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Sunday, October 28, 2007

Another Fall Festival, FCAA Meeting Monday


We attended Roby's Fall Festival and Haunted House last night. There was a large turnout. I was surprised that the biggest hit at the carnival was where you paid one ticket to go to jail (actually, just a cage, pictured to the right). The kids loved it and could hardly wait to get locked up. Hopefully, this is something that won't continue over into adulthood.

Before going through the haunted house, we analyzed how scary it could be. Surely we could not be traumatized or have bad dreams. Boy, were we wrong! Right after the gruesome guide shut the door and said "There's no turning back, now", we screamed until we stumbled out the back door. It was only me and my daughter, just in case you know my husband and son. I don't want you to think they were squealing like girly-girls. But Jess and I gave it all we had. We were thinking about going to the haunted house in Snyder next Wednesday, but we've decided we prefer the nicer side of Halloween, like neat costumes and cake and candy.

I've been working hard (kind of) to chart the Hobbs Cemetery, but I found this informative site called Find a Grave, where you can look up cemetery information. I noticed that it names Grady Cemetery, but doesn't have any of the interred listed. The site has a down-loadable document that you can use to add people to a graveyard, and also there are requests for photos. I like the cumulative information format. You know, everyone pitching in to make the picture whole.

I'm trying to find a good Halloween cake recipe to make a cake for the party that Jess's piano teacher, Ms. B, is throwing next Wednesday night. Some places I've looked is the Hershey's Kitchens, Martha Stewart, and Better Homes & Gardens. I haven't found exactly what I want yet, but I had fun looking at the sites.

Oh, and if you want to have your child take piano or guitar lessons, you can e-mail Ms. B for specifics. I think she also teaches cello and some other instruments, but you would have to ask her. That's in Sweetwater. She is a talented teacher.

I also wanted to let everyone know that the Frank Cockrell Art Association will be holding a meeting October 29, 6 p.m. at Larry Williamson's office, just south of the courthouse in Roby. Ricky Niell will be doing a Terragen demonstration and a Microsoft Picture It! image editing demonstration. You do not have to be a member to attend.

That's all, and more than enough, for one session. Enjoy the last week of October!

Thursday, October 25, 2007

Frost and Halloween, Fall is Here, Almost, Soon...

It's right around the corner, anyway! We had light frost on the windshield this morning, and it's a fact that Halloween is next week, so I know that Autumn has to be around here somewhere.

We have many things that probably need to be dealt with around here, but we just leave alone, and one of those things is that we have bats. A few creeped out from under the roof tin the other day to hang around. We also have a couple of black cats (not to mention a bunch of other color of cats) and some pumpkins, so we're set for the holiday.

We ordered a costume from Moon Costumes. I think it's too late, though, and we won't get it until after Halloween.

If you're in the mood to shop for creepy things, go on over to ebay's metaphysical auctions, where you can buy haunted items. There's a lot of other weird stuff on there, too.

I got that tip from the Kovel's newsletter about antiques and collectibles. I don't collect, but they are entertaining and have pictures of interesting and unusual things that you don't usually see, or haven't seen in a long time.



On to the headlines for the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record October 25, 2007 issue:
  • Amendment Election Nov. 6
  • Local Student Accepted Into UTPB Music Program (photo)
  • Friends of Faith to meet Nov. 3
  • Rotan Receives Award (photos)
  • Chamber Steak Dinner Photo
  • Roby & Rotan Lions Clubs Collecting Used Eye Wear for Sight Night
  • Obituaries for Frank Odell Cockrell, Ermando Barrera, and Jerry Boone
  • Storage Lien Car for Sale
  • Rotan ISD School Board Vote to Uphold Level II Hearing
  • State Bid Legal Notices
  • County Auditor's Annual Financial Report
  • Ag Day Article
  • Roby CISD Honor Roll
  • Recipe Corner: Low-Fat Sugar Free Chocolate Mayonnaise Cake
  • Winners of Pie & Cake Contest Announced (photo)
  • Classified Ads (735-2562 to place yours)
  • Yellowhammers Sports Review (photos)
  • Lions Sports Review (photos)
  • Fisher County Financial Report
  • Fisher County Weekly School Calendar
  • Comptroller Seeks Owners of Forgotten Funds
  • 4-H'ers Host Fall Festival & Haunted House
  • Joy Walker's Fisher County Round-Up
  • Fisher County Hospital Board Meeting Minutes
  • Sheriff's Report
  • Public Notice of Atmos Raising Rates
  • Co-op Formed to Offer More Access for Health Insurance
  • TX Dept. of Agriculture Market Recap
  • Hog Fest Photos
  • Neugebauer Announces Mobile Office Hours for Nov.
  • Haskell Livestock Auction Report
Keep your eye on the sparrow! Better get that firewood cut, 'cause cold will be here 'fore you know it. TTFN!

