Spring will be celebrated by families this Saturday at the Old Jail Art Center as the staff hosts a family festival featuring crafts, games, food, and music inspired by May Day traditions.

The Mayfest will start at 12:00 noon, and participants are invited to come and go until 3:00 p.m.

“Mayfests have been celebrated throughout Europe each spring for centuries as communities come together to enjoy nature and warmer weather,” said education coordinator Molly Merck, “but this is the Old Jail’s first Mayfest.”

She encouraged whole families to join in the fun.

Much of Monday’s regular meeting of the Shackelford County commissioners was spent discussing a possible change in the way jailers and dispatchers are paid.

Sheriff Ed Miller requested that his LEC staff be “transitioned” from being paid on a salary basis to an hourly wage.

Booths featuring various agencies and businesses with health and wellness information, health screenings, and fun activities are expected at tomorrow’s 16th annual Shackelford County ResourceCare sponsored spring health fair.

The event will begin at 8:30 a.m. and end at 12:30 p.m. with activities, including a bounce house, held outdoors at the Bank Park on Friday, May 3. 

“However, if it rains or is too muddy, it will be cancelled,” said program assistant Ragan Riley.

Academic excellence was honored at the Albany Independent School District’s annual Academic Banquet for junior high and high school students on Monday, April 29, in the main gym at Albany High School.

The Feed Store, Albany Academic Booster Club, and Albany ISD co-sponsored the banquet this year.

New AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott welcomed the honorees and guests and then led the invocation.

Members of the Albany Parent Teacher Organization, parents of local students, and the Albany Masons plan to provide snacks, meals, prizes, and gifts to Albany Independent School District teachers and administrators during Teacher Appreciation Week May 6-10.

“I am grateful that there is a special week designated just for them,” said PTO president Ginny Ivy. “We sometimes get so busy that we don’t always stop and show the teachers how much we appreciate all the hard work they do.” 

The Albany sixth and seventh grade bands won top marks by the judges at the Clyde band festival on Friday, April 26.

“They did very well,” said band director John Stockdale. “Both bands got straight 1’s.”

Like the high school band contests, the middle school bands are not ranked against each other, but are critiqued and rated by three judges. The top score given is a 1.

The sixth and seventh grade bands will go to Six Flags on Thursday, May 16.

Student Awards

Parents of Albany High School graduating seniors are reminded to gather baby pictures for The Albany News’ upcoming graduation section.

Pictures are due by Thursday, May 9.

Parents need to select a clear, sharp baby picture of their graduate, preferably a face and shoulders close-up under age three or four.

Photos should be placed in an envelope with the student’s name marked, and brought to Jennifer Corbin in the AHS office.

Elizabeth Nell Dyess Denman – Oct. 15, 1920 – Apr. 25, 2019

On Apr. 25, 2019, due to complications from a stroke, beloved wife, mother, grandmother, great-grandmother and amazing friend to many, Elizabeth Nell Dyess Denman of Lake Jackson, Texas, peacefully passed into the arms of her loving Lord.

Everyone in Albany is invited to the First Christian Church Labyrinth at 12:00 noon today, May 3, for a community-wide prayer and worship gathering during the National Day of Prayer (NDP). 

The Albany Ministerial Alliance is hosting the lunch-time event, and invites the general public to join in the national intercession for unity for America and her leaders.

Albany Ministerial Alliance president Brad McBee encouraged everyone who is available during the lunch hour to stop by for the outdoor event.

District, area, and state wide FFA contests took place last week and local ag students competed at some of the events.

The Big Country FFA District speaking events and officer elections were held in Cisco on Monday, April 22 and several members of the local FFA chapter attended as voting delegates, officer candidates, degree applicants, and/or speaking event contestants. In addition, the Albany chapter applied for the Golden Horizon Award and the National Chapter Award.

Alayna Koemel was elected to serve as the Big Country District vice president.