By Melinda L. Lucas

Several new Shackelford County elected officials took the oath of office for the first time during a brief ceremony in the second floor courtroom of the Shackelford County Courthouse on New Year’s Day, Jan. 1.

Newly elected county attorney Rollin Rauschl and constable Xavier Perez were among those who started new four-year terms that day.

The oaths were administered by county judge Robert Skelton, who had just returned to work after being quarantined over Christmas.

By Sandy Morris

It was a photo finish, but the Albany Community Chest campaign surged ahead and met the campaign goal a little after 3:00 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 31. 

Right before Christmas, donations jumped, which allowed the organization to go over the 50 percent mark, but Chest directors were still concerned about how many contributions were still needed to meet the 2020 fundraising goal of $41,000. 

John Louis Kazda, age 78 of Albany, passed away Sunday morning, Jan. 3, 2021 at home with his family by his side. Services were held Friday, Jan. 8 at Jesus of Nazareth Catholic Church in Albany with burial following at Kirk Ledbetter Cemetery in Throckmorton County. 

John was born Jan. 27, 1942 in Waco, Texas, the son of Louis and Mary Pavlas Kazda. He was a 1960 graduate of Abbott High School and a 1964 graduate of Texas A&M University where he received a Bachelor of Science Degree in Agricultural Education.

Elgin Ray (Punk) Jones, age 93, passed away on Saturday, Jan. 2, 2021 at his home in Mentone, TX. He was born Sept. 25, 1927 in Coleman County to William Lafayette and Oddie Martha (Snedegar) Jones. Elgin married Mary Belle Steddum on June 7, 1950 in the Ibex Community and they shared 70 years together.