Monday, October 22, 2007

Frank Odell Cockrell Dies at 79

Rotan's beloved Frank Cockrell died yesterday at the age of 79. Visitation is going on now at the Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home until 8 p.m. Graveside services will be 10 a.m. Tuesday at the Hobbs Cemetery.

Sunday, October 21, 2007

Some Items of Mention

Here are a few things that have been floating around in my head that I wanted to mention.

There's a good & simple taco place in Sweetwater that's purt' near heavenly. It is La Casita on Lamar Street, close to the Alabama intersection. Oh, man, homemade tortillas and expertly prepared fillings will have you saying "mmmm"!

I found Cactus Creek Web Design on line by accident. They have links to the businesses they design for, check them out.

See if you have Unclaimed Property in Texas. You can search by name, business or town. I found a substantial amount for my dad. Maybe you can make someones day (or your own) by finding them some funds. I'm getting a steak dinner out of the deal.

You can get a free credit report annually. This is a handy link. I recently found that someone was using our PO Box address for inquiries on credit, and I wanted to make sure they weren't using our names or private info, so I just pulled a report. Very useful.

That's all for now, have a good week!

Fall Fest Weekend

We went to two fall festivals this weekend and managed a good time even though the wind tried to blow our heads off.

The Roscoe Fall Wind Festival was a big hit. There was a silent auction, vendors, music, games and a busy concession area (nachos!) inside the community center.

The Wild Hog Fest was just changing speed when we got there. Most of the vendors were closing down and it looked like everyone was gearing up for the Hogg Maulies and Matt Martindale. I snapped a photo of one of the little feral pigs that the hog dealer had in a pen. He said that they can't buy any under 60 pounds, so they usually just let them go. I always kind of feel sorry for them when I see a bunch all caged up. Just be sure not to stick your hand in the cage, no matter how cute they look. Your fingers would be in danger of missing if you did that.

Here are the headlines for the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record October 18, 2007 issue:
  • Rotan City Council Appoints Matt mercer as New City Attorney
  • Rotan Gin Fire Ruled Arson (photo)
  • Photo of Debris the City Burned on Condemned Property
  • October 18 Declared Frank Cockrell Day in Fisher County (photo)
  • Fisher County Boot Scoot & Wild Hog Fest Oct 18 & 20
  • Fisher County Hog Fest 5K Run/Walk
  • Obituary for Betty Jo (Kennedy) Helms McCright (photo)
  • Roby School Board Reviews Monthly Reports, Informed on Meetings with Airtricity
  • Fisher County Historical Commission Visits Mac Etheredge
  • Tumbleweed Smith: Finding Jim Killeen
  • Rotan ISD Honor Roll
  • Rotan & Roby Schools Weekly Calendar
  • News Briefs: AA Organizational Meeting; Mens Breakfast
  • Rotan Yellowhammers Sports Review (photo)
  • Roby Lions Sports Review (photo)
  • Joy Walker's Fisher County Round-Up
  • DAR Meeting Minutes, Centennial Cookbooks Available
  • A Tribute to Frank Cockrell
  • Clearfork Health Center Message from Dr. C.M. Callan
That's all for this week! Get your subscription to the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record by calling 325-735-2562 or e-mailing radvance@bigcountry.net to get the story behind the headlines.

Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Auditor A No Show, Matt Mercer Appointed as City Attorney

Not much to report from tonight's Rotan City Council Meeting. Mainly, the auditor did not show and has communicated that she will not have a draft until the end of this week or the beginning of the next. The next regular meeting is scheduled for Nov. 19, but the Mayor indicated a special meeting will probably be called to deal with the audit. Also, Matt Mercer was appointed as the new city attorney. To read more details on this meeting, pick up a copy of the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record on Thursday.

