Hargroves on BBC Broadcast May 31

Tom Hargrove just sent me this e-mail and I wanted to share it with you all:

The program “Kidnapped” will be broadcast through a new series called “Reunions”—bringing together people who have shared dramatic experiences in the past—on Friday, May 30, over BBC World Service Radio.

In February, BBC brought together and interviewed, in it's London studios, Claudia Greiner, David Little, and me. The Greiners are a German family who were our next-door neighbors in Cali. They played a key role in the kidnap and negotiations. The Greiners now live near Frankfurt.

David Little was one of the two professional K&R (kidnap and ransom) hostage negotiators who handled my case. He is former Scotland Yard, and now lives in the UK

My brother, Raford Hargrove was also interviewed extensively, from a studio in Abilene, Texas.

Broadcasts will be at 3:05 p.m., 6:05 p.m., and 1:05 a.m. (May 31) Central Time. (BBC announced the program as 1005, 1305, and 2005 Greenwich Time.) Go to the BBC site and click on “Listen Live.” The program will be at least 30 minutes long.

The new Texas A&M University Press edition of my book, Long March to Freedom, was mentioned.

Also, the Discovery Channel came to Alabama in April to film for a 1-hour TV documentary on a new program called “Paradise Lost”. The program will be both interviews and re-enactments, with actors.

I don’t know when Paradise Lose will be broadcast, but Discovery brought Raford to Alabama for an interview, and Oscar Tejeda, the former FBI agent who was assigned to my case and who became a lifelong friend of my family. Oscar now runs his own security company, also in K&R, with offices in Miami and Bogata.

Be sure to tune in to the broadcast, which will air next Saturday. To check out Tom's books and affiliations, go to the links list for Tom Hargrove on the lower right of this page.

Dylan & Mary

Fred and I are happy to announce the wedding of our son, Dylan Morgan, to Mary Hembree, daughter of Michael Hembree and Janet Bonnette of Aransas Pass, the late Flora Hembree of Colorado City, and sister of Michael James Hembree of Sweetwater.

Additional members of the groom's party are Dylan's father, Michael David Morgan, of Sweetwater, Dylan's grandparents, Bill and Rosemary Tucker of Sweetwater, Mickey Templeton of Sweetwater, Jeanette Templeton of Snyder, and Dewayne and the late Jerri Morgan of Nolan.

The ceremony took place May 1 in the Nolan County Courthouse in front of Judge Tim Fambrough.
Dylan and Mary are residing in Sweetwater.

Cattle Call

Some folks have expressed interest in the book Cattle Call by Tanner Laine, and I have even made a couple of purchases of it for one of my readers. Today, I found five available at amazon.com. They're hard to obtain and I've seen the prices as high as $250, so these are good prices, ranging from $47 to $80.

I've found a few copies of Rope Burns by Lee and Lela Karr, but they're running $300 to $350. If you see these cheap at an estate or book sale, you better scoop them up!

Mid-spring Sunday

This morning I realized I didn't have a photo to post, so I drove up to Nash Myer's old house, figuring I could either find something to take a picture of there or on the way.

I thought I would just walk right in, as the house is in ruins, with open doors, windows and ceilings, and get my photo. Well, the house may be dilapidated, but it is not vacant. Some kind of bird, bat or lizard started hissing at me before I even crossed the threshold. So, I was going to walk in through another door, and I heard something yip and scuffle from back in the kitchen. It had my heart racing until I remembered we don't have bears out here. I managed to just slip in the door and get this shot through the window, which I jacked up with a little editing. Then a starling quickly shooed me away.

I remember being at the Myers when I was little and it was a fully-functioning household. My sister used to take piano lessons there. My mom told me she used to go up there and buy fresh milk, which she loved the taste of. It seems contradictory to be having memories that are so alive while looking at the wreck of a set they were made on.

Okay, three papers worth of headlines to tell you about, so let's get started.

Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record, April 17, 2008:

• Rotan School accepts resignations, in process of interviewing applicants for new superintendent
• Roby CISD Board approves stipend for coaching staff
• Big Country honors for Roby Lady Lions basketball (photo)
• Storm damage (photo)
• Higginbotham-Bartlett is now Rotan Mercantile Co. (photo)
• Rotan Once Act Play to be presented April 17
• Roby Lit Crit wins district (photo)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Notice of Election
• Local judge attends seminar
• News Briefs: Cottonwood Flat Cemetery work day; Wilderness survival for adults; Men's breakfast
• Notice to creditors
• Emergency farm loan applications
• Rotan FFA members participate in area competition
• Engagement announcement for Dayme Alison to Marcus Price Walther (photo)
• Think Texas by Todd Staples
• SPC names new Texas Cheerleaders for 2008-09 (photo)
• Roby and Rotan baseball report (photos)
• Beef Cattle SPA workshops to be held
• Randy's Roundup
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Addiction is not a disease, article
  
• Invitation for proposals, Roby CISD

April 10:

• Rotan Lions Club Mop & Broom sale
• Gordon Pippin re-elected Fisher County Commissioner Precinct 1; Mark Thomson carries Fisher County for Railroad Commissioner
• YHQ After School Programs jump into Spring registration
• Area gins post record high totals
• Jeff Dennis and Dora Earl arrested on drug charges
• Burglary at Z&Z Flowers in Rotan
• Advance Directive workshop & lunch sponsored by Fisher County Hospital District
• Roby High School cheerleaders announced for 2008-09 year (photo)
• Roby Band Major & Flag Corps announced 2008-09 (photo)
• Rotan & Roby Regional UIL Qualifiers posted (photos)
• Obituaries for Lizzie Lenora (Lee) Young, Thomas Franklin Leach, Midred Guydell (Finch) McCullough, Jackie Layne Holcomb
• Roby 2008 UIL District Meet academic results (lots of photos!)
• Fisher County Historical Commission meets April 1
• Nice Letter to the Editor from Viola Benson
• Recipe Corner: Baked Apple Cinnamon French Toast
• Roby Lions baseball & track report; Rotan track report (photos)
• Rotan ISD District UIL results (photos, photos, photos)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Roby City Council hires pool manager, discusses clean up days
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Invitation for proposals, Roby CISD
• Rotan School Library hosting Book Fair
• Rotan ISD Gifted / Talented Program

April 3:

• One millionth bale delivered to Rolling Plains Cooperative Compress (photo)
  
• Rotan Jr. High cheerleaders announced for 2008-09 year (photo)
• Rotan High School cheerleaders announced (photo)
• Roby Jr. High cheerleaders announced (photo)
• Roby Methodist revival (photo)
• Joe Heflin honored by West Texas County Judges & Commissioners Association (photo)
• Obituaries for Eula Vern (Rushing) Thornton, Joe Allen Hardin, Sr., Annie O. Hill, and Larry Alan Hale
• Fisher County democratic convention elects three delegates
• Fairy Tale fashion show is huge success (photos)
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Grass fire burns up vehicle (photo)
• USDA authorized emergency use of CRP in 100 Texas counties
• Roby & Rotan baseball reports (photos)
• Roby Middle School Band rewards (photo)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• New Briefs: AARP tax aide; flags for veterans
• Tax Planning by Gerald Rodgers
• Fisher County Hospital Boards holds regular meeting
• William Shelby, PA-C (?) now practicing at Roby Rural Health Clinic (photo)
• Justin McCall introduced into Mathematics Honor Society
• Tumbleweed Smith: T & P Railway History

Until next time, have a good day!

Joe Hardin Services Set

Funeral services for Joe Hardin will be held 10 a.m. Wednesday at the First Baptist Church in Rotan. Burial will follow at the Cottonwood Cemetery. Visitation is 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Tuesday at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home.

I also wanted to mention that services for Larry Hale, 67, were held yesterday at Weathersbee-Ray Funeral Home Chapel with burial in the Dowell Cemetery.

Landmark or Vanished

Hobbs is definitely a landmark, but I think we're far from gone.

The Fisher County Index of Landmarks & Vanished Communities links to a map that shows the latitude and longitude when you move the cursor, allowing you to pinpoint locations. The index has the name of locations and the corresponding coordinates.

This photo of the old Hobbs store was sent to me by Bobby Shanks from Newburgh, Indiana. His grandfather, Henry Clay Shanks, owned and ran the old Hobbs store for a while. Here is what Bobby wrote me:

"My uncle (Luther Shanks) would be very happy for someone to take an interest in what he had put together. I’ve brought together information from various points in a family history written by my uncle. He references a book listed on your site “A History of Fisher County Texas“, written by Yeats and Shelton. The store is shown on page 86, according to his notes.

