By Sam Waller

The Albany Ministerial Alliance will hold its second Fifth Quarter fellowship Friday, Sept. 16, following the Albany Lions home football game against Hawley.

The gathering will meet at The Feed Store. For the first time this year, high school and junior high students will meet in the same location.

Feed Store director Tisha Wilkins said refreshments will be provided by  Matthews Memorial Presbyterian and Trinity Lutheran churches.

By Sam Waller

Bethel Assembly will hold The Patch fall celebration on Saturday, Oct. 1, at the Bank Park.

The pumpkin market will open at 10:00 a.m. and last until the pumpkins sell out.

“I’ve ordered more pumpkins this year,” organizer Betsy Spraberry said. “All proceeds from the event go back into the community in various ministries we do throughout the year.”

Spraberry said the market will offer a wide variety of pumpkins suitable for almost any fall pumpkin need.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The next family festival at the Old Jail Art Center is a little more than a week away on Saturday, Sept. 24, celebrating the harvest moon.

The free event will be held from 12:00 noon to 3:00 p.m., with activities mostly in the Marshall R. Young Courtyard, weather permitting, and the Stasney Center

The “Mid-Autumn Moon Festival” is a centuries-old Chinese Harvest Festival honoring family, gathering, and gratitude.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Open registration for GED classes continues weekly on Monday and Tuesday nights at the Shackelford County Library, according to local instructor Kenzie Fairchild.

Classes started last week with three students enrolling; however, students are free to begin the program at any point.

Weekly classes are held on Monday and Tuesday each week from 5:30 p.m. until 8:30 p.m., and will follow the Albany ISD holiday calendar.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Students who are needing extra help are now able to attend one of three after-school programs  offered at both Nancy Smith Elementary and the Albany Jr./Sr. High campus.

All students in grades 7-12 can attend Lion Academy on Monday through Wednesday this year, while fifth and sixth graders can stay after school on Monday through Thursday for Cub Academy.

By Sam Waller

Shackelford County 4-H will celebrate the start of a new year with its kickoff party at 6:00 p.m., Sunday, Sept. 18 at Webb Park.

“We’ll have hot dogs and hang out and play games,” Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell said. “We’ll get everybody’s questions answered before everything gets going.”

Bell said club members will be informed of the 14 projects being offered this year.

While the first official club meeting is still being planned, several activities will get underway in the coming weeks.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Several records were set at the 36th annual First Impressions pig sale benefitting the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association on Sunday, including the largest number of pigs sold, highest price, and the highest gross sales.

According to organizer Mike Parsons, a total of 123 head were sold, with 13 “no sales,” amounting to a total of $117,800 in sales.

But the biggest news at the sale was the record-shattering price of $20,000 paid for the grand champion boar pig. Last year, the top pig sold for $5,000.

By Sam Waller

Albany FFA members earned high placings with their livestock entries last week at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo. Several more will be entering the show ring this week.

Gracie Price placed first in the Other Registered Breeds heifer class with her Maine-Anjou heifer. She also placed sixth in the class with her Chianina heifer.

Myleigh Leveridge placed third in the Breeding Shorthorn heifer class.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The Shackelford County Hospital District’s board of directors will meet next Monday, Sept. 19. in expectation of adopting the almost $4 million budget that was proposed Aug. 24, along with the “no-new-revenue” tax rate of 19.24 cents.

The required public hearing for the budget will be held prior to the vote.

By Donnie A. Lucas

There will be a few changes in the 2022 Fall Fest sponsored by the Albany PTO, including the date, which has been moved ahead by a week to Saturday, Oct. 22.

A meeting was held Monday, Sept. 12 to iron out several other changes to be implemented this year.

The event will again be held in the parking lot at the elementary campus. It will start at 5:00 p.m. and end at 8:00 p.m.