Jones County to house prisoners

A brief commissioners court meeting in Fisher County this morning yielded a tidbit of information when Sheriff Tom Pohlman reported a problem transferring incident tracking numbers. 

"We've had some issues with our TRN numbers, and getting numbers, because of the transfer of the jail to Jones County, and we seem to have a plan now in place to resolve this," Pohlman stated during the meeting.

Fisher and Jones County Commissioners agendas and meeting minutes do not mention an agreement for housing inmates between the two counties, but evidence points to there being one.

Cross-referencing between the Fisher County inmate list and VINE records, six of the nine inmates were shown to have been transferred from Scurry County on Sept 11. VINE does not say where they were transferred to, but the sheriff's comment indicates Jones County.

Prisoners have been kept at the Scurry County facility for the past year or so. Fisher County closed their jail in August 2023, and it has been used as a 72 hour detention center since that time.

Sources:

• Double Mountain Chronicle Facebook (commissioners meeting video)
  
• Fisher County Sheriff (Inmate List at bottom)
  
• VINE (Victim Notification Network)

CAD to meet Wednesday

The Fisher County Appraisal District Board will meet November 13 at 7 a.m. The meeting will take place at the CAD offices across the street from the courthouse in Roby.

Items on the agenda include consideration and approval of: Eagle Property Tax Consulting contract; switching to Global Technologies phone services; designation of excess funds; homestead audit plan; and a chief appraiser's report regarding restitution.

Members of the board of directors are Hunter Stuart, David Mullins, Chris Kiser and Michael Noell. 

Sources:

• Fisher CAD notice of meeting
• Fisher CAD

Commissioners meet Tuesday

Fisher County Commissioners Court will convene Tuesday, November 12. The meeting will be at 9 a.m. in the courthouse in Roby.

One of the items of business is approval of an order for the Innovative Solar 245 Indigo (Limited Liability Corporation) Solar Reinvestment Zone. A resolution for the project was approved during the August 12 meeting. The planned location is about 6 1/2 miles south of Sylvester.

The development is expected to include buildings, structures, and other improvements and fixtures, including but not limited to: fixed machinery; equipment and process units which may consist of one or more electrical substations; underground and overhead electrical distribution and transmission facilities; modules, trackers, transformers, appurtenant electric equipment, containers, batteries, communication cable, and data collection facilities.

The estimated cost is $300,000,000.

Commissioners will have a public hearing in which they will discuss and vote on a tax abatement agreement for the project. That will take place December 9, at the monthly meeting.

Sources:

• Fisher County Commissioners meeting agenda November 12
• Public hearing and commissioners meeting December 9

Information:

• Comptroller of Texas Tax Increment Reinvestment Zone
• Comptroller of Texas Property Tax Abatement Act
• Tax Abatement Act, Texas Statute

Out west and around the county

- Trencher, west of Hobbs -

Work on the City of Rotan water project is continuing out in the Hobbs area. It's pretty busy west of the Hobbs School, in eastern Scurry and western Fisher counties. Equipment and vehicles hauling pipes can be seen going up and down the state and county roads.

The commissioners court is going to be interesting next week, in light of the outcome of the Fisher County election. Simon Wade, former sheriff, who resigned last March, won the race by an overwhelming margin. Tom Pohlman, a sheriff's department employee at the time of Wade's resignation, was appointed as sheriff after Wade's departure. There's an article in the Double Mountain Chronicle this week that explains the situation. 

The commissioners court regular meeting is set for November 12. A special meeting to conduct the local canvass is slated for the following week, November 18.

Three and half inches or so of rain was measured in the Hobbs area last week. More rain is expected today and tomorrow, spurred by an upper level low coming through. Severe weather is predicted.

Sources:

• Double Mountain Chronicle
• Fisher County
• National Weather Service

November public auctions 2024

Sheriff sales will be held Tuesday, November 5.

Nolan County: 

• Sheriff's Sale, 10 a.m., at the courthouse. This is for two pulling units. Information comes from Public Notice #6049 in the Sweetwater Reporter, published in the October 19-20 Weekend Edition.
  
• Trustee Sale, 1 p.m., at the courthouse. The property up for auction is located at 1409 McCaulley Street in Sweetwater. Information for the house and lot can be found on the Nolan County Clerk page.
• Foreclosure sale, 1 p.m., at the courthouse: A mobile home located at 1105 West Louisiana Street in Sweetwater. The listing can be found on Auctions.com.

Scurry County:

• Sheriff's Sale, 10 a.m., at the courthouse. One property out at Fluvanna,14103 County Road 2214. Cause # 27253, published in The Snyder News, October 23.
• Foreclosure sales: 1 p.m., at the courthouse. Three properties up for bid: 3600 40th Street, 3010 38th Street, and 11236 State Highway 208. Information is posted on the Scurry County Foreclosure page.
• Storage room auctions, currently open for bidding, ending November 7. Contents of seven storerooms in Snyder can be bid on at Self Storage Auction. Notice printed in the October 25 edition of The Snyder News.
  

Mitchell County:

• Foreclosure sale: October 27-29, online. 700 County Road 157, out by Dunn. Zip is in the Colorado City postal area. Information can be found at ServiceLink Auction.
   

Texas Communities Group has a property in Sweetwater up for bid, 1510 Bell. That auction ends November 16.

Perdue Brandon does not have any local tax sales listed.

Voting method explained

The Rotan Independent School District uses cumulative voting to elect school board members. 

With this method, each candidate gets as many votes as there are open seats. 

Rotan has a seven member school board. There are four seats available this election, with seven candidates running. 

Each candidate has their name on the ballot four times.

Voters can cast none, one, two, three, or four votes in this race, in any array: vote four times for one candidate; give two different candidates two votes; give two candidates one vote and one candidate two votes; vote one time for one candidate; etc.

The school has been using this method since 1995.

A tale of two stores

- Dollar Generals, Fisher Co -

Construction of the new Dollar General Stores in Rotan and Roby wrapped up this week.

I'm really looking forward to the grand opening of these businesses. I drove to Sweetwater for a new coffee maker this morning. It would have been nice to drive 13 miles instead of 30. 

Snyder is closer to my house, only 21 miles, but I had to go to Rotan and Roby to take these photos. I like the Sweetwater Walmart better, anyway.