My grandfather Henry Clay Shanks was born in Hawkins County east Tennessee in September of 1876. Having an independent nature, when he turned twenty-one he decided to move to Texas. He had in mind to work for a man named Robert “Bob” Hayter. Hayter was driving cattle from the Double Mountain area and was married to one of grandfather Henry’s cousins.

In late 1897 or early 1898 Henry bought the store from a man named Cavender.

During the time he owned the store, he sold everything from Bull Durham smoking tobacco to clocks and clothing. In one corner was the Post Office, which he ran, and also did repairs on watches. In about 1900, Henry Clay’s brother joined him, followed by a sister, Vona. They lived in a small house near the store. Aunt Lavona “Vona” Shanks married Walter Cave in 1906 and Henry Clay Shanks married Alberta “Berti” Hawkins the same year. In 1913 he sold out and bought a farm about eight miles outside of Rotan. He doesn’t say who bought the store. Uncle Luther does say that the store was run by my grandfather’s father in-law, C.C. Hawkins, for a period in the early 1930s.

After extreme dry years in 1918 and 1919 and having problems with an allergic reaction to the feed crops he grew, Henry moved to Oregon. As far as where the store stood, my uncle mentions a gin being about a mile and a half away and the Hawkins farm being nearby. The only thing that he mentions that may not have changed is some low hills on the Hawkins Farm that he refers to as being rattlesnake infested."

Bobby also sent me a photo of the Hawkins family taken around 1910. I'll post that picture later this week.

I haven't heard anything else about Joe Hardin, but I'm sure I'll have information by tomorrow.

Headlines for the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record, March 27, 2008 issue:

• DPR Annual meeting Mar. 29
• Fisher County gins nearing end of season with record bumper crop
• Fairy Tale Fashion Show & Luncheon
• FUMC, Rotan Easter Cantata Mar. 30
• Blood drive at Fisher County Hospital Mar. 31
• Roby Lady Lions make All State, Tara Schroedter & Kim Williams (photo)
• Rotan UIL One Act Play (photo)
• Apples, Oranges & Hardrock Candy
• Obituary for Roxie (Reep) Etheredge
• Newsbriefs: AARP Tax-Aide; Fisher County Democratic convention
• Run-off election set for April 8
• Frank Cockrell Art Association meeting minutes (photo)
• Rotan Economic Development meeting minutes
• Recipe Corner: Slow Cooker Pork Tender Loin
• Snake den uncovered (photo)
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• Lions & Yellowhammers track photos
• Birth announcement for Bryce Austin McAnally (photo)
• Terry Groves earns All-State honors (photo)

Funeral services for Annie O. Hill will be held today at Cate-Spencer Funeral Home in Sweetwater, 3 p.m.

More chances for rain tonight and tomorrow. Check out KTXS weather for local conditions. Scroll to the bottom to get National Weather Service updates.

Services for Joe Hardin Pending

I just received news from Pat Porter that Joe Hardin died today. Tentatively, the funeral will be in Rotan at the First Baptist Church on Tuesday.

Super Size That, Please

The downside of good soil is that it grows EVERYTHING big.

We have a load of old cotton burrs we've been using for potting soil. I was digging around in it today with a shovel and started coming up with these huge grubs. If this is any indication, I hope all my plants grow five times larger than usual. Lordy, I'd hate to see the June Bug that comes from that!

Click on the photo for a closer view, that's a quarter, not a dime!

Easter Eggs & Steak Fingers

We celebrated Easter with a Country Basket at Dairy Queen for lunch and egg coloring later this afternoon. I heard people saying they weren't going to hunt eggs because the weather was supposed to be bad, but it turned out to be a nice, cool afternoon, good for getting things done like cutting that last bit of wood for the season and weed-eating and such. Oh, and also good for a three hour nap. That was my favorite part.

Dad talked to George Gantt this week. George is doing better after having open heart surgery and going a round with pneumonia.

No matter how many "notes to self" I make, I keep forgetting to have my camera handy. I wanted a photo at the Dairy Queen, and I also wanted a picture of the pretty redbird on my back porch eating cat food this morning, but I didn't get either one. So here is a photo of our new spring kitties with their mother, Trixie. I guess I can cancel that appointment for getting her spayed next Wednesday.

