Fire Destroys Richburg Farrowing House

The farrowing house after the roof collapsed.

A devastating fire last Thursday night at the Richburg farm west of Roscoe destroyed the farrowing barn Allen Richburg used to breed, raise and house his show pigs. 

The damage was extensive enough that he is selling off his bred sows and boars, including many of those bred by Richburg Show Pigs. He has suspended his hog raising operation and doesn’t know when he will be able to resume.

The Roscoe Volunteer Fire Department responded to a 911 call made by someone who spotted the blaze while driving on I-20 Thursday night. Roscoe firemen paged out at 3:14am, while Sweetwater firemen and the Nolan County Sheriff’s Department arrived somewhat later. According to the official report, the barn was a total loss, and the blaze killed two sows, thirty-one piglets, and several kittens. One kitten was rescued but died later. Cause of the fire has still not yet been determined but is possibly electric.

Allen Richburg says he has been overwhelmed by the responses and kindnesses received following the accident. He wants to thank all of those who responded with prayers and sympathy on Facebook as well as all the Roscoe and Sweetwater firemen and Sheriff’s Department officers along with others who made donations or otherwise helped out.

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BONNIE WILKINSON, JAYDEN GONZALES HEADED FOR STATE

Bonnie Wilkinson does the Triple Jump in an earlier meet.

Bonnie Wilkinson and Jayden Gonzales qualified for the State Finals at the Region 1-2A Track and Field Meet at South Plains College in Levelland last weekend. 

For Bonnie, who missed last year’s state finals because of an injury, it will be a return to Austin and a chance to repeat her win in the Triple Jump, which she accomplished there in 2017. In fact, her distance in last week’s meet was her best yet at 37’ 5½”, farther even than her state-winning jump of 36’11½” in 2017.

For Jayden, it will be his first trip to the State Finals, but he also will have a chance for a medal after tying for the highest Pole Vault in both the Area and Regional Meets. At last week’s meet, his vault of 13’ 2” tied for the best, but he was beaten in a subsequent “jump-off.” He also broke the school record with his 14’ 3” vault in the Area Meet, beating by 3 inches the old record set by Shae Sanford in 1993.

None of the other Plowboys or Plowgirls finished in the top or runner-up spots and so did not qualify to advance. Nevertheless, they can still consider their seasons successful as they made it to the Regional Meet before bowing out.

Here are the complete results for the Roscoe athletes:

Plowboys

Event                            Place          Athlete              Time/Distance
110 meter hurdles         12        Tristan Baker                 17.63
4 x 100 meter relay       10        Plowboys                        45.29
(Tyler Guelker, Jaythan Coale, Andrew Deleon, Gary Shaw)
4 x 200 meter relay        7        Plowboys                      1:46.13
(Tyler Guelker, Caleb Gray, Jaythan Coale, Gary Shaw)
Shot Put                           8        Brandon Lavalais          43’ 4¼”
Pole Vault                        2        Jaydon Gonzales            13’ 3”

Plowgirls

400 meter dash              5        Bonnie Wilkinson        1:00.58
4 x 400 meter relay       8        Plowgirls                        4:25.72
(K. Martinez, Sa. McCambridge, V. Martinez, B. Wilkinson)
Triple Jump                    1         Bonnie Wilkinson         37’ 5½”

The 2019 UIL Track and Field State Championships will be held next weekend, May 10-11, at the Mike A. Myers Track Complex in Austin.

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PCCA PUBLICATION FEATURES BANKHEAD FAMILY
 

This is the photo that appears in the PCCA Commentator article.

PCCA Commentator, the magazine of the Plains Cotton Co-op Association (PCCA), is currently featuring the Bankhead family in an article entitled “Bankhead Family Grounded in Faith and Conservation.”

Written by Jayci Cave, the article describes changes the Bankhead family of Champion—Randall, Mary, and son-in-law Scott Schuchard—have made to their farming methods over the last few years. Their switch from the old, conventional methods to new ones that focus on replenishing the soil, such as no-till farming and the use of cover crops, earned Randall the honor of being named the 2018 Texas Soil and Water Conservation Board Outstanding Conservation Farmer.

In the article, the family members are interviewed, and some of their answers reveal their belief in co-ops, including Roscoe's Central Rolling Plains Co-op, and descriptions of some of their methods for improving and sustaining the soil, along with some of the problems involved.

The article may be found in this month’s issue of the magazine. It is also available online at https://www.pcca.com/article/bankhead-family-grounded-in-faith-and-conservation/.

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CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION THIS SUNDAY

The Cinco de Mayo Celebration and Scholarship Dinner will be held this Sunday, May 5, at Roscoe Collegiate High School.

Dinner and student presentations will last from 11:30am to 2:30pm, while the carnival will run from 1:00-5:00. There will be plenty of fun and activities including a bounce house, face painting, mini-mercado, paletas, music, lotería (Spanish bingo), cakewalk, and other activities.

There will also be student displays and presentations, door prizes, tours, and more.

The dinner of Mexican pile-on, drink, and dessert will be $8 for adults, $6 for kids 4-10, and free for children under four. Proceeds will benefit senior scholarships.