I hope they cut those ribbons, soon. I'm ready to buy cat food, Snickers, ballpoint pens, Windex, motor oil and milk in Fisher County.

Brooks to take over attorney duties, county to get new dozer

The Fisher County Commissioners Court met Tuesday, October 15, 9 a.m., at the Fisher County Courthouse. All commissioners were present, along with: County Judge Ken Holt; Jessika Daniel, filling in for County Clerk Pat Thomson; Joy Dennis, filling in for County Auditor Becky Mauldin.

After a call to order, an unnamed young man made a public comment. Topics he covered: housing inmates; public vote to close jail; use of funds; his former employment at precinct 2 (some back and forth between  precinct 2 commissioner and this fellow afterward, shut down by the judge reminding the commissioner this was a public comment); the new budget; Senate Bill 22 funds; staff undeserving of budgeted 5% raise; ashamed to live in this county. Those in the courtroom gallery applauded when he finished.

Departmental reports were made by: Extension Agent Nick Dickson; an unnamed representative standing in for County Treasurer Jeanna Parks; Dennis (Mauldin) for the county auditor; Sheriff Tom Pohlman for the Law Enforcement Center. There was no report for the Senior Citizens Center. The reports were unanimously approved by commissioners.

New business items started off with conflict of interest bills, which Dennis (Mauldin) reported none.

Dennis (Mauldin) then reported line item transfers. Three items were transferred from non-departmental funds for shortfalls : $5,000 to maintenance; $10,000 to IT, for a bill from last year; $20 to the district clerk. Commissioners approved unanimously.

Each precinct's Tax Increment Financing left over from last year was moved to the new budget: precinct 1, $9,309.88; precinct 2, $15,518.66;  precinct 3, $54,837.63; precinct 4, $13,077.38. Commissioners approved unanimously.

The burn ban was reinstated, approved unanimously by commissioners.

Dennis (Mauldin) came before the court to explain and ask for approval for the difference in price for the LEC (sheriff's department) Kologic contract ($10,000 line item transfer). The court previously approved $54,270 for the contract, but the latest invoice was for $55,350, a difference of $10,080. Kologic said it was for a new user. Commissioners approved unanimously.

Dennis (Mauldin) asked commissioners to approve the annual financial report for publication. There were questions from Commissioner Preston Martin regarding reconciliation of accounts. The item was tabled.

Judge Holt brought the next item to the court: the usage of Morgan Brooks for Fisher County Attorney, beginning January 1, 2025. Brooks won the March primary, and is currently running unopposed in the upcoming election for Nolan County Attorney. Cost for Brooks will be $3,500 per month. Commissioners approved unanimously.

Deliberation put forth by Commissioner Gordon Pippin, regarding the One Way building and the sheriff's storage building, was concluded by being tabled until work bids are received.

Commissioners unanimously approved the 2025 Indigent Defense Grant program.

Use of $100,000 of American Rescue Plan Act funds, for purchase of a new John Deere dozer to be shared amongst the precincts, was passed with three votes; Commissioner Martin voted against getting a new tractor. The total cost of the equipment is projected to be $286,000.

Commissioner Micah Evans gave an information only report regarding millings that the Texas Department of Transportation donated to the county, before court was adjourned.

Notes:

• Commissioners: Precinct 1, Gordon Pippin; Precinct 2, Dexter Elrod; Precinct3, Preston Martin; Precinct 4, Micah Evans
• Senate Bill 22 (SB22)
  
• Tax Increment Financing (TIF)
  
• Texas Indigent Defense Grant opportunities
• American Rescue Plan Act info (ARPA)
  

Ballot info, early voting Oct 21; General Election Nov 5

Candidates on all ballots throughout Fisher County:

• President: Trump/Vance, Harris/Walz, Oliver/ter Maat, Stein/Ware 
• Write-in candidates: Ayyadurai/Ellis, Cuellar/Lasley, DeLaCruz/Garcia, Fox/McVay, Sonski/Onak, West/Abdullah

• U. S. Senator: Allred, Brown, Cruz
• Write-in candidates: Andrus, Roche
  

• U. S. Represenative District 19: Arrington, Johnson, Lewis
  

• Railroad Commissioner: Craddick, Culbert, Dunlap, Espinoza
• Write-in candidate: McKibbin

• Justice, Texas Supreme Court, Place 2: Blalock, Jones

• Justice, Texas Supreme Court, Place 4: Devine, Weems

• Justice, Texas Supreme Court, Place 6: Bland, Goldstein, Roberson

• Presiding Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Schenck, Taylor

• Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 7: Parker, Mulder

• Judge, Texas Court of Criminal Appeals, Place 8: Finley, Anyiam

• Member, Texas State Board of Education, District 15: Kinsey, Kirkpatrick, Westbrook

• Texas State Representative, District 69: Coppage, Frank

• Chief Justice, Texas 11th Court of Appeals District: Bailey

• District Judge, Texas 32nd Judicial District: Harrison

• District Attorney, Texas 32nd Judicial District: Thompson

• Fisher County Sheriff: Wade
• Write-in candidate: Pohlman

• Fisher County Tax Assessor-Collector: Speck

Candidates on ballots in divided Fisher County districts:

• Precinct 1 Commissioner: Pippin; Precinct 3 Commissioner: Posey

• Rotan ISD Board Trustee candidates: McWilliams, Weems, Stanley, Mullins, Carrillo, Spruill, Clary

• Roby CISD Board Trustee candidates: Carrion, Whitefield, Estes, Edmonson

• Hermleigh ISD Board Trustee candidates: Tate, Taylor, Pence, Claxton, Minton, Beane

Two bonds for Rotan Independent School District:

• Proposition A: $5,700,000 bond (for school construction)
  
• Proposition B: $800,000 bond (for teacher housing)
  

Notes:

• Vote Texas
• Secretary of State Candidate Information
• Fisher County Election Page Sample Ballots
  

Snyder Goodwill coming soon

- New Goodwill, Snyder -

Goodwill Industries is in the process of getting a new store ready in Snyder. It will be in the former Higginbotham Bartlett Hardware building at 1913 25th Street, northwest of the square.

It's right across the street from The Red Door, a resale shop that's fun to peruse; lots of furniture, and anything else you can dream up, in their large, two-store sized space.You can easily park at Goodwill, then hit both stores in one stop.