Here's this week's headlines for the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record:

• Suspected drug dealer dies from apparently ingesting drugs
• Roby student injured riding dirt bike (photo)
• Roby School Board hires all personnel, approves plans from CADCO engineers
• Commissioners Court enacts burn ban
• Roby United Methodist Easter celebrations schedule
• Easter Cantata at FBC
• Yeats Pecan Farm sunrise service
  
• Run off election set for April 8
• Rotan ISD holding election on May 20
  
• Obituaries for Georgie Lynn, Merrie Elaine King, Henry Earl Martin, Sr. and Guadalupe "Mom" Almanza
  
• News Briefs: Fisher County Democratic Convention; Hospice of the Big Country training; Sagerton Hee Haw; Siren testing
  
• Fisher County Sheriff's report
• 2 area students named to HSU Dean's List (photo)
• Rotan City Council discusses pool and city camp site
• Recipe Corner: Clay's Tender 'n Tangy Ribs
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Fisher County School menus
• Notice of impoundment and sale of stray
• Birth announcement for Joanna Tiffany Robertson (photo)
• 4 Lions selected 14-A All District (photos)
• Agricultural conference set for March 26 in Snyder
• Easter Blessing page
• Hammers fall 10-1 to talented Ira

Hobbs neighbor Bettie Reep Etheredge, better known as Roxie, died last Sunday and was buried in Hobbs Cemetery on Wednesday. One time I had asked George Maule about something called Red Top or Round Top that I had seen on an old Hobbs calendar, and he told me to go talk to Roxie because she knew everything from way back when around here. I kept meaning to go meet her, but I never did.

About Earl, we ended taking him back to his original owners. I don't think Sue is too sad about it, she seems to like being top dog around here. We're starting to realize that Hank got the blame for a lot of things that Sue was doing. I guess that's why I can't be without my family. I'll realize I'm the one that keeps losing the scissors.

Have a good week! Oh, and take a look at The Old Farmer's Almanac Astronomy Center. This is an interesting and easy to maneuver site. All of it, not just the astronomy. It's one of my favorites, I'm signed up for the newsletter. Cheerio!

Not Quite Hank

Sue and Earl had a lovely time eating grass this morning. If you've seen the Sue & Hank photo, Earl looks like a bad stand-in. He's a little different and will take some getting used to, but he's pretty sweet.

Well, all the signs of spring are presenting themselves. I heard a mockingbird last Monday, saw hundreds of buzzards ride into Snyder yesterday, weeping willows are budding, and I'm painting at the neighbor's. I know spring is right around the corner when I have red, white and blue paint in my hair. This usually also marks the first sunburn of the year.

Onto the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record headlines for the week of March 13, 2008:

• Rotan school board renews all personnel contracts, meeting minutes
  
• Commissioners lift burn ban, meeting minutes
  
• Sheriff's posse votes to give Rotan rodeo grounds to county
• Rotan grad selected 8th Marine Corps district recruiter of the year (photo)
• Run-off election set for April 8
• Filing closes for hospital board, Rotan ISD school board & Rotan Water Authority
• Roby CISD 4th six weeks A/B honor roll
• Obituaries for Peggy Ann Cranfill (photo), Neva Ruth (Morrow) Carlton (photo) and Joel Rains
• Recipe Corner: Bacon & Tomato cups
• Newsbriefs: Fisher County Democratic Convention ; Weather Spotting School; Men's Breakfast
• Engagement announcement for Megan Rae Fletcher & Aaron Gene Greene
• Roby City Council fields reports from City Manager Mickey Kelly
• Kim Porter's New York Life Insurance Column: Feathering a nest of your own
• Sheriff's Report
• Tumbleweed Smith: Ugly Crust pies on Route 66
• Birth Announcement for Keegan May McWilliams (photo)
• Fisher County Schools sports report (photos)
• Big Country Electric sponsors 2 to D.C., announces scholarship winners (photo)
• Fisher County Roundup by Joy Walker
• Livestock risk management workshop to be held
• Notices for impoundment and sale of of estrays
• Randy's Round-Up
• Fisher County Historical Commission report
• Texas Public Schools month, photo collages of Rotan & Roby students

Ya'll do understand why I don't give details of the stories, don't you? First of all, it would be plagiarism, a very dirty word in the journalism world, and secondly, I want to promote the newspaper and tease you with these tidbits! You can get your own subscription by clicking on the Rotan/Roby News Info link to the right, under Connections.

Hold onto your hats, the wind is working hard today. Once again, looking for some rain tomorrow & Tuesday. I think I'll have to delay painting for today, or risk looking like a speckled Easter egg!