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WEATHER REPORT: BEAUTIFUL SPRING WEATHER

Yesterday's sunset.

The weather this past week has been just about as nice as it gets in west Texas. We didn’t get any rain, but with the showers of the previous week, things were still somewhat wet, the sun was shining, wildflowers were in bloom, grass was growing at record pace, temperatures were mild, and the winds were relatively light for this time of year. In short, it was nice and would be nicer if we had a few months of this kind of weather every year.

High temperature for the week was on Saturday afternoon, which topped out at 88°F. Sunday wasn’t far behind with a high of 86°. Highs reached the eighties every day except Thursday which topped out at 76°. The week’s low temperature came on Thursday morning at 51°. Other daily lows were around 60°.

The forecast is for a high of 82° this afternoon, but that will change as clouds roll in with a 50% chance of thunderstorms this evening and tonight. Tomorrow winds will shift to the northeast and the 50% chance for showers will increase to 60% on Friday before dropping to 20% for the weekend. Termperatures will reach only 68° on Friday and 75° Saturday before returning to the low eighties on Sunday and Monday.

Forecasts for next week are also mild with more chances of rain toward the end of the week.

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† FIDEL “PANCHO” ALBARRAN

A mass of Christian Burial for Fidel Albarran, 59, of Colorado City will be held tomorrow, May 2, at 10:00am at St. Ann’s Catholic Church with Father Michael Udegbunam officiating. Burial will follow at the Mitchell County Cemetery. He passed away peacefully on Sunday, April 28, at his home surrounded by loved ones after a long courageous battle with cancer.

He was born on May 25, 1959, in Guanajuato, Mexico, to Eusebio and Angela Carillo Albarran. A communicant of St. Ann’s Catholic Church in Colorado City, Fidel was known as a hard-working man who loved God and his family. He was caring and passionate and was the type of person who would give the shirt off his back to anyone who needed it. A jack-of-all-trades, he was originally a roofer in Mitchell County, but many will remember him from his 15 years of working for the City of Roscoe.

In his spare time, he spent time with his grandchildren, who were motivators for him to fight the good fight against cancer for so many years. You could find him practicing baseball with them, getting their swimming pool ready, or driving them here and there on the golf cart. He also enjoyed watching the Texas Rangers and Dallas Cowboys.

Fidel is survived by his wife of 34 years, Frances Albarran; sons Philip Castro and wife Linzee, and Diego Albarran; daughter, Brenda Martinez and husband Macario; grandchildren Lanee Castro, Mikell, Hunter, Novah, and Elijah Martinez, all of Colorado City; brothers Alberto Albarran and wife Esperanza of Mexico, David Albarran and wife Mikaela of Mexico, Eusebio Albarran, Jr., and wife Luz of North Carolina and Alfonzo Albarran of Mexico; sisters, Paulina Perez and husband Joe of Snyder, Reina Guerrero and husband Raul of Mexico, Josefina Francisco-Campos of Mexico, Bertha Comacho and husband Luis of Mexico, and Carmen Albarran of Jacksboro; several nieces, nephews, cousins, and dear friends are also left behind to cherish his memory.

He was preceded in death by his parents and by a grandson Ethan Martinez who passed in 2007.

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School Hosts Spring STEM Advisory Meeting

Roscoe School Superintendent Kim Alexander at Monday's meeting.

A large crowd was on hand at the RCISD STEM Center Monday evening to view student work and hear updates from several speakers on STEM initiatives. The audience included school board members, university faculty, administrators from Hamlin and Throckmorton, whose schools are adopting the Roscoe P-20 model, as well as local school officials, faculty, students, and others.

Before the beginning of the formal program, attendees reviewed the capstone research projects of RCHS seniors and spoke with them about the information presented on their displayed posters.

Roscoe Superintendent Kim Alexander began the evening meeting by reviewing the key aspects of Roscoe’s P-20 program—the Montessori model for the early grades, the focus on project-based learning and integration of technology, and the eventual attainment of associate degrees and industry-recognized certifications for needed workforce skills to produce college and career-ready high-school graduates. He also summarized the goals of Edu-Nation and its effects on rural education, as well as fund-raising efforts and initiatives to spread the program, including an upcoming meeting with University of Kentucky officials and visits from several interested Texas school districts.

In the absence of Dr. Brad Johnson of West Texas A&M, Dr. Alexander summarized that university’s plans to create a distributed education program in Roscoe that dovetails with RCHS efforts to bring four-year classes and bachelor’s degrees to rural settings such as Roscoe. The new program is a reality, and some Roscoe seniors are already planning to take college classes here in Roscoe in the fall. Texas Tech is also initiating a “Grow Your Own Teacher” program that will make similar offerings.

RCHS students Caleb Boren and Hannah Ward presented their national award-winning projects, and embryologist Alfonso Islas described the Roscoe vet center’s program and goals for cattle aspiration along with its hands-on training for RCHS STEM students.

