By Sandy Morris

Local and area high school students who were unable to attend the Worship Night at the Feed Store on Wednesday, Feb. 24, will have another opportunity to hear featured speaker Riley Israel.

The area Fellowship of Christian Athletes has teamed up with Power1 Ministries and will host a youth rally at the Breckenridge High School gym at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 1.

Growing up, Israel was very involved in all sports, playing baseball, football, and basketball, but baseball was his first love. 

By Sandy Morris

The Ministerial Alliance continues to work on plans for the Easter Community Service. 

This year’s Easter event is called AWAKEN and will be held at the Aztec on Sunday, March 28.

Alliance members are planning for the event to include out of town speakers and a worship team. 

Specific times and other final details will be announced for the Easter service, which traditionally takes place on Palm Sunday evening. 

Easter in 2021 is Sunday, April 4. Palm Sunday is March 28.

By Sandy Morris

Project Graduation organizers for the senior class will hold a ‘To Go’ lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28 at The Feed Store. 

The menu will include chicken spaghetti, salad, bread stick, and dessert for a donation.

Each senior has been assigned a food item to donate before the luncheon. 

Seniors can help by promoting the lunch on social media and helping deliver meals to cars. Parents can help inside by making up the to-go boxes. 

Dear Editor:

Thank you to the citizens of Albany for your support last week during the unprecedented winter weather event and the conditions that resulted from the extreme cold. The heroes are numerous as a city faces such challenges!

Billy Holson led Albany through this time with knowledge and determination. All of the city’s employees, along with many others, worked alongside Billy 24 hours a day to keep the water and electricity on.

Countless hours were spent in freezing, miserable conditions.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany’s junior high tracksters had the first track meet of the year at Hamlin cancelled as a result of schools being dismissed the previous week because of the weather.

The season opener will be next Tuesday, March 2 at Breckenridge.

Events are scheduled to start at 3:00 p.m.

Albany will host a junior high meet on Monday, March 8, and the district meet is slated for March 27 in Hamlin.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Lion baseball team is starting the 2021 season at home this week, hosting a JV tournament on Thursday through Saturday.

The Lions will play Sweetwater’s JV at 2:00 Thursday, then take the field again on Friday at 1:00 p.m. against the Baird varsity. The third day of the tourney has the Lions playing the Abilene Cooper JV at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday.

Coach David Fairchild has had only nine total players from both varsity and JV to work out, with the majority of the players still involved in the basketball playoffs.

By Donnie A. Lucas

After missing out on their regular season opener and a tournament last week due to the weather, the Lady Lion softball team got on the field Monday to earn a 20-0 victory over the Cooper JV in Abilene.

Albany will play in the Stephenville tournament starting today, weather permitting. The girls are scheduled to play Springtown at 3:30 p.m. and Midway JV at 5:00 p.m. at McClesky Field at City Park in Stephenville.

The Lady Lions will play Crowley at 11:00 a.m. Friday at Stephenville High and Krum at 2:00 p.m.

By Sandy Morris

Local FFA and 4-H youth braved the winter weather and participated in the recent San Angelo and San Antonio stock shows, with the San Antonio show still going on this week.

San Antonio Show

Albany FFA sponsor and ag instructor Chris Beard said eight exhibitors showed gilts Feb. 10 to Feb. 12 during the first week of the San Antonio Livestock Show.

Carter Carrion earned seventh place with his Duroc gilt.

By Sandy Morris

Pick-up dates for the March distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5.

Certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 4. 

Albany families who have been certified as eligible for the February food distribution program may pick up their food on Friday, March 5, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the rear door of the JP office. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Lion basketball team won the bi-district title in a 57-55 barn-burner with a two-point buzzer shot against Petrolia last Saturday in Bryson.

Albany advanced to the area round against Lipan on Tuesday in Eastland, losing 75-46 in a season-ending defeat to finish the year with a 11-7 record.

Details of the loss to the state-ranked Indians will be reported next week.

The Lions  overcame a 16-point deficit in the fourth quarter, capped by the buzzer basket by Barrett Beal to win the game and keep the contest out of overtime.