To continue on a second-hand store spree, head on up College Avenue to Gateway. They have inventory similar to Goodwill. It's a little funkier with unique items.

I can appreciate stores that you have to dig a little bit for treasure.

Goodwill is now hiring.  There are nine positions for the Snyder store listed on their careers page.

Photos: Top is the new Goodwill location, bottom is The Red Door and Goodwill

Fisher County Vote 2024

Sample ballots for the November 5 General Election have been posted on the Fisher County Election website. 

There is one write-in candidate, Tom Pohlman, for sheriff.

As amusing as it might be to put Willie Nelson or Felix the Cat on that empty line, votes for someone who is not registered to run in an election will not be counted.

Misspelling the name of a write-in is not an issue, as long as the vote-counting authority can easily ascertain the voter's intention. Parker County has a step-by-step guide with photos for write-in voting.

Early voting is October 21- November 1 at the Fisher County Clerk and Rotan City Hall offices.

Notes:

• Fisher County Election Page
• Texas Statute for Write-In Candidates
• Texas Secretary of State: Process for Write-In Votes
• Fisher County Election Day Polling Places

City to test ordinance

Rotan City Council will meet this Thursday. Default meeting dates for the cities of Rotan and Roby are the second Thursday of the month; Rotan at 7 a.m., Roby at noon. That falls on October 10 this time around.

The Rotan agenda will include a public hearing regarding the torn up trailer house and vehicle situated at 511 East Sammy Baugh. This is the first property to come before the council in enforcement of the new substandard structure ordinance that was passed back in May.

County commissioners will meet next Tuesday, October 15, at 9 a.m. They usually meet the second Monday of the month, but pushed the meeting forward a day due to Columbus Day on October 14.

Note: Fisher County: Public Hearing Notice

Like they used to

- Heritage Square, Abilene -

I was in Abilene the other day, using the Grape Street train crossing to get from North First to South First, when I was held up by a sight that had me gaping and almost stopping traffic.

My first thought was, "They're making them like they used to!".

A big, beautiful structure sat before me, complete with grotesque stone creatures guarding the main entrance from above. It was in an obvious state of construction. 

I was only a little dismayed to learn that the building is an old one that is being renovated, but very excited to find out that it was designed by architect David S. Castle.

It was originally built as the Abilene High School in 1924. It sits between Peach and Vine streets, fronting South First, with Third Street running behind. 

This is the Heritage Square project. It will house the library and other community oriented programs. I am looking forward to visiting this mammoth historic site when it is finished, which is projected to be sometime in 2026.

Notes:

• Abilene Heritage Square
• The Portal to Texas History, search "Abilene High School", with quotations

Photos, from upper left, are from Abilene Heritage Square on facebook; The Portal, McMurry Collection; The Portal, David S. Castle Collection. 

Additional information and articles:

• Abilene Scene: The Lingering Youth of an Old High School
• KTAB: Restoration Reflection
  

Get this name write

- Official write-in candidate -

The Fisher County Sheriff's race is bound to be an interesting local contest in the November 4 general election.

The Texas Secretary of State has the current sheriff, Tom Pohlman, registered as an official candidate.

Pohlman was appointed as sheriff last March. This was after the former sheriff, Simon Wade, resigned, when it became certain Wade would be ousted for licensing issues.

Wade is still on the ballot under the Republican Party, while Pohlman is designated as a write-in.

Link: Texas Secretary of State Candidate Information

October public auctions 2024

Perdue Brandon doesn't have any local sheriff sales this month. Mitchell County has some parcels in Colorado City, Loraine and Dunn. One parcel is listed as 6,817 acres, but a double-check with Mitchell County Appraisal District shows it to be 6.817 acres, at Lake Colorado City, on the lakefront.

Nolan County: Foreclosure sales for 707 East Louisiana and 806 East New Mexico in Sweetwater. 

Jones County: Foreclosure sales for 1401 12th, Anson; 336 SW Ave D, Hamlin; 17246 CR 467, Merkel. 

Sales this month will be on October 1.

Water plans in progress

- Pipes for water -

Inventory is being stockpiled at a location west of Hobbs for the City of Rotan water line project. The Texas Water Development Board lists the cost as $5,202,068. It is being financed by a general operations bond that the council approved in 2020 to raise $2,275,000, and a $2,927,068 grant from the TWDB Drinking Water Safety Revolving Fund.

Jacob Martin is the engineer for the project. Bids for service on the JM site give an idea of what costs are for labor, materials, and equipment. The work will be carried out in four segments.

The TWDB shows the construction site to be near Midway, on Farm to Market 1614, in Scurry County, where water for Rotan is transported by a network of pipes after purchase from the City of Snyder.

The city awarded the job to Whitewater Construction. Their company office is in Waco.

Second week of September events

- Sept. mud bog -

There are a few things going on this weekend to take pleasure in and enjoy the fresh weather we're having.

It is Rotan Homecoming Week and the Yellowhammers will play against the Rule Bobcats Friday night, Sept. 13, at 7:30 p.m. The parade and bonfire will be on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

There will be a mud bog at the rodeo grounds west of Rotan on Saturday, Sept. 14. Gates will open at 11:00 a.m. General admission is $10. That evening there will be a dance at the pavilion featuring singer Robert Sullivan.

In Nolan County, the Sweetwater Jaycee Roosters will have their annual fall motorcycle rally. The event will begin Friday night and last through Sunday. That will take place at the Sweetwater Lake Park, by the amphitheater below the dam.

The Snyder Downtown Farmer's Market will be going on this Saturday. After this weekend, there are only two more left for the 2024 season.

The West Texas Fair & Rodeo is going into its second week and will finish off Saturday night with a concert by Isaac Cole in the H-E-B Pavilion at the fair grounds in Abilene.

Commissioners court notes Sept 2024

- Fisher County Jail -

Commissioners court started off with scathing commentary by employees from the county tax office. Their remarks depicted a tense and dissonant atmosphere in the courthouse offices.

In budget talks, there were a lot of numbers tossed around confusingly. A declaration from one commissioner that he would not approve a budget in deficit, then going on to approve the budget, did not make anything clearer.

It seems the jail has been left out, but I couldn't tell you for sure. I would recommend money for them to buy a case of Round Up. There are tumbleweeds as big as cows in that yard. 

