City Council Hears Concerns, Passes Measures

City Manager Cody Thompson addresses the City Council.

At its monthly meeting in City Hall yesterday evening, the City Council heard Frank Villegas’s concerns about the situation on the City’s north side, received the City Manager’s report, canceled the scheduled May 4 City election, authorized continued participation with Atmos, and approved advertising for bids to operate the City swimming pool this summer.

Frank Villegas addressed the Council about his concerns with problems on the City’s north side. These included drainage issues, erosion around the north side lift station, street problems, loud music from the Lumberyard, and oil well drilling within the City limits.

City Manager Cody Thompson gave the Council an update on City works. He reminded the Council that it will have to decide next month on a loan from the Texas Water Development Board for water line improvements. The deadline for the decision is April 23. The loan amount for $1.9 million will be supplemented with $330,000 in Green Funds by the TWDB if the Council decides to take out the loan (Green Funds do not have to be repaid) to bring the total to $2,233,000.

The City is also preparing for the Spring Clean-Up, which begins next Thursday, March 21, and ends Thursday, March 28 (including Saturday, March 23, but not Sunday, March 24). Daily hours of operation will be 9am to 7pm. Dumpsters will be located next to the Water Treatment Plant on West Broadway and Cedar Street. Items which may not be placed in containers include paint, oil, oil filters, chemical containers, air conditioners, and refrigerators unless tagged landfill acceptable. You must show a City of Roscoe utility bill or identification showing you are a Roscoe resident.

After approving the certification of unopposed candidates, the Council approved ordinance #144 canceling the May 4 election. Since no candidates filed to run against the mayor, Pete Porter, or incumbent Council Member Susie Alford, an election is not necessary.

The Council also approved resolution #149, which authorizes continued participation with the Atmos Cities Steering Committee and the payment of five cents per capita to fund regulatory and related activities related to Atmos Energy Corporation.

The Council also approved advertising for bids to operate the City swimming pool this summer. Those interested in submitting a bid should get in touch with City Hall at 325-766-3871.

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BLACKLAND DIVIDE RELAYS RESULTS

Bonnie Wilkinson wins the 400 meter race.

The Plowboys finished third of eight and the Plowgirls fifth of seven at the Blackland Divide Relays at Plowboy Field Friday afternoon.

Plowgirl Bonnie Wilkinson won two events outright, the 400 meter dash and the triple jump, and ran the final leg on the Plowgirl 400 meter relay team who also won their race. The other members are Sadie McCambridge, Victoria Martinez, and Kadee Martinez. Victoria Martinez was second in the 800 meter run.

For the Plowboys, Gary Shaw won the 100 meter dash, and the 200 meter relay team of Jaythan Coale, Caleb Gray, Brayan Medina, and Gary Shaw finished second. Tristan Baker was also second in the high jump, and Jaythan Coale second in the Pole Vault.

Here are the final team rankings with number of points earned:

Varsity boys: 1) Stamford 138, 2) Post 135½, 3) Roscoe Collegiate 96, 4) Coahoma 85½, 5) Colorado City 65, 6) Eula 36½, 7) Burkburnett 24, 8) Hawley 14½.

Varsity girls: 1) Stamford 189, 2) Post 102, 3) Hawley 89, 4) Colorado City 72½, 5) Roscoe Collegiate 53½, 6) Eula 46, 7) Coahoma 41.

Plowgirls

Event                          Place           Athlete                     Time/Distance
3200 meter run             5          Riley Sheridan                   14:42.26
                                          7          Hartley Sager                     16:43.05
800 meter run               2         Victoria Martinez                2:37.10
400 meter dash             1         Bonnie Wilkinson                1:01.5
                                         9          Kaylea Perez                         1:13.46
Triple Jump                   1          Bonnie Wilkinson                36’ 1½”
                                         6          Jaci Alexander                      31’ 3”
100 meter dash             6         Kaylea Perez                          14.18
200 meter dash           10         Kaylea Perez                         30.03
4 x 400 meter relay      1          Plowgirls                             4:23.74
(Sadie McCambridge, V. Martinez, Kadee Martinez, B.Wilkinson)
Shot Put                         5          Shauna McCambridge        26’ 6”

