By Melinda L. Lucas

Local business owners need to file renditions by April 17, according to Shackelford CAD County chief appraiser Clayton Snyder.

Normally business taxpayers are required to render by April 15, but since that date falls on a Saturday, the deadline is extended to the following Monday.

Snyder also explained that he is allowed to grant a 30-day extension to May 17 if those requests are received in writing by April 17, with a possible second 15-day extension.

Email is considered a written request, he added.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions golf team is 36 holes away from a return to the state tournament.

The Lions will tee it up Monday-Tuesday, April 17-18, for the Region II-2A tournament at Old Brickyard Golf Course in Ferris.

A year ago, Albany finished second at the regional tourney to earn the program’s first team berth at state since 1994. The Lions finished fifth at state and return all five golfers returning.

By Sam Waller

With district and regional competition out of the way at the high school level, Albany junior high tennis players took the court this week to start their season.

Coach M.J. Reneau said the first junior high practice was held Wednesday, April 12. Reneau said she has three events scheduled for the junior high program.

“I didn’t realize that the first tennis meet I scheduled was a STAAR date, so we’re going to have to reschedule that one,” she said. “We’ll have one tournament with Winters, then we’ll do an intrasquad meet, then it’ll be district.”

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions kept pace in the District 8-2A baseball race on April 4 with a 4-0 win at Cisco in the final game of the first half of district play.

The Lions (13-2 overall, 5-1 district) were in a three way tie for the district lead when they visited Hawley on Tuesday to start the second half, but a 9-0 win there puts Albany all alone in first place. Details will be reported next week.

Albany continues a five-game road stretch at 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 14 at Anson.

Game Details

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lady Lions split a pair of games last week, but received some bad news as they enter the final two weeks of the softball season.

Albany (15-11-1 overall, 7-1 District 8-2A) beat  Baird 21-14 on Tuesday, April 11, in a single game after low numbers led coach Jimmy Fuentes to scale back from the planned doubleheader. Details will be reported next week.

The Lady Lions visit Cross Plains at 5:00 p.m. Friday, April 14 in their second game of the week.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions and Lady Lions track and field teams had 13 individuals and two relays qualify for area competition with their efforts Thursday, April 6 at the District 10-2A meet at Cisco.

The area meet with District 9-2A is being held Thursday, April 13 (today) at Graham. The top four finishers in each event advance to the Region II-2A meet Friday-Saturday, April 28-29 at Springtown. Results from the area meet will be reported next week.

By Sam Waller

The Albany High School tennis team will be sending four entries to the state tournament, two of them for the second year in a row, after its performance this week at the Region II-2A tournament.

The Class 2A state tournament is scheduled for Tuesday-Wednesday, April 25-26 at Blossom Tennis Center in San Antonio.

At the regional tournament, played Monday-Tuesday, April 10-11 at Richland Tennis Center in North Richland Hills, Albany claimed three titles, along with a second place and a fourth place out of six entries.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Pick-up dates for the April distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, April 13 and Friday, April 14.

Certified 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, April 13.

Albany families who are eligible for the February food distribution program may pick up their food on Friday, April 14, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the rear door of the JP office.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Things were hopping in downtown Albany on Saturday with a variety of activities to entertain locals and visitors alike for the Easter holidays.

The Chamber provided a visit from the Easter Bunny in front of First National Bank through the lunch hour Saturday, complete with a photo backdrop for picture taking.

A number of residents and shoppers stopped by to have their pictures snapped, according Chamber manager Brandi Lehew.

The real party got started at 3:00 p.m. with a first-ever Spring Fling play day adjacent to the Bank Park.

By Sam Waller

Among topics discussed Tuesday, April 11 at the Shackelford Youth and Livestock Association annual meeting was the creation of a Shackelford County Horse Show.

Shackelford County extension agent said the inaugural event, which will be open to 4-H and FFA members, will be Saturday, May 6 at the Fikes Arena.

“Hopefully, we’ll be able to grow this,” Bell said. “I don’t know if it will be anywhere near what the stock show is, but I do want people to know that’s a full county show for 4-H and FFA members.”