By Sam Waller

The Moran Lady Bulldogs volleyball team encountered a rough weekend at the Albany Summer Slam Tournament, dropping four matches.

In Thursday’s pool play, the Lady Bulldogs lost to Breckenridge and Abilene Christian.

“We played a ghost player because I had a girl who was sick,” Lady Bulldogs coach Jo Hise said. “We actually played five-on-six for both of those games.”

Despite the situation, Hise said the team was still able to make progress.

By Sidney Bartee

A meeting will be held on Monday, Aug. 23 at 6:00 p.m. at the Moran Community Center for those interested in perpetuating the Dennis Cemetery.

The goal of the meeting is to create a committee to maintain and oversee the property.

According to volunteer Jana Kitchens, Brad and Maureen McCollum were overseers of the cemetery for many years, and new community members are needed to collect donations and make decisions concerning the property.

By Sam Waller

Though shorthanded, the Moran Bulldogs football team had a productive outing Saturday in its scrimmage against Trent.

With just five players available, the Bulldogs managed to outscore the Gorillas 6-3 at Bulldog Field.

“I was pretty well pleased with our scrimmage,” Moran coach John Hughes said. “I only had five guys, but Trent was rotating a couple of guys in with my guys so they could get some extra work in.”

 The scrimmage pinpointed some areas that need work, but Hughes was pleased with the overall effort.

By Sam Waller

Teachers and staff at the Moran Independent School District underwent CPR training this week along with other preparations for the start of the school year.

The training was conducted by Deloris Londerholm, part-time school nurse for the district.

“CPR is state mandated,” Moran principal Jo Hise said. “Praise God, we have not had to use it yet.”

Classes begin Monday and the school district has a busy slate of events scheduled for the last few days of summer vacation.

By Sidney Bartee

Citizens of Moran will hold their annual garage sale on Saturday, Sept. 4, beginning at 7:00 a.m.

Organizers will have maps and lists of homes participating at the Moran community center on the day of the sale.

The deadline for community members to sign up is by noon Thursday, Sept. 2.

“We have had some responses already,” community volunteer Michelle Taggart said. “We expect a few more people participate.”

There is a post on the city of Moran Facebook page for people to sign up if they want to participate.

Bonnie Miller, age 86 of Albany, passed away early Sunday morning, Aug. 15, 2021. Graveside funeral services were held Tuesday, Aug. 17th at Albany Cemetery with Rev. Jeff Turner officiating. Interment followed under the direction of Morehart Mortuary.

Bonnie Lavell Miller was born Jan. 23, 1935 in Big Spring, Texas to James Miller and Lodella Tollett Miller. He played football for the Albany Lions, and graduated high school from Albany High. He married his high school sweetheart, Barbara Daniell. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners continued trimming the budget for the 2021-2022 fiscal year that starts Oct. 1 and got their first look at preliminary tax rate numbers during a meeting held Monday, Aug. 9.

Final tax valuations are still pending from the Shackelford County Appraisal District.

For several hours on Monday, the elected officials continued to chip away at the expense side of the budget, hoping to have a document ready to propose in the next two to three weeks.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Chamber of Commerce will begin taking registration for its annual community garage sale next week and is seeking sponsors for its inaugural Home of the Hereford Cookoff and Cornhole tournament.

Registration for the garage sale, which is scheduled for Sept. 11, begins Tuesday, Aug.17 and runs through Sept. 3.

Registration fee is $10, which covers inclusion on the map and a garage sale sign.

“That goes to pay for the plastic signs so participants don’t have to return them,” Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones said.

By Sam Waller

Multiple sightings of a mountain lion in north Albany have been reported on social media by local residents.

One sighting was reported the morning of Aug. 4 at a residence near Nancy Smith Elementary School. Another was reported in the back yard of a northside residence on Aug. 7.

Game warden Jacob Mort said he has received only one official phone call about the situation, and that was not from someone who had personally spotted the cat.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A special meeting of the Albany city council was set for next Tuesday, Aug. 17 to discuss and propose a tax rate for the upcoming tax year. 

City manager Billy Holson said Tuesday after the council’s regular session that making a decision next week will give the city time to post required notices prior to the regular meeting on Sept. 13, when he hopes the new tax rate will be adopted.

The city’s fiscal year ends in March, so their budget has already been decided.

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