronnie Fry, 76, was born on July 19, 1941, in Sweetwater and raised in Roscoe as a Roscoe Plowboy. He was a 1959 graduate of Roscoe High. He passed away on Friday, October 6.

He worked for RS&P Railroad, Xerox, and Aim Insurance. Ronnie and Jim Davidson passionately owned a BMW motorcycle dealership for 10 years. He was currently employed with the Texas Cotton Ginners Trust. He was a member of the Aggies Century Club and an avid model train and BMW motorcycle enthusiast. He and Jan enjoyed travelling across the U.S. by BMW motorcycle and train.

He was preceded in death by his mother, Marie Gardner, a son, Brian, and a brother, Roger.

He is survived by his wife, Jan; son, Jeff Fry and wife, Samantha; sister, Fairy and husband, Daniel; first wife, Digi Turner Fry; sister-in-law, Jerry Sharp, and her husband, Don.

A Celebration of Life Venue was held at 1:00pm yesterday at Cagle Steaks Restaurant in Lubbock.

Ronnie, a well-respected friend and colleague, will be missed by all who knew him.

Please visit www.resthavenfuneralhome.com for online tributes and further details.

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Anson Tops Plowboys in Shootout 43-40

The Plowboy defense buries the Anson ball carrier. (Football photos by Tamara Alexander)

In a close game from start to finish with multiple lead changes, Anson held on to defeat the Plowboys 43-40 at Plowboy Field Friday evening. Anson is now 3-2 on the season while the Plowboys are 2-2. Despite the loss and some obvious mistakes, the Plowboys showed a lot of grit against a larger team and made some excellent plays.

Both teams went three and out on their opening series, but Anson got on the scoreboard first on a 6-yard pass and went up 7-0. The Plowboys responded on their next possession when Jayden Gonzales scrambled and hit Brandon Lavalais with a 20-yard pass over the middle. Lavalais caught it in stride, broke free, and raced down the left sideline for a TD on a play covering 85 yards. The two-point conversion attempt was no good, but the score narrowed to 7-6, which was also the score at the end of the first quarter.

In the second quarter, Francisco Garcia capped a Plowboy drive with a four-yard touchdown run, and after another failed conversion attempt, the Plowboys led 12-7. Anson came right back with a 68-yard touchdown run followed by two extra points to go up 15-12. Then it was Roscoe’s turn for another drive, this one capped by Gonzales’s one-yard run. This time the Plowboys made the extra points and re-took the lead 20-15. They extended it to 28-15 the next time they got the ball when Gonzales hit Jose Ortega on a 79-yard pass play. Shortly before the half, though, Anson got another touchdown and narrowed the score to 28-21.

Anson received the second-half kickoff and got a 65-yard TD run in their first offensive series to tie the score 28-28. The Plowboys answered when Gonzales hit Andrew Deleon on a 6-yard pass, and after the failed conversion, the Plowboys led 34-28. Anson regained the lead with another touchdown and two-point conversion to go up 36-34, which was the score at the end of three.

Anson scored another touchdown early in the fourth quarter for their biggest lead of the evening at 43-34, but the Plowboys narrowed it to 43-40 when Garcia went over from the one. With just 3:41 and no time outs remaining, they tried an onside kick, but the Tigers recovered. The Plowboys still had a chance if they stopped Anson with a three-and-out, but on third down the Tigers made a first and were then able to run out the clock for a 43-40 win.

Scoring by quarters:
                          1           2          3          4         T
Anson              7          14        15          7        43
Roscoe            6          22         6          6        40

A look at the stats shows both teams with six touchdowns, but Anson converted more extra points for the margin of victory. The Plowboys led Anson in other categories. They had 511 total yards on 75 plays to Anson’s 352 yards on 58 plays and 21 first downs to Anson’s 14.

For the game, Jayden Gonzales completed 14 of 28 passes for 352 yards and 3 TDs with 1 interception. He was also the leading rusher with 79 yards on 12 carries and 1 TD, while Francisco Garcia had 74 yards on 21 carries with 2 TDs. Brandon Lavalais led the receivers with 4 catches for 156 yards and 1 TD, while Jose Ortega caught 3 for 102 yards and 1 TD. Andrew Deleon had the other TD on a 6-yard catch.

On defense, Tait Fullwood had 6 tackles and 2 assists. Parker Payne, Nick Limones, and Clemente Aguayo had 4 each, and several others had 3 or 2.

The Plowboys travel to Menard this week for their final non-district match-up. The Yellow Jackets are 4-1 on the season and obviously improved over last year, but it’s hard to get a bead on just how good they are since they haven’t played any schools larger than they are nor any recognized powers. They lost their opener to Cross Plains 28-20, but have reeled off four straight victories since then over Baird, Rocksprings, Leakey, and Miles, all by margins of at least 17 points. Last Friday, they beat Miles 27-6, so the Plowboys can’t take them lightly despite victories over them in previous years.

Kickoff is at 7:30pm.

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RCHS ROYALTY CROWNED AT HALFTIME OF FOOTBALL GAME

Football Sweetheart Mariann Rainey and Football Beau Clemente Aguayo.

Friday night was Mum Night, and this year’s RCHS royalty was crowned at halftime of Friday evening’s football game. This year’s Football Sweetheart is Mariann Rainey, and her Beau is Clemente Aguayo.  Nominees for Football Sweetheart were Allison Acebedo, Iris Gonzalez, Arizona Guevara, and Mariann Rainey, and nominees for Football Beau were Clemente Aguayo, Tristan Brooks, Tait Fullwood, and Parker Payne.

Band Sweetheart Jovana Peña and Band Beau Ty Fullwood.

The Band Sweetheart is Jovana Peña and Band Beau is Ty Fullwood. Nominees for Band Sweetheart were Olivia Madden, Jovana Peña, and Liberty Saenz, and nominees for Band Beau were Andrew Deleon, Ty Fullwood, and Josh Stegge.

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ROSCOE COMMUNITY CENTER NEWS

Third Sunday of the Month Lunch
October 15, 11:30-1:30
Menu: Hamburgers with all the trimmings, dessert, and drink - $6

Community Center Christmas Trades Day
Saturday, November 11, 8am-4pm
Sunday, November 12, 1pm-5pm
We will have lots of vendors! So be ready to start your Christmas shopping!

Community Center Rentals
Book now for your Holiday Parties!!
Call Misty Reynolds – 325-338-1005

Cookbook
We are in the process of putting a cookbook together with recipes from the Roscoe community cooks!! So please send your recipes and include your name to:

Roscoe Community Center
P. O. Box 152
Roscoe, TX 79545

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WEATHER REPORT: MIXED BUT GENERALLY MILD

Monday's sunset.

There’s been a little bit of everything since last week. The cloudy skies and rainy weather from the previous week continued through Friday, and, when all was said and done, most areas had between two and three inches for the whole spell. The football game at Plowboy Field Friday evening was played in a mist that turned to drizzle for a while and then cleared in the second half. Saturday was free of precipitation, but another shower fell on Sunday. High temperatures through Friday were in the sixties but warmed to 76°F Saturday when the sun came out for a while in the afternoon. Since Sunday, the afternoon temperatures have peaked in the eighties with the week’s high yesterday at 85°.

Today’s high is projected to be 81° with a 40% chance of showers this evening. The chances diminish to 10% tomorrow, which should be partly cloudy with a high of 82°, and the temperature on Friday will rise to 87°. Saturday will be cooler at 79° with cloudy skies and a 40% chance of rain, followed by a sunny Sunday with a high of 89°. Lows will be in the mid to high sixties all week.

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