By Melinda L. Lucas

With the extended deadline for the Old Jail Art Center children’s workshop coming up on Friday, July 21, parents need to get their 6-12 year olds signed up for one or more of the four sessions scheduled over the first two weeks of August.

All the workshops are only offered in person this year, moving back to pre-COVID traditions according to the OJAC’s director of education Erin Whitmore.

The traditional Cultural Connections Camp, which is centered on Egypt this year, will start things off on Wednesday, Aug. 2.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A single bid for a “property exchange” was accepted at the Albany city council’s regular meeting on Monday, July 10.

After the required bidding process, a 5.76-acre track owned by Justin Trail south of the airport runway will be “swapped” for 7.39 acres owned by the city behind the water plant. Trail agreed to grant a utility easement.

The council approved the bid.

AVFD Engine

Fire chief Joel Viertel reported that the department’s “second out” truck, a 2002 model has been in Mans-field for three weeks for an inspection.

Albany News readers and advertisers are reminded that no newspaper will be published, either in print or online, during the week of July 17.

“We will not have a July 20 issue,” said News editor Melinda Lucas. “Hopefully that won’t be an inconvenience or source of confusion for anyone.”

Mail and online subscribers will get their papers at the usual times this week, with the July 13 issue distributed Thursday morning.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Several members of the local FCCLA chapter competed at the national conference in Denver, Colorado last week, bringing home silver medals for their efforts.

The Level 2 Parliamentary Procedure team which can include freshmen and sophomore students, earned the silver medal; however, they did not place in the top 10 in the nation. Last year five of seven members competed in the Level I (junior high) division and won first place at the national conference.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Ticket are selling fast for the fifth annual CareFest, with only $50 general admission remaining for the one-day music extravaganza headlining Pat Green and Kevin Fowler on Saturday, Aug. 26.

The event will again be held at Happy Life, Happy Wife Weddings and Events Venue on FM 1084. Gates will open at 4:00 p.m.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The last name on a fairly lengthy list of classroom teachers and coaches has been checked off this week, although a few expected contracts are not yet finalized, according to Albany ISD administrative assistant Lynsi Musselman.

With so many longtime educators retiring this year and others leaving the district, AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott commented that hiring for multiple positions in a post-COVID environment has been challenging.

By Donnie L. Lucas

The first-week Summer Day Camp sponsored by ResourceCare began Monday, July 10 at the Albany Youth Center, with almost 140 campers enrolled, but about 80 attending.

This year the program is split between July 10-14 and July 24-28 to accommodate a number of the high school age workers to attend church camps.

A total of 138 campers ages 3 through the sixth grade are enrolled, with 40 high school staffers signed up to work the event, along with 10 junior high volunteers.

By Sam Waller

The final week of Albany Junior/Senior High’s summer conditioning program for boys begins Monday, July 17, while the girls program resumes following a two-week break.

The final session for the boys program will be Thursday, July 20, while the girls program wraps up Thursday, July 27.

Football coach Denney Faith said participation in the boys workouts remained strong despite an expected dip last week with the Fourth of July holiday.

By Sam Waller

The Fort Worth Cats select baseball team wrapped up its season Sunday, July 9 by winning the Five Tool Baseball tournament at TCU’s Lupton Stadium in Fort Worth.

Albany’s Cole Read played a big part in the Cats’ 8-7 win over Lonestar Baseball Club of Austin in the championship game, going 2 for 3 with two RBIs.

Read, who will be a senior at Albany this fall, has handled multiple roles for the -Lions. He was named District 8-2A Catcher of the Year this season in addition to being a key piece of Albany’s pitching staff.

By Sam Waller

Albany Golf Course will host two fundraising tournaments later this month sponsored by the Shackelford Youth and Livestock Association and the Albany Masonic Lodge.

The Youth and Livestock Association will host a three-person scramble on Saturday-Sunday, July 22-23, with proceeds going toward the renovation of the Shackelford County livestock barn.

Entry fee is $125 per person and includes a meal Saturday evening. Matt Stapp will perform during the meal.