Plowboys

Event                          Place         Athlete                     Time/Distance
4 x 100 meter relay     4          Plowboys                            46.13
(Antonio Aguayo, Jaythan Coale, Andrew Deleon, Gary Shaw)
110 meter hurdles       3         Tristan Baker                     18.56
                                        5          Brayan Medina                 20.00
100 meter dash            1          Gary Shaw                          11.41
                                        9          Hunter Anglin                   11.99
4 x 200 meter relay    2          Plowboys                          1:33.71
(J. Coale, Caleb Gray, B. Medina, G. Shaw)
400 meter dash           9          Andrew Deleon              1:00.41
300 meter hurdles      4          Tristan Baker                     47.63
200 meter dash           3          Caleb Gray                          24.28
                                        5          Jaythan Coale                    23.86
4 x 400 meter relay    4          Plowboys                          3:44.97
(A. Aguayo, B. Medina, Zachary Parrott, C. Gray)
High Jump                   2          Tristan Baker                      5’ 4”
                                       3          Zachary Parrott                   5’ 2”
Pole Vault                    2          Jaythan Coale                     12’ 6”
                                       5          Jayden Gonzales                11’ 6”
Triple Jump                 6          Tristan Baker                     35’ 7”

This week is spring break, so the next meet for the Plowgirls and Plowboys is next Friday, March 22, at the Lone Wolf Relays in Colorado City.

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MOTORCYCLE CRASH KILLS RIDER EAST OF ROSCOE

Larry Valverde, 55, of Big Spring was killed when he lost control of his motorcycle on I-20 Sunday morning just east of the merger with US 84 east of Roscoe. The accident occurred at around 8:05am according to a preliminary DPS crash report.

According to the DPS the motorcycle left the road and rolled over in a ditch. Valverde was pronounced dead at the scene. Wet road conditions were reported at the time.

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LUMBERYARD WEEKEND FEATURES JOSH ABBOTT, MEL TILLIS, JR.

The Lumberyard goes into full Spring mode this weekend with Mel Tillis, Jr., & the New Statesider Band Friday night and the Josh Abbott Band Saturday.

Mel "Sonny" Tillis, Jr.

Mel Tillis, Jr., better known to his friends as “Sonny,” is a singer/songwriter from Nashville who has written songs for Reba McIntire, Pam Tillis, Gene Watson, Suzy Bogguss, Trace Adkins, and others, including the No. 1 hit, “When I Think About Angels,” by Jamie O’Neal.

As the son of country legend Mel Tillis, he grew up around songs and got his start singing at the Mel Tillis theater in Branson, Missouri. In live performances, he is said to put on a great show and is as gracious as his father was.

The Josh Abbott Band.

The Josh Abbott Band, originally from Lubbock, was formed in 2006 and began touring in 2008. They released their first album, Scapegoat, in 2009 and followed it with She’s Like Texas in 2010, Small Town Family Dream in 2012, Front Row Seat in 2015, and now their latest, Until My Voice Goes Out, which many consider their best yet.

With a national following, the band has appeared live on Conan and Jimmy Kimmel. Top singles include “Oh, Tonight” (with Kacey Musgraves), “She’s Like Texas,” “Wasn’t That Drunk,” “Touch,” “Taste,” “My Texas,” and their latest, “Girl Down in Texas.”

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

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WEATHER REPORT: HIGH WINDS, FINALLY SOME RAIN

High winds broke the Museum window and sent the blinds flying.

After being teased by forecasters’ wrong predictions about rain for days, we finally got a decent shower last night, although it came with the strongest winds we’ve seen so far this year. Roscoe weatherman Kenny Landfried recorded .70" for Roscoe last night, and similar amounts were general throughout the area. 

Before last night, showers had been predicted for days, but the actual rainfall added up to only .14" here in town. In any case, the total of .84" is the most we've got in any week so far this year, so it was quite welcome.

The winds were another story. Yesterday afternoon, the winds just seemed to get stronger as the hours went by. Sustained high winds reached 35mph with gusts up to 50mph and over last night. One casualty was one of the windows at the Roscoe Historical Museum, as can be seen from the photo above. There were also reports of a couple of trucks blowing over near the underpass east of town and a storage shed at A-1 Auto Parts being destroyed.

And even before yesterday, the wind had been the most prominent weather feature of the week as Roscoe lived up to its billing as the wind capital. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday had sustained winds of over 20mph with gusts up to 35mph. Sunday and Monday were nicer as the winds tapered off into the teens, but then yesterday and earlier today they returned with a vengeance.

Temperatures, on the other hand, were relatively moderate with highs of 69° Thursday, 74° Friday, and 73° Saturday before cooling down to a 58° high on Sunday, 51° Monday, and 68° yesterday. Lows on these days ranged from Thursday’s 37° to Friday’s 55°.

The forecast for rain is over now that the front has moved through but the high wind will remain at least for another day. Tomorrow it will shift to the north and diminish somewhat. Temperatures will also be cooler with highs in the fifties through the weekend. On Monday and Tuesday they should climb back into the sixties.

There is almost no chance for more rain in the forecast until Friday, March 22, when the outlook is for scattered thunderstorms.

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