Despite all the changes the coronavirus has brought to education this year, the enrollment numbers at RCISD aren’t one of them. They are almost identical to the numbers of the previous two years with a slight drop of 6 overall from 2019. However, the 2020 figures do include a few enrolled students who have opted to go completely online.
Here are yesterday’s numbers compared to those of previous years:
Grades 2017 2018 2019 2020
Elementary preK-5 358 348 359 352*
Junior High 6-8 121 148 149 154
High School 9-12 133 144 145 141
Totals preK-12 611 641 653 647
* This figure includes the pre-K students who have enrolled but not yet attended their first class because 3-year-olds begin next Monday, August 17.
PLOWBOY PREVIEW AT SCHOOL TOMORROW EVENING
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| Cheer Pals perform at a previous Plowboy Preview. |
At 7:15pm, the Cheer Pals will perform, followed at 7:30 by introductions to this year’s football players, coaches, cheerleaders, cross-country team, and band.
CITY COUNCIL HEARS REPORTS, CONDUCTS BUSINESS
City Manager Cody Thompson addresses the Council.
At its monthly meeting in City Hall yesterday evening, the Roscoe City Council received updates from the City Manager and Chief of Police, heard and acted on requests from the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department, and conducted other business.
City Manager Cody Thompson reported that City workers had to repair the pump on the pivot at the City sewer plant. While the pivot pump was being repaired, they rented a six-inch pump from Sunbelt Rental for use on the lagoons.
The City Swimming Pool, which is now shut down for the summer, has issues that will have to be addressed this fall, among them some leaks in the wall of the pool in the basement.
The Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT) has employed an appraiser for property along the I-20 proposed re-alignment route as a preliminary step in acquiring land for future changes.
The City and County have completed their summer sealcoating program. Nolan County Commissioner Terry Willman says the City spent about $49,000 on the program this year.
The 2021 budget for the City will basically be the same as 2020 with the amount of revenue being the same but with the tax rate slightly smaller.
Roscoe Chief of Police Felix Pantoja then gave the Police Report for July, saying that the Department handled 94 total calls and issued 10 warnings. They made one arrest for family violence, and the Nolan County Sheriff’s Department made one for shots fired at the RV Park in north Roscoe. There was also a vehicle pursuit in town that resulted in an arrest by the Texas Highway Patrol, as well as one vehicle crash, and the impounding of two dogs.
Fire Chief Virgil Pruitt then informed the Council of current problems of the Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department. He first requested that the Department receive regular updates on the balance of the Fire Department fund from donations. Then, after explaining that despite making as many cost-cutting measures as possible, the Department still lacks the funding needed to maintain essential operations, citing the many costs accrued in fighting fires. To make up the shortfall in funding, he proposed attaching a small fee to the monthly City service bill to residents as is currently done in Loraine.
The Council then approved a motion directing the City Manager to write a City Ordinance for next month’s meeting that creates a Fire Department maintenance fee of $2 to be attached to the City’s monthly service bill sent to residents. The ordinance will then have to be discussed and approved by the Council before being enacted.
Assistant Fire Chief Sam Mardis explained that necessary updates to communications equipment already obtained by the Fire Department still needs to be paid for. City Manager Cody Thompson said the expense might be defrayed by the City’s A Board and that he will bring the issue up with its members.
The Council then passed a resolution for adopting the Hazard Mitigation Action Plan, a measure by the West Texas Central Council of Governments that will provide local relief in the event of flooding or other natural or man-made disasters.
The Council then discussed revising an ordinance and application covering a license to operate a pool hall or establishment for video games and coin-operated video machines. After some discussion, the Council tabled the issue to next month’s meeting so that more information can be obtained before making a decision.
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| Looking at the before and after images above, it may be hard to believe that driver Nick Pantoja finished second in the demolition derby at Abilene Speedway this past weekend, but he did. |
CORONAVIRUS CONCERNS CONTINUE
Dealing with the coronavirus in Roscoe enters a new phase this week as school started back on Monday. So, the new concern is the possible spread of the virus at school, causing subsequent spreading to members of the students’ families at home. The school is doing what it can to prevent this from happening, but the danger remains.
