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Sunday, August 24, 2008

The end of Summer

Maybe not the end of the heat, although we didn't have too much of that this week, but signs are definitely pointing towards fall with the start of school, the Fisher County Rodeo and Halloween products already on the shelves. That last is probably not so much a sign of the season as a sign of overzealous commerce.

Deputy Gary Clark was helping two little girls gather candy at the parade when I snapped this photo. They totally took advantage of him, running all around while he tried to keep them from snatching candy out from under horses and tractors.

Here are the headlines for the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance August 21, 2008 issue:
  • Johnny Brock receives Ten Year Pin
  • Fisher County Fair and Rodeo to be held Aug. 22 & 23
  • Fisher County Rodeo 2008
  • Roby Band Boosters meeting
  • Donation to Roby Volunteer Fire Dept. (photo)
  • Justin Stuart takes 3rd at State 4-H horse show (photo)
  • Prevention of child abuse (photo of DA)
  • Roby Booster Club to serve hamburger supper Aug. 26
  • Rotan Council meets with resident about water bill, sets tentative tax rate
  • Rotan ISD essentials list (arrival times, staff, mealtimes, etc.)
  • Citation by public
  • Lions Report
  • Rotan Economic Development meeting
  • Public notice for hospital board meeting
  • Check out the gifts at "The House of Fine Gifts" located in The Newspaper Office
  • Sunny Helms graduates from Belmont University (photo)
  • Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
  • Roby taking resumes for city manager
  • Notice to creditors
  • Randy's Roundup
  • Western Texas College nursing graduation and pinning ceremony (photos)
  • Birth announcement for Evan David Cave
  • Meet the Lions Aug. 26
  • Fisher County Fair & Rodeo queen contestants (photos)
  • Tumbleweed Smith: Traveling with a monkey
  • Recipe Corner: Tasty Tuna Pasta
  • Fisher County Historical Commission meets
  • Accidental death of George McClesky
  • News Briefs: Hog Fest Bike Rally meeting; Public Notices
This coming Friday, Aug. 29, Roby Lions will be playing Irion County in Sweetwater and Rotan Yellowhammers will play Ranger in Ranger. Both games will start at 7:30.

Sunday, August 17, 2008

Notorious


If you don't have a newspaper subscription, you will want to sign up for further news and also back-order the latest issue.

People around this county have been talking about the notorious Clarks, father and son duo (Donnie & Gary) that work for the sheriff's department. I thought it was idle gossip, but this week the "Clark Boys" were made infamous by being set in print.

I absolutely adore Mrs. Donham's way of reporting, which is to print meeting minutes verbatim. I think it's funny how county and city meetings go along with tedious run-of-the-mill items such as budget approvals and what-not, tum-de-dum, then, kapow! Fangs are bared and talons are out, a free-for-all is on.

Anyway, words were said and opinions expressed at the latest commissioners meeting and you will not want to miss the details of this story. There's a secondary meeting where they discussed where and whether bikers will be able to hold a rally in October in Rotan.

Rain has been the main theme of this weekend. We received 2.7 inches yesterday and it's still muggy and rainy looking outside. I hope it stays this way all day. The photo above is of our tank, only I flipped it upside down to make the reflection the main focus.

