By Sam Waller

Registration deadline for Albany Little League is Friday, Feb. 25.

Registration is being conducted online at www.albanytxll.com.

Tryouts for new players age 8-12 will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Little League complex on Griffin Road. Players unable to attend at that time may try out at the field at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 6.

Players who were in the program last year and those who will be playing T-ball or Coach Pitch do not need to attend.

For more information, contact Paul Hamilton at 214-543-9947.

By Sam Waller

Fort Griffin Fandangle Association members are responding quickly to letters that they received a couple of weeks ago, purchasing memberships at seven different levels ranging from Pioneer at $25 to platinum at $5,000. The Pioneer membership is open only to those age 65 and up.

Memberships may be purchased online at www.fortgriffinfandangle.org or by calling the Fandangle office at 325-762-3838.

Rehearsals Start

By Sam Waller

Colter Edgar placed second in his division with a barrow as Albany FFA and 4-H members completed participation in the San Angelo Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Five Albany students exhibited barrows in the swine show, which wrapped up Thursday, Feb. 17. The San Angelo show concluded on Sunday, Feb. 20.

Edgar competed in the Lightweight Cross division in San Angelo. His second-place finish enabled him to make the sale with the animal.

Also showing barrows were Callan Edgar, Tye Edgar, Tatum Grady, and Paige Price.

By Sam Waller

Two Moran meat judging teams scored well in contests over the weekend at major livestock shows.

Moran teams placed 25th and 35th out of 43 teams on Saturday, Feb. 19, at San Angelo. On Sunday, Feb. 20, the teams finished 33rd and 41st out of 77 teams in San Antonio.

Moran superintendent Dr. John Denson said two members of the first team scored extremely high in placing classes at San Angelo.

By Sam Waller

The Moran Bulldogs wrapped up their boys basketball season Tuesday, Feb. 15 with a 74-46 loss at Baird.

The Bulldogs finished the season 2-16 overall, 1-9 in District 13-1A.

Baird opened up a 24-11 lead in the first quarter and increased the margin to 42-16 at halftime. The Bears outscored the Bulldogs 32-20 in the second half.

Arren Hawley, Moran’s lone senior, led the Bulldogs with 19 points. Caleb York scored eight points and Ellis Hise added seven, while Connor Hail scored two.

Spring Sports

Gerlinde Damith Lowe passed away at home Feb. 18, 2022,  after a brief battle with pancreatic cancer.

Gerlinde Maria Damith was born Aug. 27, 1934 in Sudetenland to parents Wilhelm and Marie Damith. She was the seventh of nine children. At the young age of seven, her mother passed away and three years later her father also died.  The nine children were sent to live with aunts and uncles, Gerlinde joined Herman and Berta Kühuel,  a sister and brother in law in Nesselnbach, Germany.

Twyla Harris, age 63 of Albany, passed away Friday, Feb. 11, 2022. Her family had a memorial service Saturday, Feb. 26, at the Bethel Assembly of God in Albany, Texas. Arrangements were entrusted to Morehart Mortuary of Albany.

Twyla Jo Rogers was born Sept. 7, 1958 in Albany, Texas to I.B. Rogers and Velma Dendy Rogers. She married Michael Harris on March 28, 1984 in Albany, Texas.

Twyla loved Jesus Christ, her husband and children, her grandson, family, and many friends. She was affiliated with the Friendship Baptist Church and First Baptist Church.

By Donnie A. Lucas

After being postponed for a couple of years due to the pandemic, the Old Jail Art Center will finally get to celebrate 40 years of collecting with a gala that will also mark the opening of three new exhibitions for the spring.

The “Jewel of the Prairie” will celebrate its Ruby Jubilee, marking 40 years since opening to the public, with an event postponed from 2020 from 6:00 p.m. until 10:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 26.

Tickets for the fundraising gala are still available for $175 per person. Tables for 10 guests are also still available.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Early voting started on Monday for the March 1 primary elections, with about 24 voters showing up at the Courthouse first floor lobby on the first day alone to mark their ballots.

In-person early voting will continue at the Courthouse through Friday, Feb. 25.

The hours for voting are 8:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. each weekday including Fridays, with the exception of Monday, Feb. 21 when the courthouse will be closed for the national observance of Presidents Day.

By Donnie A. Lucas

With no contested races as of Tuesday, residents only have two more days to toss their hats into the local political ring for several local elections to be decided May 7.

Only the Albany ISD trustee election had drawn a full slate of candidates as of Tuesday, with one or more positions still lacking candidates on five of six boards or councils with terms expiring for the election.

Without a contested race thus far, all six boards are looking at the possibility of being able to cancel their elections.