Roscoe School to Join Texas Consortium of High Performance Schools

2012 RCHS grads who also received Associate's Degrees from WTC.

The Roscoe Independent School District, known for its innovative collegiate program, is one of only 23 school districts in the state to be invited by the Texas Education Agency to join its High Performance Schools Consortium.  

In making the invitation, Texas Commissioner of Education Michael L. Williams said, “The school districts selected to participate in the consortium are already known for their innovative work and are looked to by many as educational leaders. This exciting project will help the Governor, legislative leaders, and the Texas Education Agency craft a sound, well-thought out plan to move all Texas schools to the next performance level.” 

Roscoe is known statewide for a program that for the past two years has allowed over half of its graduating seniors to earn their Associate’s Degrees from Western Texas College while still in high school. 

The school has also established a working relationship with Angelo State University to facilitate students’ transitions from high school to college and to receive university counseling while still in high school.   

Of the 23 school districts selected, almost all are large with either 4A or 5A high schools.  Only four are smaller: White Oak ISD and Anderson-Shiro ISD, both 2A; Roscoe, which is 1A; and Guthrie, the smallest of all, which plays 6-man football but has a virtual school that offers Spanish courses to school districts all over the state.   

The High Performance Schools Consortium will work in four key areas: 1) improving digital learning, 2) establishing learning standards, 3) assessing student progress, and 4) increasing local control to give parents and communities more involvement in their students’ educations.

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ONE KILLED, FOUR INJURED IN MONDAY WRECK ON SNYDER HIGHWAY

Sigfrid L. Credo

Five high school seniors from Horn High School in Mesquite were thrown from their vehicle when it overturned on US 84 just north of Roscoe at about 2:30 on Monday afternoon.  They were returning home after a weekend visit to Texas Tech.

One, Sigfrid L. Credo, 18, died that evening after being airlifted to Hendrick Medical Center in Abilene.  The drum major at Horn, he hoped to attend Tech after graduating. 

The others were his twin brother Roald Louis Credo, Scott Michael Hiney, Brandon Stewart, and Travis Wayne Tarlton.  The first three were taken by ambulance to Rolling Plains Hospital in Sweetwater, while Tarlton was flown to Hendrick in Abilene.  All are now in stable condition.     

The burgundy 2004 Volvo station wagon they were in overturned when the driver lost control and then overcorrected, causing the car to flip.  

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ROBERT MCBRIDE NAMED OUTSTANDING VETERANS SERVICE OFFICER OF THE YEAR

Robert McBride and his award.

Robert McBride, Nolan County’s Veterans Service Officer and Roscoe City Councilman, was presented the Outstanding Officer of the Year Award in Dallas last week at the 65th Annual Conference of the Veterans County Service Association of Texas.   

In two years, McBride has gone from being the newest County Veterans Service Officer in Texas—and the first ever accredited in Nolan County—to receiving the award at last week’s meeting.  The plaque reads as follows:

“Robert R. McBride, Nolan County Texas, West Texas Region, is presented the Outstanding Officer of the Year Award 2011-2012, In Recognition of Outstanding Achievement to the Veterans of the State of Texas, 65th Annual Conference, Veterans County Service Officers Association of Texas, September 18, 2012, Dallas, Texas.” 

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PLOWBOYS OPEN DISTRICT PLAY ON FRIDAY AGAINST BAIRD

After last week's open date, the Roscoe Plowboys will tackle the Baird Bears in Baird on Friday in their first district game of the season. 

Baird is 1-2 so far with an opening victory over Menard 28-13 followed by losses to De Leon 44-0 and Haskell 41-0.   This will also be their first district game.

Kickoff is at 7:30pm. 

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WEATHER REPORT

The weather this past week has been typical for September.  Skies were sunny with high temperatures at or slightly above ninety degrees and lows of around sixty. 

The forecast is for more of the same with a front moving in Thursday night, bringing with it slightly cooler temperatures and a 50% chance of rain on Friday.

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CITY TO HOLD “TRUNK OR TREAT’ EVENT DOWNTOWN ON SATURDAY, OCTOBER 27

For Halloween this year, the City of Roscoe is holding a “Trunk or Treat” downtown on Cypress Street between Broadway and Second Street.  Various local organizations will have cars parked along the curbs with open trunks full of goodies and treats for the kids.

Kids are encouraged to wear costumes and/or masks, and adults in costume will also be there.  The event will run from 3:00-5:00pm on Saturday, October 27. 

More details will be provided later.    For more information, call City Hall at 325-766-3871.

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VENDORS FOR WIND FESTIVAL ENCOURAGED TO REGISTER AT CITY HALL

Those who plan to be vendors at this year's West Texas Wind Festival in downtown Roscoe are encouraged to register at City Hall.  The registration deadline is October 16.

For more information, call City Hall at 325-766-3871.

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U. S. Senate Candidate Paul Sadler Visits Roscoe

Seated left to right: Roscoe City Councilman Robert McBride; Glenn Wortham, Executive Director of the Texas Wind Energy Clearinghouse; Tony Lara, Nolan County Commissioner, Precinct 4.  Standing left to right: Greg Wortham, Mayor of Sweetwater; U. S. Senate Candidate Paul Sadler; and Terry Willman, Nolan County Commissioner, Precinct 6. 

Paul Sadler was in town last week for lunch at the Lumberyard.  A Democrat and Member of the Texas House of Representatives for six terms, he is now running for the U. S. Senate against Republican Ted Cruz.

Texas Monthly magazine has named him one of Texas’ Ten Best Legislators on four different occasions, and the Dallas Morning News an “Outstanding Legislator” twice.  As former Chair of the House Public Education Committee, he has also earned the John B. Connally “Award for Excellence in Education.”

A guest of Sweetwater Mayor Greg Wortham and several other local dignitaries, he made a point of introducing himself to everyone in the Lumberyard during his brief stay in Roscoe.

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GENE WATSON TO HIGHLIGHT THIS YEAR’S WEST TEXAS WIND FESTIVAL

Gene Watson

At its meeting in the City Hall on Thursday, the Promotion Committee set plans for this year’s annual West Texas Wind Festival, and the show should be bigger than ever. 

The headliner for this year’s event is country music star Gene Watson.  Known in the music business as a “singer’s singer,” Gene Watson has been recording since the sixties and is looked up to by such younger stars as Alan Jackson, Brad Paisley, Lee Ann Womack, and Randy Travis.  

His recorded hits include “Fourteen Carat Mind,” “Love in the Hot Afternoon,” “Farewell Party,” “Memories to Burn,” “Got No Reason Now for Going Home,” and others. 

You can listen to him sing some of his hits by clicking here. 

The opening band for the evening will be the Tennessee Stiffs from Austin.

In addition to the free music show, there will be a Plowboy Mudbog at George Parks Field, food and craft vendors on Cypress and Broadway, a kid’s area with bounce houses, and a fireworks show.  

The Fire Department will also host a barbecue cookoff with a first place steak prize of $1500, donated by Fuller Foods of Colorado City, along with prize money for other categories. 

More details will be available after the Promotion Committee meets again on September 27.   Food and craft vendor applications are available at the City Hall.  For more information, call City Hall at 325-766-3871 or Kelly Etheredge at 325-725-0756.  For more cookoff information, call Gary Armstrong at 325-933-0318.

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WEATHER REPORT: RAIN    

The past week was one in which rain was on again and off again.  Last Thursday saw a general rainfall in the whole region with everyone getting something and most getting somewhere between a half-inch and an inch.  Then Saturday was cloudy, grey, and drizzly all day with most places getting another quarter-inch or so. 

Here in Roscoe, I got .6” on Thursday and .25” on Saturday for a total of .85”.  On the east side of town, Kenny Landfried got almost the same with an official total of .81” for both days.  North and east of town Jeremy Baker got an inch and Darrell Aljoe .8”.  Northwest of town Wastella got an inch and Kenny Landfried got .9” at his Cottonwood field.  Southwest of town Mike Massey also got .9”. 

The most I heard of was the two inches that fell on the Adams Ranch near Maryneal, and the inch and a half near Lake Trammell.  Then early yesterday morning it rained again southwest of town, with two inches falling three miles south of Champion.   The rest of the area, including Roscoe, missed out, though.

Temperatures were unseasonably cool for almost the entire week.  Highs were in the sixties on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.  On Sunday, the temperature rose to 79°F and on Monday 84°, but yesterday got up only to 74°.  Lows were in the mid to high fifties, and mornings were cloudy and cool. 

The forecast is for a return to sunny skies and warmer temperatures.  The high today should be in the mid-eighties and around ninety for tomorrow and the days following.  Lows should be around sixty.  There is no rain in the forecast.  

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MILES DEFEATS PLOWBOYS 46-0

The Plowboys once again came up short with a loss Friday night to the Miles Bulldogs, who broke into the win column for the first time this year after two losses.  The final score was 46-0.

After a scoreless first quarter, the Bulldogs pulled away in the second, scoring four touchdowns and tacking on a field goal on the last play of the half to go up 30-0 at halftime.

They scored two more touchdowns in the third quarter along with another field goal to go up 46-0.   The fourth quarter was once again scoreless as the Miles subs got some playing time.

For the evening, the Bulldogs racked up 471 yards rushing and 48 passing for a total of 519, while the Plowboys had 46 yards rushing and 46 passing for a total of 92.  

The Plowboys have an open date this week and will begin district play next week at Baird against the Bears.
 

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PLOWBOYS SET ALL-TIME RECORD FOR FUTILITY WITH LOSS TO MILES

Friday night’s game with Miles was memorable for two reasons:  1) It was the Plowboys’ first game ever on Plowboy Field’s new Astroturf; and 2) by losing the game, the Plowboys set a new all-time record for consecutive losses over a multi-year span. 

The Plowboys’ last victory came on November 10, 2010, with a 53-7 victory over the Rotan Yellowhammers.  The following week, they lost in the playoffs to Munday to finish the 2010 season.  Then last year, 2011, they were 0-10, and so far this year they are 0-3, which adds up to fourteen consecutive losses, a new record.

The previous record for consecutive losses was thirteen, first set in the mid-fifties by the ’53, ’54, and ’55 Plowboys.  The ’53 Plowboys lost their last two games, the ’54 Plowboys went 0-10, and the ’55 Plowboys lost their first game before breaking the streak in their second game with a 25-7 victory over Tuscola.  They then went on to go 5-5 for the year.

That string of thirteen consecutive losses was then tied by the ’89 and ’90 Plowboys.  The ’89 Plowboys lost their last three, and the ’90 Plowboys went 0-10 before the ’91 Plowboys broke the streak with a first-game victory over Forsan, 14-6. 

In a hundred years of football at Roscoe High (records begin in 1912), these are the all-time records for losing.  

Lone Star Football lists Roscoe’s all-time won-lost record at 519 victories, 365 losses, and 32 ties for an overall winning percentage of 60%.  

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Oil Field Activity Picks Up in Area

Drilling rig on the Davenport Ranch north of town in Fisher County.

Recent and planned activity by oil companies is fueling speculation that Roscoe and the surrounding area may be on the verge of an oil boom, the likes of which hasn’t been seen in decades, if ever. 

The rumors have been flying for a big part of this year, ever since the prices that oil companies pay local landowners for leases of mineral rights jumped to levels several times that of just a couple of years ago.  Three-year leases that formerly ran around $25-$50 per acre have jumped to $500-$600 per acre and include as much as 20%-23% royalties on producing wells. 

For some time, this area has been known to be sitting on sizeable reserves of oil and gas, but extracting it is not especially productive with traditional drilling methods.  However, recent improvements in horizontal drilling, known as “fracking”,* seem to be perfect for the local situation, and the current boom in the Midland-Odessa area may soon be extending eastward.

As a result, the Texas Railroad Commission has seen a recent increase in the number of drilling permits requested and approved for this area.

The oil field here, known as the Cline Shale formation, is on the eastern shelf of the Permian Basin and includes Nolan, Mitchell, Scurry, and Fisher counties.  Its major players are Devon Energy and its partner, Sumitomo Corporation of Japan, which recently bought 30% of Devon’s interest in west Texas fields for $1.4 billion.  

Devon will be the operator in their Cline Shale ventures, and Sumitomo will be the major financier, covering 80% of the drilling costs.  In April, Devon Energy announced plans to drill fifteen wells this year in the Cline Shale.

Other operators include Abraxas, Energen, Pioneer Natural Resources, Berry Petroleum, and Gulfport Energy.

Drilling has already begun with more on the way.  There are currently two horizontal wells underway on the Davenport Ranch north of Roscoe in Fisher County, plus one on the Spires Ranch and two on the 69 Ranch, all near Maryneal.  There may be more, but these are the ones I know about. 

I am told that the success of these first wells will largely determine the amount and speed of subsequent drilling in this area.  Only time will tell how this all plays out.
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* “Fracking,” short for hydraulic fracturing, involves pumping water into a well to create or enlarge cracks in rocks deep in the earth to force them further open.  This allows more oil and gas to be extracted. 

The process requires large amounts of water, which drillers are willing to pay top dollar for, and certain area landowners have already begun or will soon begin creating fresh water pits, which they fill with water from their existing wells and sell to the drillers.  

Environmentalists complain about fracking, its waste, and the potential for ground water contamination, but Allan Frizzell, district vice president for the Texas Oil & Gas Association, says that the depth of the proposed wells in the Cline Shale, 5000-7000 feet, means that groundwater resources will be safe.
 

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IRION COUNTY DISPATCHES PLOWBOYS 40-0

Irion County celebrated its homecoming with a 40-0 destruction of the Plowboys in Mertzon on Friday night.
 
The Plowboys were out of the game from the outset as Irion County scored on two of its first three offensive plays.  The Hornets’ Logan McGee returned the opening kickoff 77 yards to the Plowboy 10-yard line, and Dontae Harris ran it in from there on the first play from scrimmage. Two extra points followed and the score was 8-0. 

After the ensuing kickoff, the Plowboys had a three-and-out and punted.  The Hornets took over on the Plowboy 30, and on the next play freshman Reb Sullenger ran it in for another TD, and the rout was on. 

By the end of the first quarter, the score was 20-0, and by halftime it was 34-0.  The Hornets made another TD in the third quarter to close out the scoring, as the fourth quarter was a scoreless affair played by the subs, just like last week when the Plowboys played De Leon. 

For the evening, the Plowboys had a total of 8 yards rushing on 24 carries. The passing game was a little better with 96 yards.  Out of 24 attempts, 15 were completed and 2 were intercepted.  Irion County totaled 259 yards rushing and 79 passing.  

The Plowboys will play their first game on the new Astroturf of Plowboy Field on Friday night against the Miles Bulldogs.

Kickoff is at 7:30pm.

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U. S. SENATE CANDIDATE PAUL SADLER AT LUMBERYARD TODAY

Paul Sadler

Sweetwater Mayor Greg Wortham will host U. S. Senate Candidate Paul Sadler at lunch today in the Lumberyard, and the public is invited to come by and meet Sadler there. 

Sadler, a former teacher and Democrat who is running against Ted Cruz in the upcoming election, has served as the leader of the multi-state Wind Coalition and, according to the Sweetwater Reporter, played an important role in bringing development to this area through wind energy projects and transmission infrastructure.

He is a former state legislator and Chair of the House Public Education Committee.

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VP TIRE & SERVICE TO CELEBRATE FIRST ANNIVERSARY WITH FREE SANDWICHES

VP Tire & Service on E. Broadway

VP Tire & Service on 702 E. Broadway will be celebrating the completion of its first year of business on Monday, September 17, by giving away free brisket sandwiches to show  appreciation to its many customers. 
 
The sandwiches will come with chips and a drink and will be available between 11:00am-2:00pm.   For more information, contact David Pantoja at 325-280-1917.

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WEATHER REPORT

Last Friday was a day of extremes.  Continuing the triple-digit weather of last week, its high was 103°F, but then a norther with high winds arrived that evening, and the temperature dropped to a cool 59°.  The high on Saturday was only 76°. 

Since then it has slowly warmed back up.  Yesterday’s high was 93°, and today should be about the same.  However, another front is on the way which should arrive tomorrow afternoon sometime.  It will bring another drop in temperatures and a 60% chance of thunderstorms.

The weekend should be cool and clear with a high on Saturday in the seventies and on Sunday around eighty.  Lows should be around sixty.

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 † HAZEL MAY DUNLAP

Graveside services for Hazel May Dunlap, 93, formerly of Roscoe, were held at 11 a.m. on Friday, September 7, at the Roscoe Cemetery. She died last Wednesday, September 5, in Colorado City.

Hazel May Hobbs was born May 25, 1919, in DeQueen, Arkansas, and married J.C. Dunlap on February 2, 1951, in Clovis, New Mexico. She was a homemaker and a Baptist.

Survivors include her son, Terry Barrington & wife Angie of Katy; daughter, Janis Inman & husband Wyndell of Colorado City; sisters, Jo Stautzenberger of Hereford, Fannie Utley of Sweetwater, and Sally Harrington of Snyder; 31 grandchildren and six great-grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband in 1985, her parents, Henry & Geneva Richardson Hobbs, three brothers, five sisters, and three great-grandchildren. 

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What’s That Flag in the Cotton Field?

The flag in the cotton field about a mile east of Roscoe.

In past week or so, I’ve been asked by more than one person about the flag flying on a flagpole out in a cotton field east of town.  Visible from the highway, it is just west of US 84 near where it joins I-20. 

The flag itself, with seven white stars in a circle on a blue field next to three bars—red on top and bottom and white in the middle—was one that neither I nor others immediately recognized. 

So, for a while none of us knew what it was for or what it represented.  But then I got an e-mail a couple of days ago from a person I don’t know.  Its subject heading was Cotton Field Flag, but it had no personal message—just an illustration of that same flag and some accompanying text explaining that it was the original flag of the Confederacy.

Then someone told me that the flagpole was in Tim Kerby’s field, so I phoned him to find out what the deal was.  It turns out that he is a member of the Sons of Confederate Veterans, an organization dedicated to preserving the history and legacy of the soldiers of the Confederacy—and they are the ones who put up the flagpole.  

The original flag of that design flew over Fort Sumter when the war broke out and was the Confederate flag until 1863—with more stars being added as more states joined the Confederacy.   But it was largely replaced by the more familiar red flag with stars in an x pattern, the one popularly referred to as the “Stars and Bars” and more commonly thought of today as the Confederate flag.  

The change was made so soldiers could more easily distinguish their flag from the Union flag during battles. 

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DE LEON ROLLS OVER PLOWBOYS 38-6

Plowboys converge on De Leon ball carrier.

It was a long night for Plowboy fans at Mustang Bowl in Sweetwater on Thursday evening as the De Leon Bearcats kicked off the Sammy Baugh classic with a decisive 38-6 victory over Roscoe.  
 
The cards were stacked against the Plowboys before the game ever got underway with two team leaders, quarterback Luke Rovig and fullback/linebacker Landon Jones, watching from the sidelines, both out with injuries. 

Even so, the game began on a depressing note as the Bearcats came out fired up and ready to play, blowing the Plowboys off the line and running through tackles to jump out to a quick 15-0 first-quarter lead. 

The second quarter was the Plowboys’ best showing of the night as the offense found its passing game.  Sophomore quarterback Cutter Davila showed a lot of promise with his ability to scramble, find, and hit his receivers, primarily Chris Deleon and Jesus Leanos.  One Plowboy drive ended with a 19-yard touchdown pass from Davila to Deleon, and another saw the Plowboys move all the way down the field from their own 8 to deep in Bearcat territory before turning the ball over on downs. 

The defense, aided by a recovered fumble and a couple of key penalties, regained its composure and held De Leon scoreless until the last play of the half, when the Bearcat kicker made a 38-yard field goal to make the halftime score 18-6.

The third quarter, however, marked by Plowboy miscues and poor tackling, was an unmitigated disaster.  De Leon took over the game and cruised to a 38-6 lead. 

The Bearcats sent in the subs for a scoreless fourth quarter, which was an afterthought for both teams. For the game, De Leon rolled up 471 rushing yards and had a 45-yard TD punt return. 

Despite the lopsided loss, the Plowboys have something to build on with the emergence of their passing game.  The line blocked well enough for the receivers to run their patterns and Davila to find them.  Moreover, Davila is pretty accurate, and the primary receivers can get open and make the catches.  Also, a couple of the new players, such as freshman Vincent Pantoja, showed some promise and should get better as the season progresses.

However, the defense has got to improve quickly if the Plowboys are going to be competitive.  Both the first and third quarters were marked by lackluster and inept tackling.

Hopefully, they can make some needed corrections before Friday night when they take on Irion County in Mertzon.  The Hornets are 1-0 after coming from behind to beat Roby 30-20 in the Mustang Bowl on Saturday.

Kickoff is at 7:30pm.

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NEW BED & BREAKFAST AND STORAGE UNITS GOING UP

The Plowboy Center on Broadway at Bois d'Arc Street.

If you live in Roscoe, you can’t have helped but notice the new building going up at 1000 Broadway, just across the street from the Community Center.  Tom and Max (née Maxine Althof) Watt, both Roscoe alumni who now live in Clovis, NM, are building what they call the Plowboy Center. 

In front is what will be a 1400 square foot bed & breakfast, and behind it a fourteen-unit self-storage facility, two garages, and a 12’ x 40’ covered patio.  The bed & breakfast will be fully furnished for short-term rentals, although Tom and Max say it will be a “Plowboy Bed & Breakfast,” where guests make their own bed and their own breakfast.   

They also say the covered patio will be available to the city if needed during major downtown events, and the bed & breakfast can also be used as an extension to the Community Center. 

They hope the facility will be finished in time for use during the Wind Festival on October 20.   In the future they hope also to build a similar structure just to the west with either more self-storage units or three to four small apartments, depending upon need.

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ROSCOE SHOW PIG SALE SET FOR OCTOBER 20

Show pigs on display at last year's Nolan County Stock Show.

Allen Richburg, Cullen Presley, and others have scheduled a major show-pig sale at the Roscoe FFA Ag Barn on Saturday, October 20, the same day as the West Texas Wind Festival.  Over twenty breeders will each be bringing from one to six barrows and gilts from locations all over Texas as well as Oklahoma, Ohio, and Wisconsin.  There will be a total of 100 to 120 July and August show pigs of various breeds for sale.

The Sale Order Show will start at 1:00pm with Reggie Spencer of Colorado City as judge.  The auction will begin at 7:00pm with opening bids set at $200. 

The Roscoe FFA Chapter will run the concession stand. 

The sale will be an excellent opportunity for anyone with kids who are planning to show pigs for the upcoming stock show year.  For more information, consult the Roscoe Show Pig Sale Facebook page, or contact Allen Richburg at 325-236-5666 or Cullen Presley at 325-338-2457. 

On Monday, October 8, there will also be the 21st Annual West Texas Rehab Benefit Pig Sale to raise money for the West Texas Rehab Center in Abilene.  It will be held at 7:00pm in the Wylie FFA Barn.  Breeders who would like to donate pigs to the sale should contact Allen Richburg at 325-236-5666 or Denny Heathcott at 325-754-5610.  For more information, go to the West Texas Rehab Benefit Pig Sale Facebook page. 

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WEATHER REPORT

It’s been sunny, hot, and dry without even a threat of precipitation.  The highs Monday and yesterday reached 100°F.  Lows were in the seventies. 

The near outlook is for more of the same.  Today’s high should be around 103°, tomorrow’s 101°, and Friday’s 102° with lows in the mid-seventies.  On Friday night a norther is supposed to blow in, bringing a 20% chance of rain and taking nightly lows down into the sixties.  Saturday and Sunday’s highs will be in only the eighties.  

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† VELA HALL ALEXANDER EVANS

Vela Evans, 95, died Thursday, August 30, at Hendrick Hospice in Abilene.  Graveside services were held on Sunday in Restland Cemetery in Gatesville.

Vela Hall was born January 26, 1917, in Coryell County and grew up near Crawford.  After graduating from Crawford High, she went to Tarleton State and graduated in 1936.  She married William Riley Alexander on April 18, 1937.  They farmed in McLennan County before moving to Wastella in 1943. Mr. Alexander was killed in a farming accident in 1963.

From 1957 to 1968 she worked at Anthony’s in Sweetwater and the ASCS offices in Colorado City and Sweetwater.  She was then Roscoe’s Postmaster until1974, when she married Herbert S. Evans.  They lived in Friona, Marion, and New Braunfels.  Mr. Evans died in June 1995, and in December of that year, she returned to Roscoe.  In 2001, she moved to assisted living at Hoyt House in Sweetwater. 

Survivors include two daughters, Elizabeth Ostlund of Sweetwater and Virginia Williams and husband Larry of Roscoe; one sister, Mrs. Edna Beth Beckelhymer and husband Roy of Austin; one brother, Halbert Weldon Hall and wife, Betty, of Bryan; two stepsons, Jim Evans of Yelapa, Mexico and Carl Evans of San Antonio, Texas; two stepdaughters, Elna Morton and husband Larry of Erie, PA, and Nancy Matz and husband Jack, of McKinney; four grandchildren; seven stepgrandchildren; six great-grandchildren; four step great-grandchildren; two nephews and eight nieces, including Mrs. Letha Boston of Roscoe and Rebecca Gracey of Albuquerque, NM.

Memorials may be given to favorite charities or Hendrick Hospice Care, 1682 Hickory Street Abilene, Texas, 79601.  Online condolences may be expressed at www.mccoyfh.com.

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† JACKIE LEE FITTS

Jackie Lee Fitts, 77, passed away last Wednesday, August 29, at the Midland Hospice in Midland.  Graveside services were held on Friday, August 31, at Sunset Memorial Gardens of Odessa. 

He was born July 13, 1935, to Jack and Dorothy Fitts of Roscoe.  He grew up here and graduated from Roscoe High in 1953.  He then entered the Army and was stationed in Korea, Italy, and Germany over the next thirteen years, serving as a warrant officer in a missile battery.  Upon discharge and return to west Texas, he worked for EDI and later became a partner in ESI Supply of Midland.

He was preceded in death by his parents and a son, Richard Greg Fitts.

He is survived by his wife, Jan; his daughter, Sherrill Fitts Wells and husband Shane of Odessa; Jeff Freeman and wife Karen, Eric Freeman and wife Paula, of Odessa, and Leslie Parry of New Orleans; his sister, Kay Posey of Midland; seven grandchildren, two great grandchildren and numerous nieces and nephews.

Online condolences may be expressed by clicking here.

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New Building Sees First Use at Roscoe High

The Roscoe Collegiate Special Events Center

The plan was always to have the new building completed by the time school started this fall.  And it almost was—but not quite.  Still, it was close enough that they’ve begun using it anyway.  

Classes are being held in the Roscoe Collegiate Special Events Center’s three new classrooms, the new gymnasium is complete except for seating that will soon be installed,  and the new concession stand was used for the first time at last week’s scrimmage with Haskell. 

The new entrance on the east side of the school is also almost done and should be complete in a couple of weeks, and the same goes for the paving of 7th Street on the north side of the school and administration building.  

The entrance circle and parking lot and the football field parking lot will get asphalt paving, while 7th Street, the south parking lot, and the administration building parking lot will get a sealcoat topping.  Part of the holdup has been the paving contractor’s prior commitments elsewhere.

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NEW SCHOOL YEAR BRINGS INCREASE IN ENROLLMENT

On all levels, there are more students in Roscoe schools this year than last, as can be seen in the chart below.  The elementary grades, pre-K to 6th grade, have a total of 284 students compared to last year’s 234; junior high, grades 7 and 8, has 53 students this year compared to last year’s 31; and high school, grades 9 through 12, has 110 students this year compared to last year’s 98.

                               Grades          Last Year  This Year   Net Gain
Elementary         pre-K–6             234             284             50
Junior High           7-8                       31                 53             22
High School          9-12                     98              110             12

Totals                  pre-K–12            363             447             84

Most of the growth is a result of new transfers from nearby cities: Sweetwater, Loraine, Colorado City, and even Trent. 

Although school has already begun, school officials still anticipate the enrollment of a few more students in the next few days. 

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CHIROPRACTOR SETS UP PRACTICE IN SPECIAL EVENTS CENTER

Nicholas T. Anthony, D. C., a former Plowboy (Class of ‘01) and son of Steve and Debbie Anthony, has established his chiropractic office in the Special Events Center, the new building at Roscoe Collegiate High School.  There he will perform chiropractic services, physical rehab, and nutritional counseling to both students and the public. 

He is leasing the office, and although it is located in the new building, he is not a school employee but independent.  He will however donate his services to students as team doctor and athletic trainer. 

A graduate of ACU and the College of Chiropractic at Parker University in Dallas, he has been with Action Chiropractic in Abilene for a year and a half and will continue to be there on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays.

He will be in Roscoe on Tuesdays and Fridays and will be open to the public from 8:00am-5:00pm.  His business here is known as the Collegiate Chiropractic and Wellness Center, and his phone number is 325-766-3423.

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PLOWBOYS TO KICK OFF SAMMY BAUGH CLASSIC AGAINST DE LEON 

For the eighth consecutive year, the Roscoe Plowboys will open their football season at Mustang Bowl in Sweetwater.  Their game on Thursday night against the De Leon Bearcats will open this year’s Sammy Baugh Classic, which will also feature Sweetwater vs. Eastland on Friday night, Roby vs. Irion County at 11:00am on Saturday, and Everman vs. El Paso Del Valle on Saturday night.

Hopes are high that this year’s edition of the Plowboys will see a return to the old winning ways.  Kickoff is at 7:30pm.  

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LUMBERYARD BOOKS RAY PRICE FOR OCTOBER 12 APPEARANCE

Ray Price

After successful shows this year by such noted performers as Mel Tillis, Johnny Rodriguez, Asleep at the Wheel, and the Bellamy Brothers, the Lumberyard has just scheduled its biggest name to date in country music legend Ray Price, who along with his Cherokee Cowboys will be coming to town on Friday, October 12.

Tickets and table reservations for the show will be available at the Lumberyard starting on Tuesday, September 4.

October will be quite a month for music in Roscoe as the Lumberyard hosts Johnny Bush on October 6 and Ray Price on October 12, while Gene Watson will be the highlight of the evening “on the bricks” at the Wind Festival on October 20. 

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CITY COUNCIL VOTES TO KEEP SAME TAX RATE AT BUDGET WORKSHOP

The City Council unanimously voted to keep the coming year’s tax rate the same as this year at last night’s budget workshop in City Hall.  Even so, some increase in revenue is expected with the generally higher appraisals set by this year’s appraisal board. The City has also received extra funding from new building permits and other sources.

The Council also voted to grant a 3% cost of living increase to the salary of city employees with the exception of the City Manager, who declined the raise.  Employees received no increase last year, so the 3% was presented as a 1½%  cost of living allowance for the past two years.   

The Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department was also voted a $5000 increase over the $5000 annual allotment it currently receives from the city.  The extra money was needed to help make ends meet, especially because of the extra expenditures incurred last year because of the extensive fires in the area.

Police Chief Felix Pantoja requested that something be done about his office on the second floor above City Hall, citing a number of problems including a lack of insulation and problems with the leaky windows, the restroom, and the floor.  The Council agreed to provide him some immediate relief using money remaining in this year’s budget. 

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GEORGE PARKS MEMORIAL

The George Parks Memorial Fund received nice gifts this past week from the following donors:

                                                    John Drake
                                                    Bill Henrich

The order for the memorial has now been finalized and placed with Sterling Monument of Eastland. 

Those of you who gave should know that your donations are tax deductible as the fund is a part of the Roscoe Improvement Fund, which as a 501(c)(3) is an approved non-profit by the IRS.

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WEATHER REPORT

Once again, the weather was cooler than is usual for August, and there were several opportunities for rain.  Almost every afternoon the clouds would build, and often they were accompanied by lightning, thunder, and falling showers here and there.  

However, the rains always seemed to move in the same direction—away from Roscoe.  If the showers were to the north, the clouds moved north; if they were to the south, the clouds moved south.  And so on. 

It sprinkled in Roscoe on both Saturday and Sunday, but on neither day was there enough precipitation to measure.

The next few days should see more typical August weather with highs in the nineties and lows in the lower seventies.  The possibility of rain is not mentioned in the forecast. 

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† ORDRA FAY SMITH

Ordra Fay Jones Smith, 83, passed away last Wednesday, Aug. 22.  Funeral services were on Friday at McCoy Chapel of Memories, and interment followed at the Roscoe Cemetery. 

Ordra Fay Jones was born June 19, 1929, to Charlie Alford and Jettie Ordra Smith Jones.  The  youngest of six children, she grew up in Fisher County and attended school at Hobbs and Sweetwater. She married Walter Lloyd Smith, Sr., on May 11, 1946.

She worked alongside her husband in his body shop in Roscoe.  She was also a housewife who had worked as a switchboard operator and school cafeteria worker.  She was a member of Eastern Star, taught Sunday school, and sang in the choir.  She was instrumental in bringing the United Girls Softball Association to Sweetwater.  She also helped with Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts and for many years ran a snow cone business in Roscoe with her grandchildren. 

Ordra was preceded in death by her husband of 63 years, Walter Lloyd Smith, Sr.; brothers, Lee Willie, Edgar and Charlie Jones; and sisters, Juanita Little and Lucille Hammond.

She is survived by her three children, Walter, Jr. of Sweetwater and Carolyn Smith and Patricia Forgay of Roscoe; seven grandchildren, thirteen great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.

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Mel Tillis a Big Hit at the Lumberyard

Mel Tillis gives a hug to Anna Mae McBride after the show.

Folks from all over the Big Country were on hand Friday night to see one of the best known country music stars of the past half century, and Mel Tillis, along with his band, the Statesiders, didn’t disappoint them.  A crowd of over a thousand filled the outdoor area of the Lumberyard and enjoyed the concert. 

Mel Tillis, who just turned eighty, put on an energetic performance that would do justice to someone half his age, and he and his band displayed the many talents for which they are famous. 

Video clips of the concert are available by clicking here (Part 1: 6:11) or here (Part 2: 6:39).  

After the show, everyone learned that Tillis is not only a consummate professional on the stage, but also one of the nicest and most down-to-earth performers around.  He signed autographs, posed for pictures, shook hands, and spoke to anyone who asked for at least an hour after the show ended. 

Even the weather contributed to the success of the evening.  Storm clouds threatened in the afternoon with thunder, lightning, and even some rain, but the weather cooled down considerably after the sun went down, making for pleasant outdoor conditions and a thoroughly enjoyable evening.

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BANKHEAD HIGHWAY PLAQUE PLACED IN MEMORIAL PARK

On hand to dedicate the Bankhead Highway sign were, left to right, Joe Specht, Librarian Emeritus at McMurry University; Helen Perry, Roscoe City Council; Robert McBride, Roscoe City Council; Mayor Pete Porter, Edwin Duncan, Curator, Roscoe Historical Museum; Terry Willman, County Commissioner; and Delma Boston, Roscoe merchant.

A metal plaque commemorating the Bankhead Highway was placed in Memorial Park on Friday and dedicated yesterday in a morning ceremony.  Several city officials were on hand to hear Mayor Pete Porter read a proclamation honoring the highway that later became US 80.

The dirt road that originally went through Roscoe officially became a highway in 1917 when it was officially designated Texas Highway No. 1, extending from Texarkana to El Paso.  Then, in 1920, it became part of the nation's first transcontinental auto route, the Bankhead Highway, which ran from Washington, DC, to San Diego, California.

It was known as the Bankhead Highway until the late 1920s, when national highways were given numbers, at which time it became US Highway 80.  After it became Highway 80, the route changed somewhat, but “the old road,” which runs alongside the railroad track to Sweetwater, is a still existing part of the old Bankhead Highway.

Because the highway came through town, it contributed significantly to the community’s prosperity until 1959, when Interstate 20 was built to bypass Roscoe. 

More details about the history of Roscoe and the Bankhead Highway may be found in the May 30 issue of the Roscoe Hard Times, available by clicking here.

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PLOWBOY PREVIEW DRAWS NICE CROWD

Joe Ejem and Tim Tomlin grill burgers at the Plowboy Preview dinner.

The Plowboy Preview held at Plowboy Field last Thursday drew a sizable crowd.  Almost two hundred people ate at the hamburger dinner that preceded the event.  

After the dinner, the crowd moved to the stands and was introduced to the 2012 Plowboy band, the football team, and the cheerleaders.

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COMMUNITY CENTER TO HOST GARAGE SALE

The Roscoe Community Center will host a community garage sale on Saturday, August 25, from 8:00am to 2:00pm.  The fee for selling your unwanted treasures is $10, which goes to the Community Center.

Call Helen Perry at 325-766-3149 for details.

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STUDENTS RETURN TO SCHOOL ON MONDAY

The new school year begins on Monday, August 27.  Drivers, please watch out for kids crossing the streets or getting off buses--and remember that it is a ticketable offense to talk or text on your cell phones while on the school grounds.

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CITY TO HOLD BUDGET WORKSHOP NEXT TUESDAY

The public is invited to attend and participate in a workshop to determine next year’s city budget.  The meeting will be held in City Hall on Tuesday, August 28, at 7:00pm. 

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WEATHER REPORT

The weather of the past week has been a welcome break from the stretch of hot, dry weather that typified the first half of the month.  Temperatures cooled down to maximums of 90°F or less and minimums in the high sixties, and some rain fell.

A light shower that was enough to make the sidewalks wet fell on Friday.  Most people I talked to got around a tenth of an inch or so.  Then on Saturday there was another shower accompanied by much thunder and lightning.  Although it didn’t rain a lot in town—amounts varied from a quarter to a half inch, and Kenny Landfried recorded an official total of .33"—some places got a lot more.  The Champion area, for example, got something like two inches. 

Then on Monday night, a big cold front blew in, once again with thunder and lightning that promised more than the cloud actually delivered.  Rainfall in town was about a quarter of an inch or less.  Kenny Landfried recorded an official total of .11". Five miles south of town got about .8”, while Scott Etheredge northwest of town got an inch and a half, and as much as two inches fell a few miles northwest of there.

The forecast is for more cooler weather with highs in the upper eighties and lower nineties and lows in the upper sixties and lower seventies.  There is also a 20% chance of precipitation. 

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Blackland Smokehouse to Open on Friday

A new restaurant opens in downtown Roscoe.