Aesthetically, I wish they would turn the commissioners tables around so they didn't have to talk over their shoulders to address the judge and the clerks. 

Whoever is clicking a pen throughout the meeting should be suppressed, Alice in Wonderland style.

I wonder, do these people talk to each other before meetings? Everyone except the auditors are ill prepared. The judge seemed angry that members did not know about a Nolan County attorney he was going to propose for Fisher County usage, despite his having told no one of the plan. 

I don't understand the justification for raising tax rates by any of the entities. They are begging poor, but people have paid more taxes in the past two years to the county than in their whole lifetime, due to oil royalties. Multiply that by however many people are on a lease and that adds up to a lot of money. Those amounts are easily verified on the appraisal district site, in case you think I'm exaggerating.

But, what do I know? I'm just an observer. You can be one, too. The Double Mountain Chronicle broadcasts the meetings live on facebook, and the county places video of the meetings on the home page of their website. Just look up to the right and click on youtube.

Links:

• Fisher County, Texas
  
• Fisher County Appraisal District
• Double Mountain Chronicle on facebook
• Fisher County on youtube
  

The week of meetings, Sept 2024

Next week is going to be busy with meetings. Here are dates, times and places of some of them:

Fisher County Commissioners Court, Monday, September 9,  9:00 a.m.

Clear Fork Groundwater Conservation District will meet at noon on September 9, at the USDA service center in Roby, located on Lyon Street, west.

Fisher County Appraisal District Board of Directors meeting, Tuesday, September 10, 7:00 a.m., at the CAD office across from the courthouse, north side. 

The Fisher County Historical Commission meets on the first Tuesday of each month at 6:00 p.m. at the museum in Roby. That would be September 10, on Concho, just north of the red light.

Fisher County new grand jury, Wednesday, September 11, 9:00 a.m., Fisher County Courthouse.

Also next week, if going by the default schedule, Rotan and Roby City Councils will meet on the second Thursday of the month, September 12. Rotan meets at 7:00 a.m. at Rotan City Hall on west Sammy Baugh, and Roby meets at noon at Roby City Hall on Lyon Street, just west of the red light.

Public search option on TCOLE

The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement has established a License Lookup page. You have to make an account to access the information, but searching is free. The page can be found by going to TCOLE>Online Services>Public License Lookup.

Newspaper launches podcast

The Double Mountain Chronicle has a new podcast, called The ShortCut, an audio digest of their latest headlines.

DMC primarily reports Fisher County news, for the cities of Rotan and Roby. They also write about Stonewall County events, where Aspermont is the county seat.

Get The Shortcut wherever you listen to podcasts.

Dove season starts today

 I kept thinking someone was knocking on the side of the house. I went outside to see what was going on and heard bangs coming from all directions. That was my clue that it must be the start of one of the hunting seasons.

Texas Parks & Wildlife has a list of all hunting seasons and bag limits. Fisher County is considered to be in the North Zone.

The regular dove season is September 1 - November 10, 2024 and December 20, 2024 - January 7, 2025.

Nolan County auction

The Nolan County Sheriff's Office is selling three vehicles through René Bates. The auction ends September 12.

Up for bid are a 2017 Ford Police Interceptor Explorer, a 2015 Chevrolet Tahoe, and a 2006 Pontiac G6.

Covington arrested in Nolan County

The Sweetwater Reporter blotters revealed that Kyler Lane Covington was arrested by the Nolan County Sheriff's Department. In the August 29 issue of the newspaper, the charges listed were "Fisher Co Warrants - Capital Murder of Person Under 10 YOA and (2x)/Agg Assault W/Deadly Weapon".

Vinelink custody details show that Covington was booked August 27 and bonded out.

Covington was the subject of a high speed chase in Fisher County on July 5. According to the Double Mountain Chronicle, July 11 issue, he was charged with three counts of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and evading law enforcement. He bonded out the next day.

Covington has an arraignment set for September 11 at the Fisher County Courthouse.

No life was lost, the charge should have been printed as Attempted Capital Murder in the newspaper.

Construction underway

- Store sites -

The Rotan Dollar General site is abuzz with workers this morning, and if the swiftness in which the Roby DG store is going up is any indicator, we'll be buying socks and waterhoses and ballpoint pens and catfood in no time, from both locations.

The photos in order, from top to bottom, are Rotan DG site, Roby DG site, and Ace Hardware Rotan site.

According to the Texas Department of Licensing and Registration, the Rotan DG store is planned for 12,480 square feet and Roby DG for 9,100 square feet. The Double Mountain Chronicle reported that Ace is planned for 12,500 square feet.

A little news and a bunch of bugs

- Night flight bugs -

There was a pretty good rain around Hobbs yesterday, a little over an inch, but rain doesn't come without consequence around here. This time it was thousands and thousands of bugs. They looked like termites with wings and they all wanted in my house. I put in earplugs to keep them out of my ears, and got out the vacuum. The only good thing I can say about them is that they didn't bite or sting.

You can follow the progress of the new hardware store on facebook. Fisher Ace Hardware & Farm Supply in Rotan has a page with a lot of interesting photos and videos. They documented pouring the store foundation, reporting that it took 27 trucks to get the job done.

The land deal has gone through for the Dollar General store in Rotan. Expect to see groundwork being laid on the southern edge of town. Dollar General in Roby is in construction now.

Stoney LaRue will be playing at the Taylor County Coliseum Friday, September 5, during the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in Abilene. Table, floor and balcony seats are available. Performance begins at 9 p.m.

Taylor Sheridan's Yellowstone is coming back November 10, and Tulsa King will return September 15. I swore I would never watch another Sheridan production until he showed us the last episodes of season five of Yellowstone, but Tulsa King is coming on first, so I will be breaking my vow. The shows will air on Paramount Network and Paramount+.

Are you registered to vote?

In light of current newspaper and internet articles touting the scouring of Texas voter rolls, it's a good idea to check that your name is still on there. I have more faith in the abilities of the professionals who run the elections in our county than I do in the word of the governor, who likes to spin an ongoing maintenance program as his new, good idea, but it can't hurt to have a look.

On the official website of Texas, tex.gov, you can check your voter registration status in a variety of ways, using your voter identification, driver's license, or name, along with your birthday, to see if you are eligible to vote in the next election.