Greg Wortham of New Amsterdam Global Solutions spoke of recent efforts and strategies to attain USDA funding for a hotel and convention center next to US 84 in north Roscoe. If successful, the center will also serve as state and national headquarters of Edu-Nation and house the non-traditional distributed bachelor’s degree program. 

Dr. Glenn Shinn of Texas A&M spoke of developing a P-20 system manual for student success. He and Dr. Gary Briers of Texas A&M then briefly then closed the evening program with an interactive brainstorming session with the audience to get everyone to think creatively about the effects of rural school transformation on local politics, economy, social life, technology, and the environment.

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ROSCOE FFA STUDENTS HEADED FOR STATE FINALS

The Roscoe FFA Veterinary Science team (Athena Newman, Hannah Ward, Caleb Boren, and Arwen Elmore) placed fifth in the Area II FFA contest at Tarleton State University. They will compete in the State Finals at Texas A&M on May 4.

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BLACKLAND SMOKEHOUSE TO HOST KEAN-FM FRIDAY

Abilene country radio station KEAN 105-FM will be broadcasting its “Rudy on the Road” show from 12-1pm on Friday from the Blackland Smokehouse in downtown Roscoe. Along with the show will be free giveaways and free hotdogs. Be there during that time, and you may just find yourself on the radio!

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LITTLE TEXAS AT LUMBERYARD FRIDAY

The Spring season is underway at the Lumberyard, and another big show will be this Friday evening when Little Texas comes to town.

Best known for such hits as “What Might Have Been” and “God Blessed Texas,” the group has been around since 1991 when they released their first album, First Time for Everything, with the single, “Some Guys Have All the Love,” a top ten hit. They followed in the ‘90s with six more top ten singles, including “My Love,” which hit number one. Their album Big Time was certified double platinum, Kick a Little platinum and First Time for Everything gold. However, after producing two more albums, Greatest Hits and Little Texas, the group broke up and disbanded in 1997.

They got back together seven years later with a change in lineup and released The Very Best of Little Texas: Live and Loud and a studio album, Missing Years. Their most recent release is Young for a Long Time from 2015. Top singles besides those mentioned above are “What Were You Thinkin’,” “I’d Rather Miss You,” “Kick a Little,” and “Amy’s Back in Austin.”

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

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WEATHER REPORT: MORE RAIN

There were puddles on Broadway yesterday afternoon.

The Roscoe area got another nice rain yesterday and last night. First a light shower fell at around 11 o’clock and then a second heavier one an hour or so later. By six o’clock yesterday, Kenny Landfried had recorded .91” in town and .97" at his farm just northwest of town. Then, he got .45" more last night to bring the town's total to 1.36" for both yesterday and so far today. 

Add this 1.36" to the .77" we got in town on April 6 and the 1.78" on April 13, and that brings the April total so far to 3.91", or almost four inches, which is more than double Roscoe's normal April average of 1.51".

I haven’t talked to anyone who lives south of town, but from the looks of the radar map and all the thunder and lightning in the south yesterday, that area was the beneficiary of considerably more than what fell in town, as the heaviest clouds all seemed to be south of Roscoe and moving east. I did hear that Nolan got about three inches in thirty minutes last night and that there is water everywhere there.

Up until yesterday, the area weather was generally unremarkable for this time of year. Last Thursday and Friday were relatively cool with breezy north winds and highs of 71°F both days. Saturday was noticeably warmer with bright sunshine and south winds for the City Easter Egg Hunt. Sunday was summerlike with a 91° high and a low of 60°, while Monday was cloudy and much cooler with a high of only 74°.  Then came yesterday with its cool winds and nice rain.

The forecast is for an 80% chance of more showers today before the drying out begins. Today's high is projected to reach only 59°. Normal weather returns tomorrow with partly cloudy skies and a high of 80° and a light north wind. Friday will be sunny with a high of 79° and a low of 60°. Saturday and Sunday will return to winds from the southwest and warmer temperatures with a high of 86° on Saturday and 88° on Sunday.

In the long range forecast, the rain may return next Wednesday with a 40% chance of precipitation.

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† DOROTHY MARIE WADE

Funeral services for Dorothy Marie (Butler) Wade, 92, of Roscoe are this morning at 10:00am at First Baptist Church in Roscoe with Reverend David Draper officiating and McCoy Funeral Home directing. Burial will follow at Roscoe Cemetery. She died on Friday, April 19.

She was born to J. H. and Mollie Butler on April 6, 1927, in Roscoe. She and her husband, J. B. Wade, Jr., lived in Trent, Merkel, and Roscoe. The joys of their lives were their family and friends.

She was preceded in death by her husband, J. B., and son Eddie.

Her family would like to thank the nurses, doctors, and other staff at Hendricks Collier 5th floor for the loving care given during her short stay.

Pallbearers are Steve Anthony, Don Martin, Scott Pearce, Bill Treadaway, Garland Haygood, and Ray Fried.

Memorials may be made to First Baptist Church of Roscoe or to West Texas Rehab in Abilene.

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City Council Approves Loan Request for Water Line Improvements

City Manager Cody Thompson speaks to the City Council.

