Hot ebay find..Rotan Currency

I just came across this auction on ebay. The description says that it is "A very scarce note from Fisher County." I thought it was pretty neat. Just click on "ebay" to see the sellers offer.

Haven't Seen You Since Last Year...

- Hereford bull -

It's always a surprise when it turns out that winter is really here, although it comes every year. Just like we're always surprised by baseball sized hail every summer.

Hope everyone had good holidays. Here's the update on two Rotan Advance Roby Star Record issues:

December 21, 2006:

• Rotan City Council Meeting Minutes, Request Made to Close Streets and Drive Ways
• Shelby Spikes Wins 2nd Place at District FFA Banquet for Singing (photo)
• Israel Ramon Convicted of Being a Pervert and Child Molester
• Newspaper Subscription Renewals Due
• Rotan Community Stock Show (photo)
• Bradey Murphree Accepts TPTA Midwest District Award (photo)
• Birth Announcement for Daniel Benito (photo)
• Chamber Christmas Benefit, photo of Amy Garland and Peggy Rivers
• Haskell Livestock Auction Prices
• Rotan UIL Results (photos)
• Obituary for Royce Doyle Rasco
• Recipe Corner: Cranberry Salad
• Fisher County Hospital Board Meeting, Judy Niell P.A. and Donald Wheat DPM Approved as Staff
• Western Texas College Registration January 11
• Roby CSD Financial Statement
• Fisher County Basketball (photos)
• Abilene Rehab & Rotan Stock Show Photos
• H.A. "Tince" Kiker Celebrates 100th Birthday

Rotan sales tax rebates for December 2006 were $10,766.61 (Dec. 2005 $9,547.51), year to date $155,189.19 (2005 $144,198.99).

Roby sales tax rebates for December 2006 were $4,400.05 (Dec. 2005 $1,390.25), year to date $29,644.65 (2005 $22,134.31).

December 14, 2006:

• Winners Named in Rotan Christmas Parade (photos)
• Sophia Scott Makes All Region Band (photo)
• Judy Niell PA to Join Clearfork Health Center Staff (photo)
• Rotan Junior Livestock Show Dec. 16th
• Ginning Season Ends, Low Totals
• December 8th Vehicle Accident (photo)
• Roby School Board Minutes, Steady Attendance of 289
• Rotan ISD Meeting Minutes, Steady Enrollment of 363
• Julie Henderson & Mark McCall Engagement Announcement
• Marcia C. Mota e Silva & Carlton W. Robertson Marriage Announcement (photo)
• Lizzie Young Celebrates 97th Birthday (photo)
• Fisher County Commissioners Court Minutes, Steve Estes Reported Animal Id Program Dropped by USDA, Rodney Tankersley Expresses Courthouse Maintenance Issues
• Obituaries for Oliver Earl Cooper, Mrs. Willie Sivilla (Bill) Sumerlin, Juanita Williamson and Carl Thomas Hitt
• Results for Nolan/Fisher County Pecan Show, Jimmy Laurie, Aiken Ranch and Jimmy Price Winners
• Recipe Corner: Sugar Free No Bake Cookies
• Fisher County Basketball (photos)
• Colin Hicks Shoots First Deer (photo)
• FCHC Meeting Minutes, Next Meeting First Tuesday in Feb. 2007
• Roby City Council Minutes, BFI "Forgets" to Give Good Customer Service

Someone ran off with the last issue for 2006, so I need to pop down to Thriftway and get it before the new one comes out. Happy New Year, all, and a prosperous one at that.

Happy Sunday! Newspaper Update for Dec. 7 Issue

- Hobbs School campus -

Good Morning! Good News! Rain is on the way, and it is sorely needed. The forecast is calling for chances of rain next Monday through Friday. They've increased percentages gradually all week, so maybe this will really happen.

The image that is posted today is an aerial view of the Hobbs School Campus.
Mapquest has a choice of aerial map photos as well as the conventional map view.