Services set for Anson Martin

Anson Martin died today. He and his wife recently sold their home at Camp Springs and moved to east Texas.

Visitation will be Tuesday 6-7:30 p.m. at Weathersbee-Ray in Rotan.

Funeral services will be at 1:00 p.m. Wednesday at the Cross Roads Baptist Church.

And now for a little ragtime

- Obituary for Day -

Luella Lucile Hudson Day (Ella Hudson Day), a prominent Rotan citizen in the early 1900's, composed music and wrote songs. Two of her ragtime tunes, Quality Rag (1909) and Fried Chicken Rag (1912), were nationally known. Day's Quality Rag was composed a few years before Scott Joplin's or James Scott's pieces of similar name.

As time goes on, I wonder if people get weary of their hometown heroes. Without a street named after them, they fade into the background.

In a 1966 Abilene Reporter article, Day and Josie Baird were listed alongside Sammy Baugh as noted citizens of Fisher County.

Josie Baird was a well-known teacher at Rotan. She wrote Tom Bond, Bronc-buster,Cow-poke and Traildriver. A scholarship has been given in her name by Gamma Tau Chapter of the Delta Kappa Gamma Society International.

Sources:

• Musescore
• The Portal to Texas History, obituary
• The Portal to Texas History, article 
• Rag Piano
• Double Mountain Chronicle, Baird scholarship 
  

September 2024 Nolan County public sales

September 3 sheriff sales:

Nolan County has a big bundle of tax foreclosures, with over 50 properties listed on Perdue Brandon. The most notable is the large commercial building at 100 East Broadway, on the corner of Oak. This was the location of the Azteca Bar & Grill in its last incarnation. It was originally built in 1928 and is part of the Sweetwater Commercial Historic District.

To see if taxes have been paid prior to sale, check with the Nolan County Appraisal District. To check for liens, use TexasFile and Nolan County LGS.

Texas Public Notices lists two sheriff sales: leasehold estates and lands in connection with the Saratoga oil and gas well; a parcel of 10 acres out by the cotton coop facility, across from the cemetery.

Hobbs School reunion set

Hobbs homecoming will be Saturday, October 19. The reunion is to take place in the annex by the gym. Registration commences at 10 a.m., with lunch to follow at noon. A formal program is not planned, but a microphone will be available for those wishing to address the gathering. Josh Helms' Rough Creek Catering will provide the meal. Price is $18 per plate.

IREN presents project information

Today, at the Fisher County Commissioners meeting, representatives from IREN came before the court to introduce themselves and to discuss a possible tax abatement for a project they want to set up in the county. Jason Date, Michael Leamons and Nicole Dill gave their spiel and promised jobs, retail sales and donations to local groups to make the project more lucrative. It sounds like what they want from the county is large, open land and an easy hook-up into electric transmission lines. 

Jason described the company as a sustainable data center. I got excited because I thought it meant all the county records would be in a huge, searchable database. I was wrong.

IREN is a bitcoin mining company. An article from the New Scientist website, written by Matthew Sparkes, gives a pretty good description of bitcoin.

More important is the definition of a data center. It's a large, temperature-controlled warehouse filled with computers, according to a Science for Georgia document. 

IREN has a project going in Childress. There is a video detailing the path to making that deal.

The company has already obtained several hundred acres in Fisher County, around the Wetsel Substation on FM 611, under the name IE US Development Holdings 5.

Looking over the internet, I couldn't figure out whether to be pro or con. Some say the data centers use too much energy and have a lot of emissions. Others say the data centers stabilize the electric grid by keeping energy expectations at a steady level. That is evidently done by using more electricity, that would otherwise be wasted, during slack periods, while using less electricity when energy is needed by other consumers, like during a heatwave or cold snap.

Soon we might be adding another line to our county industry banner: cattle, cotton, oil, wind energy, solar energy and bitcoin mining.

NASDAQ:IREN  

Roby possible site for Dollar General

- East Roby -

Dollar General has registered details for a store in Roby with the Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation.

The site address is 411 East South First Street, east of the Fisher County Courthouse. 

Square footage for the building is listed as 9,100 with an estimated cost of $750,000.

Construction is currently going on at the site.

School start dates 2024

The doors open for the new school year on the following dates:

Rotan Independent School District - August 14.

Roby Consolidated School District - August 15. 

Sweetwater Independent School District - August 14.

Big Country Homepage has an exhaustive list of all school begin dates.

August 2024 public meetings

The Fisher County Appraisal District Board of Directors will meet August 13, 7:00 a.m., at the appraisal district office located at 107 East North First Street in Roby. They will discuss the 2025 budget, the 2025-2026 reappraisal plan and will swear in a new board director. The last known chairman of the board, Pete Garcia, died in March 2023.

Two agendas have been posted for the date. The notices, one for a public hearing at 7:00 a.m., and one for a public meeting at 7:05 a.m, can be found on the Fisher County Posted Notices page.

A public hearing notice and a proposed budget notice for the CAD were in the August 4 issue of the Double Mountain Chronicle.

The City of Rotan has posted a meeting notice for August 8, 7:00 a.m. 

Fisher County Commissioners Court will meet August 12. The usual time is 9:00 a.m.

No agendas were posted for the city and county meetings.

A notice and a separate article in the DMC indicate there will be discussion regarding a reinvestment zone and the yearly budget at the commissioners meeting.

Builders build during dry season

- John Deere, Rotan -

There may not be a new dollar store going up on the south side of town, but the Rotan John Deere house is growing. United Ag & Turf is more than doubling in size and it's going up fast.

There were people on the Rotan Ace Hardware site this week, measuring and marking.

In Roby, there has been a major clear out around the old truck stop on the west side of town. There are workmen on big equipment getting down to the dirt.

In Sweetwater, it looks like they're building a major sports complex for the school. There are fancy new tennis courts west of the Mustang Bowl.

It's good to see things going outward and upward around the Rolling Plains.

Enough already

Y'all, it's gettin' silly how many earthquakes there have been. I'll just say, if you are talking to someone who lives in this area, and if they are sitting, standing, breathing, feeding chickens or cows, driving down the road in a truck or tractor, you can take it for granted that there is an ongoing earthquake, one that has just happened, or one that is about to happen. 

Oh, man, if only earthquakes were rain, they'd be calling us Seattle right now.