At its monthly meeting in City Hall last night, the Roscoe City Council approved the request for a $1,965,000 loan from the Texas Water Development Board supplemented with $337,950 in Green Funds (which do not have to be repaid) for a total of $2,302,950. The Council also heard the City works update from the City Manager, received the City Police report for month of March, and approved other routine items.

After much discussion, the Council approved the request for the loan to improve the City’s water system. In recent years, the City has been increasingly plagued with its antiquated water lines that frequently break, leak, and cause corrosion in the water that passes through them. It has also at times recorded lead and copper violations. The loan and the state supplement will allow the necessary upgrading of the lines and provide healthier water to City residents. The loan will also permit the upsizing of PVC pipelines to replace older lines that have become too small to handle the required number of service connections. The City is also experiencing up to 42% water loss with its deteriorating water lines. In short, the improvements in the lines are not just optional but necessary as the City moves into the future. Work on line replacement will begin in about a year and, when it does, will require a monthly increase in the water, trash, and sewer bill of around $20 per household.

City Manager Cody Thompson updated the Council on current City works, saying this year’s Spring Clean-Up was successful and one of the busiest ever. He reminded members that the City Easter Egg Hunt at Old Town Park will be this Saturday beginning at 2pm and that City Hall will close at noon on Friday in observance of Good Friday.

The Council also received the Police Report for the month of March. The Department received 122 calls, issued 5 citations and 14 warnings, and handled 5 vehicle crashes.

The Council also approved some routine items, among them the annual denial of a proposed change of rates of Oncor Electric Delivery Company.

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CITY EASTER EGG HUNT SATURDAY AT 2:00

The City’s annual Easter Egg Hunt will be this Saturday, April 20, in Old Town Park, across from City Hall, starting at 2:00pm. Everyone is invited to attend, and all children encouraged to participate. Hunts will be divided into three age groups: 0-3, 4-7, and 8-12.

Bring cameras and baskets for goodies. The Easter Bunny will be there. For details, contact City Hall at 325-766-3871.

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PLOWBOYS SECOND IN AREA MEET, SEVERAL QUALIFY FOR REGIONAL

Tristan Baker finished second in the 110 meter hurdles. (Photos by Tamara Alexander.)

The Plowboys finished second at the Area Track & Field Meet in Mertzon last Wednesday, April 10, and several Plowboys and Plowgirls qualified for the Regional Meet in Lubbock next Friday, April 26.

Both male and female athletes from the twelve schools of Districts 7-2A and 8-2A competed. Here’s how the teams finished:

Men: 1) Stamford, 2) Roscoe Collegiate, 3) Cross Plains, 4) Ozona, 5) Winters, 6) Miles, 7) Albany, 8) Eldorado, 9) Christoval, 10) Hawley, 11) Forsan, 12) Haskell.

Women: 1) Haskell, 2) Christoval, 3) Stamford, 4) Eldorado, 5) Hawley, 6) Albany, 7) Miles, 8) Roscoe Collegiate, 9) Forsan, 10) Cross Plains, 11) Winters, 12) Ozona.

Jayden Gonzales won the pole vault with a height of 13’ 4”. A vaulter from Hawley also cleared the bar at 13’ 4”, but Gonzales was awarded first place for fewer misses. Tristan Baker finished second in the 110 meter hurdles after another runner knocked over one of his hurdles and he was allowed another run alone. He finished with his best time of the year at 17.02 seconds. Also finishing second were Brandon Lavalais in the shot put, Caleb Gray in the 200 meter dash, and the Plowboy 4 x 200 meter relay team. The Plowboy 4 x 100 meter relay team also qualified for Regional with a third place finish.

For the Plowgirls, Bonnie Wilkinson won the triple jump with a distance of 36’ 4”, her best so far this year. She was second in the 400 meter dash at 1:01.93 and ran the final leg of the fourth-place Plowgirl 4 x 400 meter relay team, which was just enough for them to qualify for Regional.

Here are the complete results for the Plowboys and Plowgirls:

Plowboys
Event                            Place          Athlete              Time/Distance
100 meter dash              8          Gary Shaw                        11.57
200 meter dash              2          Caleb Gray                       23.15
                                          6           Jaythan Coale                 24.18
1600 meter run              6          Caleb Reed                    5:34.85
3200 meter run             5           Caleb Reed                  12:06.26
110 meter hurdles         2           Tristan Baker                  17.02
4 x 100 meter relay       3           Plowboys                          44.72
(Tyler Guelker, Jaythan Coale, Andrew Deleon, Gary Shaw)
4 x 200 meter relay      2           Plowboys                       1:33.84
(Tyler Guelker, Caleb Gray, Jaythan Coale, Gary Shaw)
4 x 400 meter relay      6           Plowboys                       3:41.41
(Tyler Guelker, Brayan Medina, Zachary Parrott, Caleb Gray)
Shot put                          2           Brandon Lavalais           43’ 9”
High jump                      7           Tristan Baker                    5’ 8”
Pole vault                        1           Jayden Gonzales             14’ 3”

Plowgirls
Event                            Place          Athlete               Time/Distance
200 meter dash             5          Sadie McCambridge         27.44
400 meter dash             2          Bonnie Wilkinson          1:01.93
800 meter run               5          Victoria Martinez           2:43.15
1600 meter run             7          Riley Sheridan                6:46.86
4 x 400 meter relay      4          Plowgirls                          4:23.11
(Jaci Alexander, V. Martinez, Sa. McCambridge, B.Wilkinson)
Triple Jump                   1           Bonnie Wilkinson            36’ 4”

(Complete results for the Area Meet are available here.)

