By Melinda L. Lucas

Board members of the Shackelford County Appraisal District (CAD) will meet on Friday, Aug. 30 at 7:30 a.m. for a final discussion about the proposed CAD budget for 2019.

A copy of the budget can be viewed at the CAD office at 132 Hill St., where the meeting will be held.

The $387,522 preliminary figure approved by CAD board members is $14,461 more than the current budget of $373,061.

Of the proposed number, $382,522 is for expected expenditures, and $5,000 is designated for the litigation contingency fund balance.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A Jones County man who had been missing for two weeks was found dead in his car over the weekend just inside the Shackelford County line.

Chris Guevara, 40, of Stamford was discovered off of a dead end portion of CR 174 near Hamby by a lease holder who was in the area to replenish his deer feeders, according to local sheriff Ed Miller.

By Kathy Thomson

Opening day of dove hunting in Texas is Sunday, Sept. 1, and for the fourth year in a row, hunters across the Lone Star State, including those in the Albany area, will have a 90-day hunting season and 15-bird daily bag limit.

According to the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD) dove program leader Owen Fitzsimmons, dove populations have thrived this year thanks to the amount and timing of spring rains across most of the state that kicked habitat into high gear for dove breeding season.

By Kathy Thomson

Class officer and student council elections have been held at the secondary campus and names of the winners were posted on Monday.

Student council president for the current school year is Gregori Mikeska, with Tana Thompson serving as vice president. 

Tyler Beard is secretary, Taylor Scott is treasurer, Addison Asher is reporter, and Torie Fuentes is parliamentarian.

By Kathy Thomson

Students, teachers, and support staff will celebrate the first school holiday of the year on Monday, Sept. 2 when the local school district dismisses for Labor Day.

Classes will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 3 at the normal times of 7:55 a.m. at Nancy Smith Elementary School and at 8:00 a.m. at the secondary campus.

The next scheduled student holiday is Columbus Day, Oct. 14, followed by Thanksgiving. Classes will dismiss early on Tuesday, Nov. 26, and will resume the Monday after Thanksgiving, Dec. 2.

By Kathy Thomson

Registration for General Education Development (GED) classes will be held at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 2 at the Shackelford County Library.

“You will need to bring an acceptable form of identification,” said local instructor Kenzie Fairchild. 

By Kathy Thomson

Kids Club Activities at First United Methodist Church are scheduled to begin on Wednesday, Sept. 11.

The Kids Club is designed for fourth through seventh graders. Instructors teach the children life skills and offer fun activities, snacks, and the opportunity to learn the Word.

A special account was opened last week to help City of Albany employee Julian Jones, who was diagnosed with cancer about a month ago.

Contributions to help with Jones’ medical expenses can be left with any teller at First National Bank Albany/Breckenridge.

According to city manager Billy Holson, Jones has been a loyal employee of the city for more than eight years, continuing to work this summer even after he was diagnosed.

All of one leg was amputated at M.D. Anderson in Houston last week. Holson said that Jones developed complications over the weekend.

By Kathy Thomson

Parents and grandparents do not know exactly where their young adult children are at all times, especially this time of year when college students head back to campus, and scam artists are trying to take advantage of that, according to Shackelford County Sheriff Edward Miller.

By Kathy Thomson

The Mike Whitmore hand-forged Blade of Fort Griffin was recently delivered to officials at Fort Griffin State Historic Site, where it will remain in their safe keeping until it is presented to the winner of the 2019 Fort Griffin BBQ Cook-Off and Battle for the Blade on Saturday, Sept. 28.

The annual event raises funds for the historic calvary fort located around 14 miles north of Albany on Highway 283.