RRC response to earthquakes

"The Railroad Commission of Texas (RRC) has been investigating the earthquakes that have occurred this week in the Camp Springs area along the Fisher/Scurry County line in West Texas.
 
In efforts to reduce seismicity possibly caused by underground injection of produced water, several operators in the area have converted deep saltwater disposal wells to shallow saltwater disposal wells within the last year. (Disposal wells are used to dispose of produced water, which is water that comes out from wells during oil and gas production.)
 
RRC inspectors are out inspecting saltwater disposal wells within two and a half miles of the cluster of earthquakes this week and the RRC will evaluate next steps that can be taken to mitigate earthquakes.

We’ll continue to take measures necessary to protect the environment and residents in the area."

-This was in response to an email I sent them this morning. My original inquiry is posted below:

We had another big quake like the one on Monday. I'm in Fisher County in Texas. We've had multiple quakes between now and then. It is becoming very alarming. If saltwater injection is inducing the quaking, can you help in any way? It is frightening to feel like the house may be destroyed with me in it.

Another big one

About 9:28 a.m., there was another strong quake. USGS graded it as a 4.8, but it felt stronger than the one on Monday. I was outside in the chicken coop and ran into the open because the ceiling in that old upside-down cotton trailer is rusty and could easily fall. The barbed wire on the fence was jumping up and down, and that stuff is pretty tight, normally. There was a long rumble after the shaking subsided, loud enough to override the sound of distant planes and vehicles.

I went inside and the cabinets were open, items had fallen off shelves, one little doll broken, and books were knocked over, pictures askew.  I'm going to have to give up straightening them, in light of present circumstances.

Update: USGS had upgraded the quake to a 5. 

Update: upgraded to 5.1. There was a 3.2 right after that one.

The shakes keep on coming

There was another hard earthquake about five minutes ago (9:58 p.m.). There have been at least 15-20 of varying degree since the 4.9 one Monday night. Paranoia has set in and the sound of a big truck driving by has me grabbing onto furniture to steady myself. There are some weeks, lately, where I've counted as many as 15 tremors, but nothing as jolting as what is now being experienced, with cabinets flying open and pictures on the wall jarred askew. Is this the new normal?

Update: USGS graded this quake as a 4.0.

August 2024 public sales

One sale is for July 29, for the contents of two storage rooms at Rotan Self Storage. Details can be found in The Double Mountain Chronicle.

Tax and foreclosure sales scheduled for August 6:

Nolan County: two foreclosures, courthouse, 10 a.m. for 512 Locust St in city, and 1 p.m. for 1611 San Carlos St in city.

Mitchell County: tax sales, courthouse, 10 a.m. Properties in the city, at the lake and one in Loraine.

Scurry County: foreclosure, courthouse, 1 p.m. for 4516 Fredonia in city.

Texas Communities Group resales:

Loraine: Four properties - two end 8/5; one ends 8/6; one has no end date.

Colorado City: one property, ends 8/6.

Stamford: two properties - one ends 8/11, one has no end date.

Auction.com:

1008 Denison in Snyder, ends 8/6.

 

Links:

• Nolan County Clerk
• Perdue Brandon
• Scurry County Foreclosures
• Texas Communities Group
• Auction.com
  

Shaken

- Hobbs quake -

There was another big quake tonight, reminiscent of the one that occurred January 2023. No marbles broke this time, but things went flyin' out of the cabinets and off the wall.

There have been at least three more after shocks and quite a bit of trembling. 

It's hard to get used to them when they're that big.

United States Geological Survey pegged it at a 4.9.

Insomnia

Here is the thought that jerked me out of sleep at 4:00 a.m. this morning: Do you really need a title company to make a property transfer?

As I lay there thinking, trying to follow the trail of selling and buying real estate and where the role of the title company fits in, I began to suspect that the answer was no.

I got up to do some research. After removing the latest gift from the cat (two mice in one night) from the living room floor, I sat down at the desk and let my fingers do some walking on the computer keys.

A contributor on Quora said that any document in writing, that specifically indicates the grantee and grantor, the property, consideration (usually payment), and is signed by the grantee, is all that is needed to transfer property. No lawyer, no real estate agent, no title company is mandatory for the transaction.

Notarize the document and file it with the county clerk's office and you've just completed a transfer of property.

To push my point further, there was a piece of property that I was interested in at tax sale, so I went to a title company to see if the deed was clear. I made it clear I wanted to pay for the service, but was told I could look up the title history myself in county records (Texas File). I ended up buying the property at the sale and the only thing needed to transfer it to me was to pay the appraisal office. The deed was then mailed to me.

I will concede that some properties are tricky, and I was glad to use a title company to track a particular parcel that I wanted to purchase. The owners lived out of county, making self-researching difficult, and a title search revealed that the property was tied up in a bunch of liens from the state. I decided that the low cost of the property was worth taking a chance on it if I ended up losing it. The title company drew up the deed transfer, as well as running the title search, for no charge. Unfortunately, the owner died before I could complete the transaction, further complicating the deal. After all was said and done, I didn't buy the lot.

The final answer is you can do your own land deal, if you are sure about the property history and can draft a simple document. There are other situations, more complicated and with more risk (higher price), where other legal foundations are needed for a sound investment.

Polk Directory then down a rabbit hole

- Includes Hobbs history -

The Polk's Directory and Texas State Gazetteer has a short entry for Hobbs, Texas in the year 1914.

Population 45. In Fisher county, 14 miles from Roby, the county seat and 14 from Rotan, the usual banking and shipping point. Telephone connection. Henry C. Shanks, postmaster. Shanks Henry C, General Store.

Looking for a photo of the old store in high school annuals of the late fifties, only text ads could be found for Henderson's Grocery and Station.

An internet search for photos led to a book (and the usual barrage of Hobbs, New Mexico results), The Empty Schoolhouse by Luther Bryan Clegg. 

Upon sampling the book, Buddy Burnett sprang to life as he spoke of Dallas, Grady, old Baird and Camp Springs in describing the history of the Hobbs School. It's interesting to note, according to Burnett, that the original school was called Chicken Foot.

Stanley Morris, the surveyor, told me years ago that there was a place that used to be called Dallas here in Fisher County. As close as I can ascertain, that was east of Hobbs, around the intersection of county roads 319 and 320. There used to be an old house there that we called The Buzzard House because my kids and I saw a buzzard chick living in it.