The Regional Meet will be in Lubbock next Friday, April 26. It will be followed by the State Meet in Austin on Friday and Saturday, May 10-11.

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TxDOT PUBLIC MEETING AT SCHOOL TOMORROW  

A public meeting to discuss the proposed improvements to the US Highway 84-Interstate 20 interchange area will be at the Roscoe School Cafetorium tomorrow, April 18, from 5:00-7:00pm. Local residents can meet the TxDOT project team, learn more about the proposed changes, review possible alternatives, ask questions, and provide input on the proposed project.

Anyone interested in this project, which will ultimately affect everyone who drives these roads, is encouraged to attend. The meeting is an informal open house, and plans and maps of the affected area will be available for reference.

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SPRING STEM ADVISORY MEETING ON MONDAY

The annual Spring STEM Advisory Meeting will be held at the STEM Center this coming Monday, April 22, starting at 6pm. (Student-led tours & poster displays begin at 5pm for those interested.)

Participants include RCISD Supt. Kim Alexander, Principal Greg Althof, and Provost Andy Wilson. Presentations will be made by high school students Andrew Deleon, Caleb Boren, and Hannah Ward.

Principal speakers for the evening are Trent McKnight of AgriCorp, Tom Luce of Texas 2036, Elizabeth Sobel of the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas, Brad Johnson of West Texas A&M, Glen Shinn of Texas A&M, and Gary Briers of Texas A&M.

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CINCO DE MAYO CELEBRATION SET FOR MAY 5

Roscoe Collegiate High School Spanish students will be hosting a Cinco de Mayo Celebration and Scholarship Dinner on Sunday, May 5th at the high school.

There will be a bounce house, face painting, mini Mercado, paletas, music, lotería (Spanish bingo), cakewalk and other activities. Students will be presenting throughout the dinner as well. The carnival is from 1:00 to 5:00 and the dinner and presentations will run from 11:30-2:30. There will be student work on display, door prizes, tours of the new areas, and student presentations.

Dinner includes Mexican Pile On, drink and dessert. Price of the dinner is $8.00 for adults and $6.00 for kids 4-10. Kids under four are free. Proceeds benefit senior scholarships. Everyone is invited.

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GRETCHEN WILSON AT LUMBERYARD SATURDAY

Gretchen Wilson

“Hell, Yeah!” The Lumberyard will be all jacked up Saturday night when redneck woman Gretchen Wilson is here for the party. A legend who’s changed the way female singers are seen in country music, she’s brought an attitude that’s been much appreciated over the years.

Born in Pocahontas, Illinois, in 1973, she started her singing career with a bang with the release of her single, “Redneck Woman,” in 2004. The song rose so rapidly in the charts that she was still broke when it hit number 1. The song won her a Grammy Award for the Best Female Country Performance, and her first album, Here for the Party, sold over five million copies earning her a 5x Multi-Platinum rating. That year, she was also named the CMA Female Vocalist of the Year, the ACM Top Female Vocalist, and ACM Top New Artist. She has been one of the top names in country music ever since.

Albums include Here for the Party, All Jacked Up, One of the Boys, I Got Your Country Right Here, Right on Time, Under the Covers, Christmas in My Heart, and Ready to Get Rowdy. She has put 13 singles on the Billboard country charts, including “Redneck Woman,” “Here for the Party,” “When I Think About Cheatin’,” “Homewrecker,” “California Girls,” “Work Hard, Play Harder,” and “All Jacked Up.” In all, she has sold more than 8 million records worldwide.

She will take the stage around 9 o’clock on Saturday evening. For reservations or more information, contact the Lumberyard at 325-766-2457. This is a rare opportunity to see her and a performance you won’t want to miss.

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WEATHER REPORT: HEAT, COLD, WIND, AND A NICE RAIN

Yesterday's sunset.

There was a little bit of everything in the weather this past week, a summerlike day that required air conditioning, followed by a cold front that required heating, a nice spring rain followed by sunny skies, and then cloudy skies yesterday to top off a week of constant change.

The hottest day of the past week came last Wednesday when the mercury topped out at 94°F. I had to turn on my air conditioner for the first time this year. Then on Saturday, a cold front blew through, dropping temperatures considerably. The high on Saturday was 54°, but that was right after midnight. The high on Saturday afternoon was only 41°, but it felt like only 30° with the accompanying 25mph north wind that kept up all day and into the night. 

