By Kathy Thomson

The playing field at Robert Nail Stadium will officially be known as “Faith Field” after a ceremony tomorrow, Sept. 6, at 7:15 p.m., shortly before the Albany Lions’ first home football game of the 2019 season.

A large crowd is expected to purchase tickets for the Dublin game and arrive a few minutes early so they can be there for the special dedication.

Tickets to the 7:30 p.m. football game are $5 for adults and $2 for students and can be purchased at the gate for those who do not have season tickets or a senior pass.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Following a series of budget workshops over the past month, Shackelford County commissioners met in a special session on Friday morning, Aug. 30 to propose both a budget for the fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 and a tax rate to support it.

A $4,329,454 balanced budget was proposed by Steve Riley, with a second by Cody Jordan. The expenditure figure is $144,631 more than the current year’s original budget of $4,184,823.

Jordan made the motion to submit a 58.91-cent rate, seconded by Riley.

Both votes were unanimous.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Everyone with an interest in the Albany Independent School District is invited to a public meeting at 6:00 p.m. Monday, Sept. 9 at the Aztec Theater, with school leaders planning informal presentations as well as fielding questions from the audience.

Although the meeting has been scheduled as a response to the district’s accountability report, AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott said that he would like to make the “State of the School” meeting an annual event.

By Kathy Thomson

Participants still have a little over a week to sort through unused items in garages, closets, and storage buildings, gather up things that are just taking up valuable space, and get them ready to sell to new owners during the Albany Chamber of Commerce annual garage sale on Saturday, Sept. 14.

The event is traditionally held on the second Saturday in September, and along with garage sales at various locations around Albany, many downtown merchants also have sales taking place on that day.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Visitors are invited to enjoy an afternoon lecture about “Law & Order in Depression Era Texas,” followed by light refreshments at the Old Jail Art Center’s Focus Lecture scheduled to take place from 2:00 to 3:00 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 7. 

Texas author Dr. Jody Ginn will be the speaker, recounting sensational headline news events from the 1930s.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A 2020 budget of  $387,522 was approved by unanimous vote of the board of directors for the  Shackelford County Appraisal District (CAD) early last Friday morning, Aug. 30 at the CAD office.

The figure is $14,461 more than the current budget of $373,061.

Following the required public hearing, with no one other than board members in attendance, Bob Skelton voiced the motion to approve the budget as proposed, with a second from Lanham Martin.

The motion passed without opposition.

Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce gather for a ceremonial ribbon cutting at Albany Paint & Body after the business officially joined the Chamber recently. The shop is located on Hwy. 283 just north of the county show barn.

Pick-up dates for the September distribution of commodity foods are Sept. 5 and Sept. 6.

Thursday, Sept. 5, eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

Albany families who have been certified for the September food distribution can pick up their commodities Friday, Sept. 6, at the rear door of the JP office from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. 

The City of Albany will test the emergency warning siren at 12:00 noon next Wednesday, Sept. 11, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.

The tests keep citizens familiar with the three warning sounds, and they are also used to make sure that the siren, computer, software, and radios are working correctly.

The siren should sound one of the three emergency tones at noon on that day, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable, according to local fire chief Kyle Tischler. 

By Kathy Thomson

With the fall stock show season already underway, Shackelford County 4-H, Albany FFA, and Moran FFA students have a workday scheduled this Saturday, Sept. 7, starting at 8:00 a.m. to prepare the local show barn for upcoming events.

The Shackelford County Youth and Livestock show barn, located at 8470 US Highway 283 North, just outside of the Albany city limits, needs to be ready to welcome visitors and around 100 show pigs prospects at the facility’s first event of the year next weekend.