A new barbecue restaurant, the Blackland Smokehouse, will make its debut on Friday.  Located on the north side of Broadway in downtown Roscoe between The Wildflower Boutique and Memorial Park, it will be jointly owned and run by ex-Plowboys Randy Williams, Class of ’74, and wife Fonda, and their son Travis, Class of  ’03. 

Randy and Fonda Williams have a proven track record with barbecue.  From 2003 to 2009, they owned and ran Spyke’s BBQ in Kingsland on Lake LBJ and were quite successful with that venture, building up a large clientele before selling the establishment at a nice profit.

They then lived in Ecuador for a couple of years before returning to Roscoe last year.

The Blackland Smokehouse will have a barbecue buffet setup, serving beef brisket, pork ribs, sausage, and chicken along with the usual barbecue trimmings.  It will also feature a Plowboy Special, which is basically a pile-on, and there will also be a different special every day, such as pulled pork or a chicken special, which will be on the same day from one week to the next. 

Beverages served will include cokes, tea and coffee.  Beer and wine will not be available, but customers may bring their own to drink while dining.

Hours of operation may change later, but for now they are 11:00am-8:00pm on Fridays and Saturdays and 11:00am-3:00pm on Wednesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays.  The restaurant will be closed on Mondays and Tuesdays.

We wish the Williamses all the success with their new venture.

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COUNTRY MUSIC GREAT MEL TILLIS TO PERFORM HERE FRIDAY NIGHT

Mel Tillis brings his act to the Lumberyard on Friday night.

Roscoe will once again host one of country music’s top stars Friday night when Mel Tillis sings on the outdoor stage of the Lumberyard. 

In February, President Obama bestowed upon Tillis the National Medal of the Arts for his contributions to country music, just one of the many awards he has received over the years.  He is a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame, the Grand Ole Opry, and the Nashville Song Writers International Hall of Fame.  He has also been named the Country Music Association’s Entertainer of the Year, Comedian of the Year six times, and Songwriter of the Decade for two decades.

Over the years, he has recorded over sixty albums and had 36 Top Ten singles with nine going to Number One, including “I Ain’t Never,” “Good Woman Blues,” “Coca Cola Cowboy,” “Heart Over Mind,” “Send Me Down to Tucson,” “I Believe in You,” “Southern Rains,” and many others.

He has also written over a thousand songs, approximately 600 of which have been recorded by major artists.  These include “Detroit City,” “Ruby, Don’t Take Your Love to Town,” “Burning Memories,” “Thoughts of a Fool,” “Honey (Open That Door),” and “The Snakes Crawl at Night.”

West Texans will be treated to a rare, and perhaps final, opportunity to see the star, who doesn’t do that many shows and, when he does, performs all over the country.  He is doing only two shows this month, both in Texas, one of which is his appearance here at the Lumberyard.

Tickets are $15 in advance or at the door, and a huge crowd is expected.  Tables are sold out, but guests can bring a lawn chair.  The show will begin at 9:30pm.

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GEORGE PARKS MEMORIAL FUND GOAL REACHED

This photo of George Parks will appear on the monument.

Thanks to the generosity of a large number of people, the $3100 needed to fund a permanent memorial to George Parks was reached yesterday.  The order has been placed with Sterling Monument in Eastland, and work on the marker will soon be underway. 

This past week saw nice contributions from the following donors:

        Jim Boston
        Josh & Delma Boston
        Jimmie Cantrell
        Larry Cornoyer
        Larry Holderman
        Larry London
        Larry McBurnett
        Johnny Pepper
        Gene Witherspoon

There is now a tentative plan in the works for Roscoe artist Larry Cornoyer to create a bronze bust of George Parks, possibly to be placed in Old Town Park where the Times Office used to be.  The Hard Times will keep readers informed on the progress of this second venture as more particulars develop.

Thanks to all who have contributed time and/or money to the project.
  

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CITY SWIMMING POOL CLOSED FOR THE SUMMER

The Swimming Pool is history for 2012.

The City Swimming Pool has been closed since Thursday due to problems with the filtration system leaking sand into the pool.   Repairs may not be made quickly, and since the pool was due to close in a week anyway, it will now be closed for the rest of the summer.

Repairs will be addressed when pool companies are not as busy as now, and the pool should be as good as new when it re-opens next spring.  Scheduled pool parties have necessarily been canceled and will be given refunds.

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RHS CLASS OF 1952 PLANS GATHERING FOR ALUMNI OF THAT ERA

This year will be the sixtieth anniversary of the class of 1952, and some of the graduates of that class are planning a gathering on the weekend of October 5-6 centered around the Plowboy game against Cross Plains and a dinner at one of the local restaurants.  

Jimmie and Mary Lynn Cantrell of Abilene, Bobby Haney of Imperial, CA, and Eddie Perry of LaBelle, FL, will attend.  They welcome all RHS graduates of 1952 and surrounding years to take part.  They are also looking for someone from Roscoe or Sweetwater to help coordinate the event.

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WEATHER REPORT

Once again, we had typical August weather with highs in the upper 90s and low 100s and lows in the mid to lower 70s.  The hottest day was on Sunday when the temperature climbed to 106°F before cooling off.  On Sunday evening there was plenty of thunder and lightning, and it actually rained enough to get the ground wet but little more.  Measurable amounts were between one and two tenths of an inch.

The forecast is for continued hot and dry weather with a 20% chance of rain over the next couple of days.  On Friday, the chance increases to 30% and on Saturday to 40%, along with temperatures cooling to highs of around 90°F over the weekend.  

The cotton crop is still looking okay in most places but would benefit greatly from a good rain in the next week or so. 

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