Here are the Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance headlines for the August 14, 2008 issue:
  • Rotan schools to start Aug. 25
  • Commissioners Court heats up over raises for deputies
  • Commissioners grant permission to Chamber for use of courthouse square for Hog Fest activites, grants bikers use of arena in Rotan
  • Roby City Manager Mickey Kelly resigns, Roby council adopts dog ordinance
  • Early look at the Lions (photo)
  • Obituaries for Walter Lloyd Smith, Sr. (photo), J.D. Price, Annie Mae Richardson and Rodriquez Gonzales Munoz
  • Advisory Council holds meeting
  • Recipe Corner: West Texas Stack Up
  • Roby Athletic Booster Club meeting
  • Cameron Thornton finds giant grub worm (photo)
  • Commissioner Staples to address agricultural issue at Big Country Wheat Conference
  • Clearfork Groundwater meeting 8 a.m. Aug. 19 at the USDA office in Roby
  • Hospital board to hold meeting 6:30 p.m. Aug. 25 in the hospital dining room, public meeting at 6:45
  • Public hearings on tax increase: 9 a.m. Aug. 21 and 9 a.m. Aug. 28, both in the court house
  • Fisher County proposed budget meeting 9 a.m. Aug. 25 at the courthouse
  • Rosemary Donham named to 2008 Media Honor Roll
  • Sheriff's report
  • Rotan ISD to hold public meeting 7 p.m. Aug. 25 in the Learning Resource Center
  • Rotan Elementary School list
  • Fisher County Financial report
  • Local young ladies attend Texas Brigade Camp (photo)
  • Auto accident investigated (photo)
  • Fisher County Historical Society meets
  • Rotan school board hears from citizens requesting to implement softball program
  • Freddie & Lovelle Stuart celebrate 50th wedding anniversary (photo)
  • Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
  • Tumbleweed Smith: Ranger's Historic One-stop Store
  • Tumbleweed Smith to lead radio program at Western Texas College, Snyder
  • Western Texas College receives gift from Invenergy Wind LLC
  • WTC registration Aug. 21
  • Calling all Rotan sheep and goat exhibitors for validation tags
  • Roby pool closes
  • Hammer football
  • Proposed salary increases for Fisher County elected officials
  • Venomous widow
  • Randy's Roundup: Standing up for lower energy costs and America's energy security; congratulations to the Lubbock Chamber of Commerce; coming soon - energy & economy updates
I also want to mention that the paper has an editor's column that begins on the front page and is full of all kinds of tidbits. I don't outline it because it is more of a personal nature, but it's an integral part of the paper. Can't you see how badly you need a subscription? Who would want to miss out on any of this news?

I hope I will be able to get a photo of Randy Etheredge's house going down the road. He has moved into Sam & Roxie's house and his house is going to be moved. Hope I'm not elsewhere when it happens.

I would like to wish Jessica Galloway and her family good luck in their new endeavors. She'll be missed at the store.

Georgie McGough is now selling Avon and you can place your orders here (click!).

Ya'll have a good week and remember that the Fisher County Rodeo is next weekend.

Sunday, August 10, 2008

A cross-eyed mule and a leaky barn roof

That was all The Terminal Advance, a newspaper published in Fisher County's White Flat area, could tout in 1906.

One issue of the Terminal sold on ebay this week for $83.45, offered by Paperworks of Austin. Apparently, White Flat was the terminal point for the Texas Central Railway, hence the newspaper name, and soon to be the site of Rotan. Seems like not much was going on around there at that time, as the writer was really having to reach for a story. I can't imagine what it would be like to be in the middle of nowhere with a fancy printing press at my disposal. Some sort of writer's bliss, for sure.

Today you can buy a 1929 Rotan class ring and a 1950 Yellowhammers year book off of ebay. I couldn't find anything on Hobbs. Not the Texas Hobbs, anyway.

I've posted the football schedules below for Rotan and Roby. I got my free schedules at Thriftway in Rotan. Just click on the schedule for a larger view. I believe Rotan, Roby and Sweetwater schools will all start Aug. 25.

Now for the newspaper rundown.

Roby Star Record / Rotan Advance for August 7, 2008:
  • Hammers poised for surprise run (photo)
  • Lions two-a-days (photo)
  • Roby CISD returns to school
  • Expectations high for Rotan volleyball (photo)
  • Commissioners enact burn ban
  • Captain David Nowlin takes command of Headquarters Company, 7th Communications Battalion (photo)
  • Garrett Dowell awarded TILF Scholarship
  • Incumbents file for re-election, newcomer Dana Groat
  • Obituaries for Delbert Oran Bridges, Ruby Francis Smith Green (photo), and Garland Moore (photo)
  • Fisher County Sheriff's report
  • Visit the Clothes Closet in Roby, M-F, 9-4
  • Airman Joedon Carrillo graduates Basic Training (photo)
  • Filing for Roby school board open until Aug. 26
  • Upcoming Olympic games anticipated by many
  • Rotan Class of 1948 reunion (photo)
  • Representative Joe Heflin urges attendance of hearing in Lubbock, Aug. 12, 1 p.m., of the Select Committee on Property Tax and Appraisal Reform
  • Grievance Committee convened Aug. 8 to discuss salary grievance
  • Roby CISD school supply list
  • First Financial to open new bank in Merkel (photo)
  • Tumbleweed Smith: Enjoying Summer is all in the Attitude
  • Roby CISD bus route changes
  • Fisher County school ratings
  • Fisher County Rodeo Queen contestants needed
  • Cullen Terry had a 90th birthday party yesterday at the FBC in Roby
  • 2008 Fisher County Fair
  • 4-H District Fashion Show and dress review (photo)
  • Randy's Roundup: Standing up for our troops and veterans; coming soon - energy & economy updates in the 19th district
  • Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
  • Rotan Booster Club meeting
  • Notice of calculation of effective tax rate
  • Fisher County Rodeo 2008, Aug. 22-23
  • Rotan and Roby Coaches (photos)
  • Commissioner Staples announces approval of Crazy Ant treatment, Termidor SC
  • Pet care for your fuzzy friend this summer
Get your subscription by emailing radvance@rotanadvance.com.





Sunday, August 3, 2008

All the stars up in the sky


I got up a five this morning, made a pot of coffee, then stepped out on the front porch and remembered why I truly love country living. Standing there in my pajamas I could see every star ever created and not a neighbor in sight to see me in my wherewithals. And it was quiet, except for some crickets. I'm telling ya, folks, there ain't nothin' better than a beautiful Texas morning.

There were stars shooting all over the place, but I couldn't find a calendar listing a meteor shower this a.m. I woke Jess up to show her, so I have a witness. We also saw a little flash of lightening off to the southeast, but I couldn't find anything on radar.

The photo today is from the StarDate website for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory. You can figure out how to identify constellations and all other kinds of things astronomical.

My friend Judy Green has a website, Sweet Cottage Charm, that you should check out. It's a Texas/Vegas mix with a lot of beautiful photos and daily chronicles. She also has an ebay profile where she sells sea shells by the seashore. Not really, she sells elaborate, upmarket items.

Okay, here are the essential headlines for the Roby Star / Rotan Advance July 31, 2008 issue:

  • Rotan School Board approves change of order of election, hires four new teachers
  • Filing for Roby School Board opened July 27
  • Rotan YHQ special registration
  • Hobbs teacher of the year (photo)
  • Start thinking about your entries for the Fisher County Fair, Aug. 22 - 23
  • Roby High School band camp
  • Annual tax-free weekend scheduled for Aug. 15-17
  • Fisher County Hospital Board tables bid property, approves purchase of chemistry analyzer, approves raise
  • Obituary for Dolores Mijares (photo)
  • Faith comes through for soldiers (photo)
  • Letter to Editor: Snake in the bathtub
  • Notice of registered sex offender James Don Gandy
  • Gabel Family Reunion
  • Randy's Roundup: America's energy independence, standing up for taxpayers and supporting our economy, failing to address Medicare's future shortfall, CRP update
  • Tumbleweed Smith: A palace on wheels
  • Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
  • Fisher County Queen contestants needed
  • Sheriff's Report
It's time for that vacation to Ruidoso or Colorado as the mercury will rise to 100 & Jeez! The weatherman says we'll cool off to the mere 90's by midweek. Be cool, stay cool!