On a state level, the number of hospitalizations in Texas continues to drop with 7,304, which is 1,515 less than a week ago. Who knows? Maybe the hot weather helps. However, the death rate is still high. It is now at 8,490, which is 1,474 more than last week. Houston has started ticketing people who violate the state’s mandatory mask order, and some disturbing news comes from Corpus Christi, as Nueces County reports that 167 infants have tested positive for Covid-19 with one six-month-old dying.
The Big Country rate of new cases is decreasing, as are the numbers of hospitalizations. Taylor County has 501 active cases (749 last week) after changing their method of counting active cases to conform with state guidelines. Abilene currently has 21 Covid-19 hospitalizations (36 last week) with 14 (20 last week) of those patients from outside Taylor County. There have been 23 total Covid-19 deaths.
Nolan County currently has 22 active cases (down from 28 last week) out of 136 positives on the year. 112 of those have recovered and 2 died. Mitchell County has 24 active cases (22 last week) out of 69 on the year with 35 recovered and 1 death, plus 447 active inmate and 14 employee cases in Wallace Unit. Fisher County has 8 active cases (6 last week) out of 29 on the year with 19 recovered and 1 death. However, Scurry County still has 63 active cases (92 last week) out of 214 on the year with 121 recovered and 1 death. The prison system there still has 248 active cases with 4 recoveries.
These are the Big Country’s county totals for the year as of yesterday (with a week ago in parentheses): Jones, 600 (628); Erath, 555 (476); Scurry, 488 (454); Brown, 398 (356); Howard, 177 (161); Comanche, 150 (118); Nolan 136 (131); Runnels, 129 (112); Eastland, 79 (83); Mitchell 68 (56); Knox, 60 (48); Stephens, 49 (30); Callahan, 47 (43); Haskell, 43 (39); Coke, 42 (40); Fisher, 29 (26); Coleman, 24 (13), Shackelford, 19 (17); Stonewall, 5 (4); Throckmorton, 4 (4); Kent, 3 (2).
Selected west Texas counties yesterday (with a week ago in parentheses): Lubbock, 6,222 (5,652); Midland, 2,676 (2,362); Ector (Odessa), 2,439 (2,158); Tom Green (San Angelo), 1,760 (1,637); Wichita (Wichita Falls), 1.039 (932).
Texas now has had 500,620 cases (451,181 a week ago), 133,598 of them active (137,658 a week ago), and 8,710 deaths (7,261 a week ago).
WEATHER REPORT: HOT DRY SPELL CONTINUES
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| Monday sunrise. (Photo by Vanya Duncan) |
The forecast for the next five days is for increased heat. Today’s high is predicted to be 104°, tomorrow’s 105°, and Friday’s 107°, before Saturday and Sunday cool down to highs of only 100°. The only significant change will be the clouds that return on Saturday and then hang around for a few days. Along with the clouds will come a 20% chance of precipitation.
Maybe one of those days will bring a shower.
† WILLIAM ALFRED BLANKENSHIP, JR.
Fred was born on February 16, 1950, in Roscoe to William “Dub” Alfred, Sr., and Wanda Blankenship. He was a graduate of Roscoe High School. He married Patricia “Patti” Hunter on June 1, 1969, and together they had 6 children. Fred will be remembered for being a hard worker. He was employed at Southern Marketing Affiliates and was very successful throughout his entire career. “He was loved by dealers and farmers across the state.” Fred loved the Lord Jesus and was passionate about His Holy Word. He was a member of The Gathering Church south of Weatherford and additionally was co-pastor of a House Church in his home. He enjoyed gardening, bird watching, and eating catfish. Fred will be remembered for his sense of humor and was always willing to serve others. Most of all, he will be remembered for being a loving and devoted husband, father, and papa to his family.
Fred is survived by his wife, Patricia “Patti”; children, William Michael (Melina) Blankenship, Gregory Edward (Bridgett) Blankenship, Philip Aaron (Ashley) Blankenship, and Andrew Joshua (Kristie) Blankenship; by 9 grandchildren, Benjamin, Jeffrey, Noah, Lucy, Adria, Logan, Hunter, Gavin, and Cole; and by his sister, Shirley Ann Blankenship.
In addition to his parents, Fred was preceded in death by his children, Adria and Jonathan Blankenship.
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