Saturday, October 13, 2007

Rotan City Council Meeting October 16, Audit to be Presented

Headlines for the October 11, 2007 issue of the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record:
  • Rotan City Council Meeting, Oct. 16, 6:30 p.m., the Audit will be presented by Merrit / McClain from Abilene
  • Boot Scoot and Wild Hog Fest, Oct. 18 & 20 (photos)
  • Boot Scoot Cake Baking & Pie Contest, Oct. 18, Airport
  • Hog Fest Walk / Run, Oct. 20, 7 a.m., Sr. Citizens Building
  • Roby First Baptist Church Revival, Oct. 14 – 17
  • Rotan Eighth Grade Fajita Luncheon, Oct. 14, 11 a.m., $6.00
  • Frank Cockrell Art Association (formerly Fisher County Art Assoc.) Hangs Murals Downtown (photos)
  • Obituaries for Merle Wayne Burns & Joe Frances Clark
  • Notice of Amendment Election Nov. 6
  • Roby City Council Approves Purchase of Vehicle
  • Annual McCaulley Fall Fish Fry (very good photo!), Oct. 17
  • Flu Shots Available at Roby Rural Health Clinic
  • Tumbleweed Smith: Big Spring’s Foremost Animal Lover
  • Fisher County Hospital Board Adopts Budget, Sets Tax Rate
  • Rotan Junior High & Elementary Honor Roll
  • Rotan & Roby Schools Weekly Calendar
  • State Comptroller Releases Texas Unclaimed Property
  • Joy Walker’s Fisher County Round-Up
  • Commissioners Hold Special Meeting on Wind Farms, Review Steps for Tax Abatement
  • Fisher County Commissioners Court Approves Cell Phone Plan; Fields Monthly Reports
  • News Briefs: Red Ribbon Week; Annual Sausage Supper; Men’s Breakfast; Diabetes Program; Fisher County Boot Scoot & Hog Fest
  • Randy Neugebauer’s Newsletter: Immigration Reforms; Internet Tax; Attacks Against the Word “God” in D.C.
  • Members of the Fisher County Chamber of Commerce
  • Wedding Announcement for Heather Vincent & Casey Lester
  • Grand Champion Mare (photo)
  • Rotan Yellowhammers Sports Report & Photos
  • Roby Lions Sports Report & Photos

Saturday, October 6, 2007

Elmer Kelton Book Signing

- Elmer & Anni Kelton -
We attended the Elmer Kelton book-signing party this morning at the City-County Library in Sweetwater. Elmer is pictured to the right with his wife of sixty years, Anni. There were a lot of notable people attending, including Mike Brentz, Jeff Stein, Ann Roberts, John Boggs and Evelyn White. Two Hastings employees were there selling Mr. Kelton's books for signing. It seemed appropriate for western artist Barry Arthur to be the October artist of the month, setting a nice background for the event. More information about library events and calendar can be found at www.sweetwaterlibrary.org.

An upcoming event that I would like to mention is the 1st Annual West Texas Harvest Wind Festival, Saturday, October 20th, 10-6 p.m. at the Roscoe Community Center. Activities include arts & crafts, retail vendors, entertainment, food, kids activities, a job fair, and exhibits. Details can be found at www.roscoewind.org.

Tom Hargrove identified the man in the picture with him of the cotton tree which was previously posted on this site. He is Brehima Dagnoko, program manager for the Group for Research and Training in Arboriculture and Agriculture. The photo was taken in Koutiala, a village in the Sahel, or semi-desert south of the Sahara, in Mali, West Africa.

Tom also had some good news regarding Long March to Freedom, his Colombia book (actually, his secret diary that he managed to smuggle out), and his book A Dragon Lives Forever: War and Rice in Vietnam’s Mekong Delta. Even though Dragon is a Vietnam War memoir, one chapter is about growing up in Fisher County, another is about being in the Corps of Cadets at Texas A&M during the mid-1960s. The books were originally published by Random House, then later by Tom himself. Presently, the Texas A & M University Press is republishing both books through the TAMU Press. Long March to Freedom will be released this month and in six months, A Dragon Lives Forever will be released. Go to www.tamu.edu for more about Tom Hargrove's literature.

Now, onto the headlines for this week's issue for the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record:

  • Tammy Morton Named JP Precinct 1
  • Sweetwater Approves Purchase of Renewable Energy Credits through CAPP Program
  • Joe Heflin Named Legislator of the Year by County Judges and Commissioners Association of Texas
  • Pre-K Rotan Photos with Mini-horses
  • See You at the Pole photo
  • Letter to the Editor by Elen Christopher suggests that we “forgive and forget” the $45,000 missing from City Funds
  • Eilene Cave Celebrates 90th Birthday (photo)
  • Engagement Announcement for Cassie Dawn Terry & Jason Terrell Beaird (photo)
  • Roby Class of 1956 Reunion Recap
  • 8th Grade Fajita Luncheon October 14, Rotan Cafeteria
  • Birth Announcement for Kaden Royce Walden (photo)
  • Roby Class of 1957 Recap and Group Photo
  • Gamma Tau & DAR Tour Callan Museum (photo)
  • Angel Velez Places in South Plains Fair
  • Roby Lions Sports Report & Photos
  • Obituaries for Alice Lee Kemp Ballenger & Vivian Louise Rogers Dunnington
  • Joy Walker’s Fisher County Round-Up
  • Recipe Corner: Chicken Frito Pie
  • Weekly Calender for Roby & Rotan Schools
  • Rotan Yellowhammers Sports Report & Photos
For those of you who may not know, Rosemary Donham is the editor and owner of the newspaper. She and her staff do a fine job, and if I had my own hardcopy paper, I would model it after hers. Have a good weekend!