Here are the highlights for the December 7, 2006 issue of the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record:

• Tyler Ward of Roby Stars in Christmas Movie (Photo)
• Downtown Christmas Lighting Dec. 7th
• Roby Band Members Make All Region Band
• Time for Newspaper Subscription Renewals
• Photos of Christmas Parade Winning Entries
• Medicare Prescription Open Enrollment through Dec. 31
• Birth Announcement for Emma Grace Schulz
• Judy Davis' Recipe for Mexican Cornbread Casserole
• Obituaries for Clyde Athello "Buzz" Taggart, Lenora Morton, Shirley Ann (Bridges) Montgomery, Ernest Ray "Lefty" O'Donald, Pauline F. Helms, H.W. Grady
• 4-H Food & Nutrition Quiz Bowl (photos)
• Fisher County Basketball Review
• Rotan & Roby All District Football Selections (photos)
• Haskell Livestock Auction Prices

Be sure to check out the official Hobbs Holler website. Good luck with your Christmas shopping and Happy Holidays to you all!

Camper for Sale

This camping trailer is for sale and is located across from the Hobbs Cemetery. Click here to send inquiries by email.

Vehicles for Sale

We have three vehicles for sale at Hobbs, all for parts, none of them run. A 1999 Ford Ranger, a 1991 Buick Century and a 1980 Chevrolet El Camino are all on the block. Email me for more info.







If any of you would like to trade, sell or buy something in or around Fisher County, drop me a line and I'll put it up here. Have a good work week!

Since it is Sunday, it seems appropriate to post this photo postcard of the Rotan First Baptist Church. I'm thinking it burned down long ago. I believe this is from the early 1900's.

The weather has been surprisingly cold lately. Perhaps it's just that the summers are so hot they make one forget all about any winter days that have happened. The summer heat just melts those memories.

Here are the highlights from the Rotan Advance/ Roby Star Record for November 30, 2006:

• DAR Good Citizens Honors Sophia Scott & Adrian Daniel (photos)
• Hospital Board Minutes, P. A. Judy Niell to Begin Practice
• Greg Redden Home Totaled in Damaging Fire (photo)
• Sweet letter to the Editor from Joyce Trott Sweek & her Recipe for Egg Custard Pie
• Micaela Brooke Garner Bags Two Deer
• USDA NCRS Announces Environmental Quality Program, Apply by Dec. 15
• Recipe for Helen Noles Lemon Cheese Bars
• Fisher County 4-H News (photo)
• Fisher County Basketball News: Lions Collect Wins Over Large Schools, Rotan Roundballers Split with Knox City (photos)
• Roby Exes Addresses Needed, email to gpc8268@sbcglobal.net

Regular columns that are in each issue are The Editor's Column, Randy's Round-Up by Congressman Randy Neugebauer, Tumbleweed Smith and Joy Walker's Fisher County Round-Up. All of these articles give tidbits of news from close to home for this area.

There are lovely gifts for sale, as always, at The Newspaper Office. Featured at this time are Teapots & Miniature Tea Sets, Fenton Lamps and Christmas Red Bird Gifts. Fall items are 1/2 off.

Old Santy will be making his rounds soon, so be good all you kiddies! Ho, ho, ho!

Dashing through the Snow...

...Because if you don't, you'll freeze! Of course, there's no sign of the white precipitation today, two days after, but it has left us with great weather. Nice crisp days that are good for getting outside and working in. Or playing in, whichever you prefer.

I'm sure you have noticed that I've gotten way behind on the newspapers, so let's just dive right in. We'll start with the last one and work our way back. Here goes!