The good news was that the forecasters were right about the rain that fell early Saturday morning. Here in town, Kenny Landfried recorded an official 1.78”. However, he got 2.3” at his farm west of town, and others I talked to reported amounts in the 1.5-2.5” range. The rain was welcome and has put the ground in nice shape for planting.

Sunday was a nice change with sunny skies and an afternoon high of 69°. Monday was windy but warmed up to 82°, and then yesterday was cloudy and gloomy all day with a strong south wind and a high of 70°.

The forecast for the next few days is for sunny to partly cloudy skies, continued high winds, high temperatures in the seventies and eighties, lows in the fifties, and little to no chance of rain before next Tuesday.

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† JUANITA SANTIAGO

Holy Mass of Christian Burial for Juanita “Ani” Santiago, 75, was held yesterday, April 16, at 10:00am at Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church with Father Nilo Nalugon officiating. Interment followed at Roscoe Cemetery under the direction of McCoy Funeral Home. A Prayer Vigil was held at 6:30pm Monday by Deacon David Mendez with Rosary at 7:00pm by Lupe Medellin. She was called home to be with Jesus on Friday, April 12.

Juanita was born on July 5, 1943, in Mitchell County and was a lifelong resident of Nolan County. She worked for Pace Packing Company for four years and Walls Industries for two years. She was a longtime member of Holy Spirit Catholic Parish and was an avid Texas Ranger and Dallas Cowboy fan.

She was preceded in death by her parents, Ralph and Susie Santiago, and one brother-in-law, Frank Gomez.

She is survived by five brothers and sisters, Tommy Santiago and his wife, Helen, of Edinburg; Mary Herrera and her husband, Adolf, of Roscoe; Ramona Gomez of Sweetwater; Minnie Castro and her husband, Eddie, of Roscoe; and Frankie Santiago and his wife Sheila, of Roscoe. She is also survived by five nephews, six nieces, seven great-nephews, and fourteen great-nieces, all of whom she loved, fed, and cared for as her own. She had no children of her own, but only because, according to her family, the Lord knew she would help raise so many others. She was a precious treasure to all, and the loss of her hospitality, holiday desserts, and homemade tortillas will leave a tremendous void with anyone fortunate enough to have experienced them.

Pallbearers were Peter Lopez, Andy Gomez, Eric Herrera, Moses Herrera, Kevin Lavalais and Brandon Lavalais.

--o--

† DANNY RAY ALLRED

Funeral services for Danny Ray Allred, 68, will be held tomorrow, April 18, at 2:00pm at the Roscoe Church of Christ with Dan Boren and Philip Tomlin officiating. Interment will follow at Roscoe Cemetery. A family visitation will precede the funeral at 1:00pm at the Church of Christ. He passed away on Monday, April 15.

Danny was born on July 12, 1950, in Big Spring to William Reedy and Rosa Lee Allred. After graduating high school, he joined the U. S. Army and served during the Vietnam War era.  After the military, He worked as an engineer for Union Pacific Railroad for 36 years until his retirement. He married Mary Boardman on December 16, 1989, in Lamesa. He was a lifelong member of Church of Christ in Roscoe, where he was known as “The Candyman.” (He cherished his church family). He was a member of Sweetwater Rifle and Pistol Club and a volunteer for Nolan County 4-H,  He loved to fish and hunt, spend time with his family, and support Roscoe High School sports.

Danny is survived by his wife, Mary Allred of Roscoe; daughters, Cindy Grayson and husband Jim of Elmendorf, Texas, and Marquita Helmer and husband Wesley of Merkel; “sons of the heart,” Billy Allred and wife Maria of Taylor, Roger Trescott and wife Kelly of Whittier, Alaska; grandsons, Colt Helmer of Tulsa, Oklahoma, and John Houston Grayson of Elmendorf; granddaughter, Candice Grayson of Big Spring; brother, John Roy Allred and wife Bonnie of Big Spring; sister, Darlene Lujan of Big Spring; and several nieces, nephews, and cousins.

He was preceded in death by his parents William Reedy and Rosa Lee Allred; grandson, Jay Helmer; and “son of the heart,” Bruce Hollis.

Pallbearers will be John Ruben Herrera, Caden Smith, John Grayson, Colt Helmer, Allen Pharis, and Neal Gotcher.

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RCHS Featured in National Education Report

This shot of Braxton Parrott and Andy Wilson is on the report's cover.

The Roscoe School’s innovative P-20 program is once again focused on in a report on new directions in public education. This time it’s a report by the America Achieves Educator Networks entitled, “Finding the Formula: Understanding How Schools Can Improve Student Motivation.” In fact, the illustration on the cover of the report is a photograph of RCHS Provost Andy Wilson and Braxton Parrott with a drone.

Along with Roscoe, three other initiatives of schools in Atlanta, New Orleans, and Silicon Valley are also highlighted for their methods of dealing with and increasing student motivation.

Roscoe’s program is described on pages 21-25 in a section called Promising Practices in Action. It describes the school’s partnerships with Western Texas College and four-year universities, its degree and certification programs, and its incentives that keep students engaged and motivated.

The report stresses that motivation is critical for successful student outcomes and concludes with advice for identifying ways and taking steps to increase student motivation.

