By Donnie A. Lucas

The Cubs and Lady Cubs played a full set of games on Monday with mixed results.

The junior high teams will be idle over the Christmas break, resuming play on Jan. 9 in Cross Plains.

The eighth grade girls posted a 31-19 win over the visiting Roscoe girls, improving to 4-4 season and 4-1 in district.

“This was a great team win,” coach Jamie Wilson said. “We had a lot of good things happen, and I think the girls are starting to figure out our press, which makes us pretty deadly.”

By Kathy Thomson

Texas dove hunters have an opportunity to bag the migratory game birds over the Christmas holiday season, starting this Friday, Dec. 20.

Dove season in Texas this year is Sept. 1-Nov. 12, and Dec. 20-Jan. 5. 

Bag limits are still 15-birds per day, including no more than two white-tipped, with a possession limit of three times the daily bag limit.

Legal shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Sunrise in Albany this Friday, Dec. 20 will occur at 7:35 a.m., and sunset at 5:34 p.m. 

By Kathy Thomson

Moran basketball players have been busy with regular games and tournament matches over the last week.

Both varsity teams won games in Woodson on Tuesday, Dec. 10, but did not fare as well in tournament play at Zephyr last weekend.

The middle school boys and girls teams both fell to visiting teams from Eula on Monday, Dec. 16.

Bulldogs

The Moran Bulldogs kept it close with the Cowboys for three quarters before putting up 16 points to Woodson’s 11 in the fourth to tie the score.

By Kathy Thomson

Friday, Dec. 20 is the final day of the third six weeks period, the end of the fall semester, and the beginning of the two-week long Christmas vacation for students attending school in Moran.

Included in the final countdown to the winter holiday have been University Interscholastic League competitions, basketball games, class parties, a visit from Santa, and, of course, end-of-the-semester homework and exams. 

Christmas Break

Will LeMay finished third in the average in the 12 and under tie down roping at the Tuf Cooper Jr. World Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada last Wednesday, Dec. 11.

LeMay qualified for the exclusive event by placing in the top 25 in his division at participating rodeos throughout the year. 

Winning third place in the average on three head on Wednesday allowed LeMay to advance as one of only six contestants eligible for the finals, the “Shoot Out” round on Saturday, Dec. 14.

By Kathy Thomson

The start of a new year is a time for celebrating, and local emergency responders remind county residents to make sure that any fireworks used in the revelry are handled safely and legally. 

Dry conditions and high winds this fall sparked the county commissioners to reinstate the county burn ban at their regular meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 12.

Even when a burn ban is not in effect, the use of fireworks is never allowed inside the city limits of either Albany or Moran. The use of fireworks on county roads is also prohibited.

Lovella Dodgen, age 98 of Albany, passed away Wednesday, Dec. 11, 2019. A graveside funeral service was held Sunday, Dec. 15 in the Albany Cemetery. Interment followed under the direction of Morehart Mortuary.

Lovella Martin was born Nov. 16, 1921 in Anson, Texas to her parents, Bud Martin and Claudie Mae Ferrell Martin. On Sept. 30, 1939, she married M.E. “Mickey” Dodgen in Abilene, Texas. 

Lovella had worked for First National Bank and First Financial Bank before retirement and was a member of Maranatha Fellowship in Albany. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

The filing period for the March primary elections ended Monday evening with one local contested race after Bobby Williams submitted an application and petition on Monday morning for the office of Precinct 1 commissioner.

Incumbent commissioner Steve Riley, who has been elected for the past two four-year terms, filed in mid-November.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Everyone is invited to join in traditional Italian Christmas activities at the Natale family festival at the Old Jail Art Center on Saturday, Dec. 14, from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m.

“Buon Natale means ‘Merry Christmas’ in Italian,” explained educational coordinator Molly Merck. 

She invited visitors to enjoy traditional Italian sweets like pandoro, panettone, and hot chocolate during the event, which will be held in the Stasney Center for Education.

By Kathy Thomson

The annual Albany Chest campaign is in its final days, and the drive is still $15,880 short of the 2019 goal of $42,000 set by the directors. 

According to Chest treasurer Paige Adair, $26,120 had been deposited as of Tuesday, Dec. 10.

Over 50 percent of the targeted amount was collected during the first three weeks of the campaign,  but less than $2,000 has been given in each of the last three weeks, leaving 38 percent of the goal to be raised in the few short weeks before the end of 2019.