Rotan Advance/ Roby Star Highlights for November 23, 2006:

• Ladies Societies Place Gravestone Insignia for Miss Josie Baird (photos)
• Vandals Attempt Arson at Rotan Library
• Faith in Action Concert Dec. 3, Monte Morrow & Crossfire at the old Lance Theatre
• Rotan Christmas Parade Dec. 7, Roby Parade Dec. 9
• Rotan City Council Minutes, Backhoe Purchase Approved
• Region 14 Education Service Certificate Opportunity for Math and Science Teachers
• Susan Leigh Vernor and John Talmadge McKelvy III to Marry
• Rotan Economic Development Approves Sale of Locker Plant
• Former Centers Club Members Luncheoned in Roby Nov. 14
• Billie Lou Holcomb 75th Birthday Celebration today at Roby Community Center
• Obituaries for Saragosa DeLeon, Voncille Armstrong Driver, Dorrene "Tootsie" Browning Acker
• Lone Star Land Bank 3rd Quarter Report
• Basketball Scores for Rotan Yellowhammers and Roby Lions
• Lady Hammers 8th Grade Volleyball Team Deemed District 5-1A Champs

Rotan Advance Roby Star Record Highlights for November 16, 2006:

• Rotan 4-H Food Drive through Dec. 8, Drop-Offs at Thriftway, Rotan City Hall, Rotan Elementary and Junior High Schools
• Texas Farm Bureau Meeting Dec. 2-4 in Arlington
• Roby City Council Minutes
• Fisher County Historical Commission Meeting Minutes
• Rotan Honor Roll 2nd Six Weeks
• Rotan Schools Presented Veterans Day Tribute (photo)
• Gamma Tau Style Show Luncheon (photos)
• Monthly Climate Survey Chart for Oct. 2006
• Recipe Corner: Grace Kemp's Cream Cheese Salad
• Pecan Show Dec. 5, Nolan County Courthouse, Bring Entries to Fisher County Courthouse
• Football: Roby Lions 18, Hamlin Pied Pipers 47 - Rotan Yellowhammers 34, Baird 6
• Basketball: Lady Lions Shock Two State Contenders, Lady Yellowhammers Action Photos
• Fisher County Commissioners Court Meeting Minutes
• Roby CISD Regular Board Meeting Minutes
• Roby CISD Honor Roll

Rotan Advance Roby Star Highlights for Nov. 9, 2006:

• Lady Hammers Volleyball Girls Receive District 5-1A All-District Honors
• Johnny Whitefield State Bound Yellowhammers Track
• Fisher County Voters Favor Chris Bell for Governor; Election Results
• Recipe Corner: Larue Vann's Meatloaf
• Football: Roby Lions 12, Winters Blizzards 22 - Rotan Yellowhammers 12, Albany Lions 36
• Veterans Day Articles and Photos
• Fisher County RV Group Get Together
• Hamlin FFA Fun Day December 2

Be sure to stop by the Newspaper Office if you're in Rotan and look at all the Christmas items they have for sale. Happy Holidays!

Newspaper Overview for Nov. 2, 2006

Here are the highlights for the Nov. 2, 2006 issue of the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record:

• Fire Destroys House in Roby (photo)
• Rotan Community Service League Sponsors Adopt a Christmas Ornament 735-3041, 735-3606
• Adrian Daniel & Sara Ford Nominated for Wendy's High School Heisman
• Appeal for LAGP - Apply at the Texas Department of Agriculture website, must be postmarked MONDAY the 13th
• Gamma Tau to Sponsor Luncheon, Style Show Nov. 11
• Charity Murdoch Homecoming Queen Nominee at Waxahachie College
• Gamma Tau Meeting Minutes for Oct. 23 (photo Rusty Peace & Juanelle Jordan)
• Rotan Economic Development Meeting Minutes
• Veterans Day Ceremony to be held at Rotan High School Auditorium Nov. 10
• Birth Announcement for Tess Marie Taylor
• Obituaries for David Holloway "Dave" Posey, L.D. "Dutch" Parks, Santiago Jimmy Armendariz and Robert Casey Bigham
• Lady Lions Basketball Preview, Roby Cross Country Results, Lion Football Open Week
• Rotan Lady Hammers Volleyball Team Makes Play-Offs
• October 27 - Yellowhammers 7, Roscoe Plowboys 43
• Senior Citizens Center Halloween Contest Winners (photos)

Me & My Credit Report, Just Walkin' Down the Avenue...