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PLOWBOYS, PLOWGIRLS QUALIFY FOR AREA MEET

Jayden Gonzales won the Pole Vault with a vault of 13' 9".

At the District 8-2A Track & Field Championships in Albany last Thursday, several Plowboys and Plowgirls qualified to move on to the Area Meet at Abilene Christian University today. 

Caleb Gray won the 200 meter dash, Jayden Gonzales the pole vault, and Brandon Lavalais the shot put for the Plowboys, while Gary Shaw, Caleb Reed, Tristan Baker, and the Plowboy 4 x 200 meter relay team all finished their events as runners up.

For the Plowgirls, Bonnie Wilkinson won the triple jump and finished second in the 400 meter dash. Riley Sheridan was second in the 1600 meter run, and Victoria Martinez and Sadie McCambridge had third place finishes. 

Team Results
Varsity men: 1) Stamford, 2) Albany, 3) Roscoe Collegiate, 4) Cross Plains, 5) Hawley, 6) Haskell.

Varsity women: 1) Stamford, 2) Haskell, 3) Albany, 4) Hawley, 5) Cross Plains 6) Roscoe Collegiate

JV men: 1) Roscoe Collegiate, 2) Stamford, 3) Hawley, 4) Albany, 5) Cross Plains 6) Haskell

JV women: 1) Hawley, 2) Roscoe Collegiate, 3) Albany, 4) Stamford

Plowboys
Event                            Place          Athlete              Time/Distance
100 meter dash               2          Gary Shaw                    11.56
200 meter dash               1          Caleb Gray                    22.71
                                           4          Jaythan Coale               23.54
400 meter dash              7          Andrew Deleon            58.81
800 meter run                5          Brayan Medina           2:19.92
                                           8          Caleb Reed                   2:30.21
1600 meter run              2          Caleb Reed                   5:37.81
110 meter hurdles          2          Tristan Baker                17.41
300 meter hurdles         6          Tristan Baker                46.85
4 x 100 meter relay        3          Plowboys                       44.64
(Tyler Guelker, Jaythan Coale, Andrew Deleon, Gary Shaw)
4 x 200 meter relay       2          Plowboys                      1:32.54
(Tyler Guelker, Caleb Gray, Jaythan Coale, Gary Shaw)
4 x 400 meter relay       3          Plowboys                      3:35.02
(Tyler Guelker, Brayan Medina, Zachary Parrott, Caleb Gray)
Shot put                            1          Brandon Lavalais          44’ ½”
High jump                       4          Tristan Baker                  5’ 8”
Pole vault                         1          Jayden Gonzales           13’ 9”

Plowgirls
Event                            Place           Athlete             Time/Distance
200 meter dash              3          Sadie McCambridge      27.73
400 meter dash              2          Bonnie Wilkinson          60.23
800 meter run                3          Victoria Martinez          2:33.24
1600 meter run              2          Riley Sheridan                6:14.88
3200 meter run              5          Riley Sheridan              13:35.47
4 x 400 meter relay       4          Plowgirls                         4:34.80
(J. Alexander, V. Martinez, Sa. McCambridge, B. Wilkinson)
Shot put                           8          Shauna McCambridge   27’ 6¼”
Long jump                     10          Hartley Sager                  12’ 3”
Triple jump                      1          Bonnie Wilkinson          35’ 7”
                                           6          Jaci Alexander                30’ 8¾”

Area Meet is at Abilene Christian University today.

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CITY COUNCIL MEETING POSTPONED

The monthly meeting of the City Council, originally scheduled for yesterday evening, was postponed because of a death in the family of the City Manager.

It has been rescheduled for next Tuesday evening, April 16, beginning at 7:00pm.

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SPRING TRADES DAY SEES MANY SHOPPERS

The Community Center parking lot was full much of Saturday.

Clodhopper Trades Day on Saturday, April 6, was a huge success!! We want to thank all our vendors and everyone who came out and shopped with us!!

Next Clodhopper Trades Day will be November 9-10.

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2019 HOMECOMING ORGANIZERS LOOKING FOR HELP

Roscoe High School 1938-2010.

The 2019 RHS-RCHS Homecoming celebration is just a few months away, and the planning stage is underway. Organizers are currently looking for people to help. If you are interested in being a part of this year’s team, contact Connie Baize on Facebook or at 325-338-1287 or Teresa McFaul Watson at 325-280-1960.

You don’t have to live in Roscoe to help. Connie says we need people to research addresses, design programs, work with mail outs, etc.

The exact dates for Homecoming have not yet been set and won’t be until the 2019 Plowboy football scheduled is announced.

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TxDOT PUBLIC MEETING AT SCHOOL NEXT THURSDAY

The Texas Department of Transportation requests your attendance and input at an open house to discuss the upcoming changes to the I-20 and US 84 interchange. 

The meeting is next Thursday, April 18, from 5:00-7:00pm at the Roscoe School Cafetorium at 700 Elm Street.

The proposed interchange improvements for I-20 extend from Main Street in Roscoe to Loop 170 (Avenger Field Exit) and for US 84 from the Union Pacific railroad in Roscoe to I-20 east of town. 