I've ordered the aforementioned book and I look forward to its arrival. It's a collection of stories from people who attended the first rural schools in Texas.

If you're interested, you can also purchase it by clicking on the book title link.

Another store rumor

- South Rotan -

The Texas Department of Licensing and Regulation has an Architectural Barriers Project Details page listed for Dollar General Store in Rotan, registration date 4/30/2024.

The site for the store is listed as 500 South McKinley. As best as I can figure, that would be catty-corner to the John Deere House (United Ag & Turf) as you're leaving town going south.

Fisher County Appraisal District has all that property on both sides of the highway, as well as McKinley, belonging to the Rivers and the Rotan Gin.

I don't know if it's real or like that alcohol license application that was posted in the newspaper for Family Dollar last November. That, of course, never came to pass. Maybe they just do a big group licensing packet and don't even look at the addresses. 

June 10 is listed as the start date. There is no activity at this time. October 10, 2024 is the projected finish date.

The estimated cost is $850,000 for a 12,480 square foot building.

Shut the front door

- Fisher Co Courthouse -

Well, you don't really have to, it closes automatically. But it's nice to have the front door to the courthouse functioning.

That was a pretty fast turnaround from when county clerk Pat Thomson said "Fix the damn doors!" in commissioners court to when citizens were able to use the front entrance again.

A new ramp was put in for wheelchair accessibility, or if you don't feel like walking up stairs.

This was a good deed.

Ruidoso to hold virtual meeting this afternoon

- Ruidoso horses -

Ruidoso is 350 miles to our west, but a lot of people from this area visit or have vacation homes there.

The Village of Ruidoso will have a virtual community meeting today at 5:30 p.m. The meeting ID and code for joining is listed in the link.

The meeting is meant to be an opportunity for residents to engage with local officials, ask questions, and get updates on community matters, including the ongoing South Fork and Salt Fire situations.

Photo: feral horses near the Arrowhead Motel in Ruidoso, New Mexico, July 2022.

Rotan roads in the news

Don't miss the KTXS news clip from June 20 where Karina Hollingsworth interviewed Ginger Gentry, Eula Gentry (hope I'm right, let me know if I'm not) and Inez Reese about pot holes in Rotan city streets. Eula and Inez had me laughing, those women should have their own show. Super gals!

School board elections 2024

Rotan Independent School District has issued a notice of deadline to file an application for individuals seeking a seat on the school board. This is required for placement on the November general election ballot. Four members have expiring seats: Klay McWilliams, Monica Carrillo, Matt Preston and Frankie Gonzalez. Filing dates are July 20 to August 19; filing hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday through Thursday. The return address for filing is 102 North McKinley Avenue, Rotan.

Roby Consolidated Independent School District has three members with expiring terms: Chris Estes, Danny Carrion and Carter Edmondson. Filing dates have not been posted to the website.

Hamlin ISD has one member whose term will expire this year, Norman Pond. No filing dates have been posted on the website.

Hermleigh ISD does not list terms of service for board members on its website (a state requirement). Members listed are Larry Don Nachlinger, John Pence, David Digby, Kasey Nachlinger and Gerald Rodriguez. The Hermleigh ISD Board of Trustees unofficial site indicates that Joe Roemisch and Alan Culp resigned from the board on April 3, and that Larry Don Nachlinger resigned as board president on June 3. John Pence was then voted president. The June 17 board agenda lists actions to fill board vacancies. No filing dates have been posted to the school website.

The Roscoe ISD board does not have any expiring terms this year. Members are Jerad Alford, Eloy Herrera, Kenneth Hope, David Pantoja, Allen Richburg, Marcial Saenz and Drew Moses.

Trent ISD does not have dates for member terms of service on their website (a state requirement). Members are Robert Barnhill, Cecil Gillespie, Paula King, Bubba Rohrobough and Diane Gillespie. No filing dates have been posted on the school website.

Texas Education Code states that all school districts are to post board members and dates of terms on their website. School boards are also required to place agendas on the website 72 hours before meetings, and to place meeting minutes on the website afterward. They are held to the same public meeting rules as state, county and city authorities.

All the above schools are Fisher County taxing entities.

July public sales 2024

All sales are at the county courthouses unless otherwise stated. Please verify information and times on notices. Some sales have a multiple hour span for begin time. An example of that is "the sale will begin between the hours of 1 p.m. and 4 p.m.".

Nolan County: Trustee Sale in Sweetwater for the property at 1403 East 13th Street, July 2, 10 a.m.; Perdue Brandon sheriff sale, July 2, 2 p.m.

Jones County: Trustee Sale in Anson for the property at 7386 FM 1226, Hawley, 1 p.m.; Perdue Brandon sheriff sale, July 2, 10 a.m.

Scurry County: Trustee Sale in Snyder for the property at 3502 44th Street, 1 p.m. and one for 2607 35th Street, also at 1 p.m.

Perdue Brandon has sheriffs sales for 21 counties in July.

Texas Communities Group has several ongoing tax resale properties. 

The closest local ones are for Loraine, but those end tonight. 

Colorado City has one that ends July 16.

There are two properties in Stamford. There is no cut-off date shown on the website.

There's one property in Rule, also with no cut-off date listed.

A little public meeting notices audit

In September 2023, during the 88th Texas Legislative Session, HB 3440 was made a law. It amended a Texas Statute regarding Government Code 551.056(b), now requiring government entities to post meeting times, agendas and minutes on the internet, if they maintain a website.

In Fisher County, the County Commissioners Court and the Brazos G Water Planning Group both comply with the new law.

The City of Rotan, the Fisher County Appraisal District and the Fisher County Hospital Board all have websites, but do not post the meeting times and agendas 72 hours beforehand. The City of Rotan and the Fisher CAD also do not post the meeting minutes afterward.

The City of Roby does not maintain a website, so they are not subject to the new law.

Another provision of the new ruling is that offices that post meeting times and agendas on their website only have to have the physical (paper) notice available to the public during business hours.

The new ruling can be observed in the Texas Municipal League 2024 publication, Handbook for Mayors and Council Members, page 35.

House up for auction in Sweetwater

802 Crescent in Sweetwater has an ongoing auction, which started yesterday and ends tomorrow, June 12. The current bid is $70,000. 