I have a friend that bought Identity Theft Insurance recently, and the company had her fill out forms so that they could access her credit report though the major reporting companies. It got me to thinking about something I had heard about being able to get a free credit report.

Well, I received a letter of denied credit, once again, for some kind of credit card (thank goodness!), but this time I actually read the letter, and it said that under the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act, I had the right to a free credit report for the next 60 days from the reporting company listed on the letter (it was Equifax).

I then went to the Equifax website looking for my free report and found out that the Federal Trade Commission had amended the FACT Act (under the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act) in October, and that everyone is allowed one free credit report yearly.

I then somehow ended up at the Annual Credit Report website, where you can order your free credit report from all three major credit reporting companies: Equifax, Experian and TransUnion.

The Annual Credit Report site is easy to use and now I know what the bottom line is on my credit. You don't get your credit rating, that's extra (you have to pay), but it shows negative items, accounts in good standing and recent requests for your credit history. A very handy website, indeed.

Deer Season 2006 Begins

- George Maule -

Deer season officially began this weekend. I don't especially enjoy hearing the alarm go off at 5 a.m. on Saturday and Sunday morning, but I guess fun has it's sacrifices. The Texas Parks & Wildlife website has a lot of information on it about hunting, like bag limits by county. There is also information on hunting alligator. I hope there is no real need for that knowledge in Fisher County.

I wanted to point out the ebay favorites link in the right column. I try to find everything pertaining to Fisher County that's being sold on-line and list it there. I also have listed some of my favorite sellers. If you find something that I haven't listed, or if you have a seller you would like listed, send me an e-mail. Right now there is a real neat coin for sale from a store in Sylvester. There's also a book titled "Cattle Call" by Tanner Laine that is for sale, which features West Texas cowboys. The photo above comes from one of two books that George Maule is in, "Cattle Call" and "Rope Burns".

Onto highlights for the Rotan Advance / Roby Star Record for the week of October 26, 2006:

• Writer Jon McConal & Friends Walk Fisher County (photo)
• Reverend Bill Fitzgerald New Roby Methodist Pastor (photo)
• Yellowhammer Band Competes in UIL (photos)
• Rotan Gin Reports First Bale of Cotton Season
• DAR Meeting Minutes
• Rotan City Council Meeting Minutes, Rotan to Clean up Abandoned Lots (photo)
• Amy Elizabeth Blackwelder & Dean LaValle Engagement (photo)
• Foy Mitchell Celebrates 90th Birthday (photo of Foy & Dessie)
• Roby VFD Turkey Shoot TODAY!
• James Wylie Gaspar Birth Announcement (photo)
• New Arch Sign Erected at Sardis Cemetery (photo)
• Obituaries for Edna E. Scott Popham, Charles "J" Taylor, Larry Eugene Gruben
• Recipe for Chicken & Dumplings Courtesy of Larue Vann
• Oct 20 - Roby Lions 27, Baird Bears 18 - Roby Senior & Quarter Back Phillip Williams Named 1A Built Ford Texas Tough Player of the Week for Week Seven
• Rotan Yellowhammers Open Week, Photos of Volleyball & Track
• Fisher County 4-H Food Show Winners & Photos
• 2006 Maberry Reunion Notes
• Katy Dee Pearman & Clay Parker Cade Engagement
• Vesicular Stomatitis Regulations In Effect for Hauling Stock from Wyoming
• Fisher County Hospital Health Fair Photo Page

Rotan & Roby Sales Tax Rebates have risen over 4% from last year for the month of October.