The purpose is to meet the TxDOT project team, learn about the proposed project, review the proposed alternatives, ask questions, and provide comments on the proposed project.

All interested persons are invited to attend and express views on the proposed project. Written comments may also be presented at the meeting or by mail to Tracy Jones, TxDOT, Abilene District Office 4250 N. Clack, Abilene, TX 79601, by May 3.

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RCHS SPANISH CLUB TO HOST CINCO DE MAYO SCHOLARSHIP DINNER

RCHS Spanish Club welcomes door prizes and/or donations. Smaller donations will be used for the loteria (bingo) game. Larger ones will be for the silent auction. Monetary donations will be used for food items for the dinner. Donations will be publicized via social media and during the event. We appreciate your support.

For more information, contact Katie Ralph at 325-721-9629 or 325-766-3629. kralph@wtc.edu

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WEATHER REPORT: BEAUTIFUL DAYS, A NICE SHOWER

Monday morning's foggy sunrise.

Up until yesterday, the weather since last Wednesday has been just about as beautiful as anyone could ask for, with sunny skies, moderate temperatures, light breezes, and even a nice spring shower early Saturday morning.

Highs from Wednesday through Monday ranged from 76°F to 81° with lows from 52° to 58°. The rain came at about 4:30 Saturday morning and was about ¾ of an inch or a bit more with most people I talked to. The official total here in town was .77”, recorded by Kenny Landfried.

The mild weather ceased yesterday as southwest winds were strong and the temperature passed the 90° for the first time this year. The low last night only dropped to 64°, and today is forecast to be even hotter and windier with the afternoon temperature rising to 94° and southwest winds of 20mph with gusts up to 40mph. With that forecast it is no surprise that a fire weather watch is in effect for today. Tonight will also be windy with a low of 52°, and tomorrow will be considerably cooler with a high of only 68°.

Friday’s high will be around 72° with a lighter east wind, and then on Saturday we get another good chance of more rain as the wind shifts to the north. Forecasters are currently saying there’s a 90% chance of precipitation early Saturday morning. They also say that the low for Sunday morning will drop into the upper thirties, before warming to 71° Sunday afternoon and back into the low eighties on Monday.

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† SANDRA (BRAWLEY) MULANAX

A family visitation will be held tomorrow, April 11, from 6 to 8pm for Sandra Mulanax, 72, of Sweetwater. She passed away at Lubbock Covenant Hospital Saturday, April 6.

Sandra was born to Walter and Lois (Folmar) Brawley November 15, 1946, in Roscoe. She graduated from Roscoe High School in 1964 and lived in Nolan County all of her life. She married Chester Mulanax April 15, 1965, in Roscoe. He preceded her in death January 18, 1997. Sandra graduated from Simmons Memorial Hospital’s Nursing School, where she received her L.V.N. degree and worked several years as a nurse. She then worked as a Health Care Giver for many different clients before retiring.

She is survived by two sons: Jeff Mulanax & wife Kim of Midland and Eddie Mulanax & wife Charla also of Midland; a daughter, Kerry Tilley & husband Grant of Jacksonville, FL; a sister, Patsy Huntley & husband Dan of Ft. Walton Beach, FL; 13 grandchildren and 10 great grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her husband, her parents, two brothers; Dennis Wayne Brawley and Kenneth Walter Brawley.

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† COURTNEY ANN (THOMPSON) WARDEN

Celebration of life is today at 1:00pm for Courtney Ann Warden, 39, of Trophy Club, Texas, at Foust and Son Funeral Home of Grapevine. Burial will follow at Medlin Cemetery in Trophy Club followed by a reception at the Trophy Club Country Club, 500 Trophy Club Drive. She was born on August 1, 1979 and passed away on Sunday, April 7.

Courtney was loving and honest. Her life was her family and friends. She was a great wife and mother, always keeping us on our toes and loyal to a fault. She has three of the most wonderful children that she loved more than anything. She was the type of mother who not only raised her three girls but enjoyed having lots of fun with them. She was not afraid of difficult situations or of stepping in to lend a hand whenever needed. There was no judgement in her soul, and she was always there for the right reasons.

Courtney's list of accomplishments is long but without asking her you would never know. She was the very essence of humility and modesty. She was an Airline Pilot and enjoyed flying and all the friendships that came with it. She was also a Crossfit beast, marathon runner, and pickleball fanatic. She enjoyed her youth as a competitive swimmer and growing up close to her family. Her favorite times always included her sister Christa, who has always been her best friend. Never far away was her cousin Tiffany to share in the fun. Courtney also enjoyed a special bond with both her parents whom she loved very much.

Though she's leaving us far too early, she truly lived her life to the fullest and will forever be with us in our hearts and minds.

She is survived by her husband, Andy Warden; daughters Maddy, Hadley, and Lexi; sister, Christa Broadie and husband Clint; mother, Cathy Butler Thompson; father, Cody Thompson; and numerous extended family and friends.

In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital or MD Anderson Cancer Center.

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