By Melinda L. Lucas City, school, and county officials are on the front lines of the worldwide coronavirus surge as they carefully but quickly navigate state and federal recommendations to rein in the “beast” before it grows to the proportions that it has in other countries.

By Melinda L. Lucas Albany ISD trustees made a tough decision during a Monday night meeting dominated by coronavirus concerns, eventually voting unanimously to suspend local classes through the end of March.

By Melinda L. Lucas Albany school classes and sports aren’t the only events affected by Coronavirus restrictions and concerns. Many other local activities have been suspended for at least the next two weeks, and some are completely cancelled.

By Melinda L. Lucas Coronavirus protocol for both the health clinic and the ambulance service was reviewed during a regular meeting of the Shackelford County Hospital District’s directors on Monday, March 16.

By Kathy Thomson The first Fandangle practice of the year took place on Monday evening at the Aztec Theater, with the next rehearsal scheduled for Monday, March 23. “We had a small but very strong group at our first Sampler rehearsal,” said artistic director Lorna Ayers.

By Melinda L. Lucas School breakfast and lunch for local students during the period that classes are suspended were still up in the air at press time, but Albany ISD administrators were hopeful that the cafeteria staff could begin distributing meals as soon as Thursday morning, March 19.

By Kathy Thomson Albany High School students are dealing with numerous schedule changes and cancellations due to the COVIC-19 pandemic including postponement of the District 8-2A academic contest, originally scheduled to take place next Monday, March 23.

By Kathy Thomson Albany High School’s one act play (OAP) placed among the top three in district earlier this month, qualifying the local thespians to advance to bi-district competition, but that event has been postponed because of a reality that seems at least as strange as the one faced by the...

By Kathy Thomson Members of the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association are hoping to meet sometime before April 15 for a general meeting to evaluate the 2020 show, consider any proposed rule changes, and address any concerns that have been brought to the attention of the Association,...

Jordan Pleasant, a 2017 Albany High School graduate, was named to the Fall 2019 Dean’s List at Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene.