By Lynsi Musselman

The Albany Dance Theatre Company will present “Rise Up” for its 70th Annual Recital on Friday, June 5 at 7:30 p.m.

Because of continued restrictions and a smaller crowd size, the event will be held at the Whitney Theatre rather than at the high school auditorium as it usually is.

This year’s recital will be for senior dancers only. 

The seniors participating are Larson Garcia, Alayna Koemel, Julia Bowman, and Madelyn Connally.

By Lynsi Musselman

The Feed Store will host a hamburger dinner for the Albany High School  Senior Class of 2020 on Saturday, May 23 from 7:00 p.m. to 12:00 a.m.

The Feed Store will provide seniors with hamburgers, hot dogs, and homemade ice cream for a sundae bar.

Feed Store executive director Tisha Wilkins said all precautions have been taken to provide the seniors with an opportunity to spend time together. 

“We hope to fill the gap for some of the things the seniors are missing out on,” Wilkins said. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

What may well go down as the most unusual school year ever came to an end this week, with students saying their good-byes to teachers from a distance while turning in the final batch of weekly instructional packets.

The nine-week odyssey that started with school closures across the state, thanks to the coronavirus pandemic, concluded about as abruptly as it began.

By Lynsi Musselman

While the shift is being made to come back to in-person gatherings, local churches are adjusting their safety protocols and finding ways to continue to reach as many in their congregations as possible.

Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church

MMPC announced last week that they would begin to meet again for Sunday worship at 11:00 a.m.

MMPC will also broadcast just the sermon and the entire Sunday worship service.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Several awards including six special memorial honors were presented to Albany High School athletes last week, although not during the traditional All-Sports Banquet that typically marks the end of the year for school athletics.

The honors were handed out to recipients when they returned to campus for the first time in over two months to turn in school uniforms and equipment.

The school year ended abruptly in mid-March when the district let out for spring break with the closure of all Texas schools due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Harold Clayton Maxwell, 80, of Diboll, Texas and formerly of Albany, died May, 17, 2020. Private graveside were held at Temple Family Cemetery with Dr. Brian Wiggins officiating.

Mr. Maxwell was born April 16, 1940 in Odessa, Texas to the late Alma (Arendt) and Byron F. Maxwell, Sr., and died unexpectedly Sunday, May 17, 2020 in Katy, Texas.

Mr. Maxwell resided in Diboll most of his adult life. He retired as President and CEO of the Forest Products Division of Temple Inland following 41 years of employment. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

With renditions due in a little over a week, the staff at the Shackelford County Appraisal District (CAD) is also busy getting ready to send appraisal notices for real property and business personal property.

According to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder, about 2,000 notices will be sent to property owners by the end of the month.

By Lynsi Musselman

With the Shackelford County Library still closed, the usual summer reading program will not be offered this year.

Albany Study Club members normally start the reading program the first Tuesday in June. The program is for children ages four to 10 and meets every Tuesday for one month. 

Library committee chairperson Janna Ledbetter said the program is interactive, and several kids and their parents usually attend.

By Lynsi Musselman

With Project Graduation 2020 cancelled due to uncertainties surrounding the coronavirus shutdown, a drawing was held this week to choose recipients for the traditional Task Force scholarships. 

Also, Project Graduation organizers have announced that the money raised for the celebration will now be divided among each senior and handed out at graduation in the form a gift card.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The first confirmed case of COVID-19 in Shackelford County was officially reported late last week to county judge Robert Skelton.

The positive test was for a female under the age of 40 and was reported to the judge by the Texas Department of State Health Services. The first positive test is also reflected on the DSHS website on the COVID-19 Dashboard.