It's a 3 bedroom, 2 bath home in a desirable neighborhood on the north side of town. Property taxes run about $3,000, which is average for this area.

This is a bank owned, foreclosed residence.

Source: auctions.com, via Zillow.

Coming up: June muddin'

- June 2024 Mud Bog -

The next Red Dirt Mud Bog will be Saturday, June 15, at the Rotan Rodeo Grounds, west of town, on FM 611.

Gates open at 11 a.m. Admission is $10, twelve and under get in free. There will be a tractor pull when the gates open.

The bogging will begin at noon and there will be a dance that night at 8 p.m.

Flyer can be found on the company facebook page.

Public sales for June 2024

The Nolan County Clerk has a substitute trustee sale scheduled for 908 Brookside, Sweetwater, June 4 at the Nolan County courthouse, 1 p.m.

Jones County has one foreclosure listed for 13234 CR 348, Anson, June 4, 1 p.m., at the Jones County courthouse.

Perdue Brandon has a long list of Mitchell County lots in Loraine and Colorado City up for auction on June 4 at 10 a.m. at the Mitchell County courthouse.

Scurry County has two foreclosures up for auction on June 4, being 2205 Tobosa and 2906 Ave Y, both located in Snyder, at 1 p.m., Scurry County courthouse. The Tobosa document has old dates on it, you might call on that one to check the information.

The Abilene Annual Book Sale will be held June 20-23 at the Abilene Convention Center (what we used to call the Civic Center). The sale is open to the public at 10 a.m. Friday and Saturday, 1 p.m on Sunday.

Coming up: quail and mud

Rolling Plains Quail Research Ranch 100th Quail Appreciation Day will be held May 17, 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Pre-registration is required. $30 fee, limit of 75 people for the event. Lunch is included. It will take place at the headquarters in Fisher County, about 15 miles west of Roby.

Fisher County Red Dirt Mud Bog LLC is kicking off the season this Saturday, May 18, 11:00 a.m. $10 to get in and $35 to enter a vehicle. There are usually concessions on site. The event will be held at the Rotan rodeo grounds, on the western outskirt of town.

A little twist

- Bluebonnet pods -

Did you know that bluebonnet seeds pop open? I only learned that this week, drying pods I had gathered from Hobbs Cemetery, where they are abundant after the flowers bloom.

I had them sitting in a bowl in a sunny window, where I kept hearing a tick now and then. I thought it was the sound of a dirt dobber nest falling or a cricket jumping, but then I realized it had to be the seeds. Fascinating!

As the pod dries, it twists to force the seed out.

I put another bowl on top to keep the seeds from ending up all over the floor. This seemed to make them pop more because of the enclosed heat.

I think I'll try stopping on a roadside that is full of pods and see if I can hear them popping. That'll be a new experience that has been not so quietly happening nearly in my own back yard all my life. I wonder what other things I haven't noticed? I have a feeling there's a lot to learn.

An update on my internet trial

- travlfi internet device -

This little travlfi Journey1 device is a game changer for rural internet.

On one side, it is a little expensive to purchase, start and maintain, but on the other, I am getting endless and consistent service.

I feel so modern, being able to stream without counting gigabytes! 

I sent one to a friend in rural Alabama to try out and she is having a good experience. She uses it for gaming as well as streaming videos and podcasts. She reports that it sometimes lags a little, but for the most part, she is very happy with its performance.

I'm holding on to my AT&T Netgear because I'm still getting the 100 gb for $55 deal. I also wanted to make sure this new hotspot worked before letting go of the old one. I toggle back and forth between using them.

Here's a breakdown of information for the new service:

• Travlfi is the name of the company, Journey1 is the name of the device
• Device cost is between $150-200
• Monthly cost is $129, first payment will include a $25 activation fee
• Not connected with any one carrier
• Easy to activate
  

There are seven different plans with different prices, ranging from $19-129. I chose the unlimited plan.

I recommend this device.

A change in the landscape

- Sweetwater High demolition -

It was a bit of a shock to drive by the Sweetwater High School this week and see that half of it was gone. 

It was also funny to see buildings that had not seen full sunshine in their lifetime brought to the forefront.

The old band hall and cafeteria courtyard had been eclipsed by the tennis courts, ag building and gym for decades. 

The gym was the last of the original Newman High School structure, I believe.

I remember occupying those spaces for four years, during my time of education on that campus.

I could be wistful, but after I felt shock, I remembered that I didn't like school very much.

It's time to welcome the new generation.

Small town economy growth

- Hardware store site -

It looks like it's really going to happen. 

A "Coming Soon" sign has been placed on the combined lots of the former  Family Dollar Store and White's Hardware.

In a small town like Rotan, this is very exciting. It's been a very long time since the community has gotten to break in a brand spanking new store.

Most businesses make do with old buildings, like both the demolished stores were.

This could be the start of a new trend. Next the town needs a department store. A place to buy water hoses, socks, underwear, pens, paper, curtain rods, bathroom rugs and what have you would be mightily appreciated.

Lots cleared and staked

- Former White's lot -

Two prominently damaged buildings in downtown Rotan have been demolished.

The Family Dollar Store and White's Hardware were both ruined in a severe storm last June.

The photo is a view looking west across the lot from Cleveland Ave/SH 70. The Lance Theater sign can be seen peeking over the tree tops on the left side of the picture and the bank and Landes Furniture can be seen on the right. The white wall straight ahead is the east side of the library (click on photo to zoom).

The local newspaper, The Double Mountain Chronicle, reported that plans are being made to build an Ace Hardware Store on the site.

Public sales for May 2024

GovDeals has 120 salvage road signs up for auction, bidding ends May 6, 11:59 p.m. The signs are located in Midland.

Perdue Brandon tax sales for Nolan and Mitchell Counties, as well as other Texas counties, will be May 7, 10 a.m. at the respective court houses.

Jones County has three foreclosure properties up for bid May 7, at varying times.

Coke County is selling a police responder vehicle, bidding ends May 10.

Rotan hospital changes hands

- Callan Hospital, built 1938 -

The Rotan City Council accepted a bid for the historic Callan Hospital.

The council voted to put the building up for auction during their March meeting.

The only bidder was David Mullins, who offered $760. Council members agreed to include minerals in that price.

Bidding ended Wednesday at 5 p.m.