By Kathy Thomson

Moran High School tracksters opened the season in Santa Anna on Thursday, Feb. 27.

Results of the meet were not available at press time and will be reported next week.

The junior high teams will head to May for a meet on Tuesday, March 2.

Head track coach John Hughes is pleased with participation numbers.

“We have 22 kids out for high school track and 15 for junior high,” said Hughes. “With the large numbers, we should do well at the district meet.”

Basketball Finale

By Kathy Thomson

One of five candidates for three Moran city council positions withdrew from the race during the past week, and Moran officials clarified that a sixth candidate had filed for a one-year unexpired term rather than a full two-year term, as had been previously reported.

Moran city secretary Teresa King said Friday that after consulting with the Texas Municipal League, she found that the unexpired term that will be on the ballot this May will only span one year instead of two.

By Kathy Thomson

The National Weather Service (NWS) encourages all residents, businesses and schools across West Central Texas to practice a tornado drill on Thursday, March 5 at 10:00 a.m. or at a time that is more convenient. 

More tornadoes strike Texas than any other state, and the San Angelo office has designated March 1-7 as the official opening of severe weather awareness season.

School Drills

By Kathy Thomson

Almost 200 local Republicans and Democrats participated in the first week of early voting in the Texas primaries, around 100 less than at the comparable time during the last presidential election race in 2016.

Election Day is next Tuesday, March 3. 

Four years ago, there were several contested local races in addition to the national and statewide contests, while in 2020 the only Shackelford County office with more than one candidate on the primary ballot is for the Republican nominee for County Commissioner Precinct 1. 

Pick-up dates for the March distribution of the commodity food program are March 5 and 6.

On Thursday, March 5, certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at Moran City Hall between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

Albany families can pick up their commodity food Friday, March 6 at the rear door of the JP office from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. 

By Kathy Thomson

Local youth ministers Kathryn Hamilton (The Feed Store) and Spencer Newsom (Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church) have invited all interested parents to come to an informative presentation about social media next Wednesday evening, March 4, at 6:30 p.m. at The Feed Store.

By Kathy Thomson

Albany High School students were the second place journalism team and the second place science team at the Stamford UIL Invitational meet on Saturday, Feb. 22, and Luke Ivy won the chemistry section of the science contest.

“I was very pleased with how the students did,” said local UIL coordinator Rick Davis. “We took 16 students and came home with 17 awards!”

By Kathy Thomson

Juniors Sidney Bartee and Tristan Edgar both competed at the UIL Region 6 East Zone Band Solo and Ensemble competition held at Abilene High on Saturday, Feb. 22.

Bartee earned a Division 1 rating, and Edgar was given a Division 2 rating, with both girs playing Class 1 solos. 

Bartee played Lento by Holmes on the tuba, and Edgar performed Adagio and Allegro by Handel on the alto saxophone.

Both students were accompanied by Sandy Abel on the piano.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County elected officials are combing through three IT bids opened Monday, Feb. 24, with plans to meet with each vendor separately in the next couple of weeks before making a decision.

Sealed bids were received from Computer Transition Services Inc., Tolar Systems, and Goldsmith Solutions, the current vendor.

Consultation meetings  with representatives of the companies have already been posted for March 5-6, with plans to vote at the next regular meeting on Monday, March 9, according to county judge Robert Skelton.

By Kathy Thomson

Everyone is invited to attend next Monday’s public performance of The 39 Steps, the one-act play Albany High School students will take to district competition next week.

The free production will be given at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 2, in the AHS auditorium.

The cast has been rehearsing for weeks and already performed at a one-act play festival.