By Sam Waller

Albany’s Debbie Hamilton has been recognized for her efforts as a substitute teacher as one of four May Employees of the Month selected by Education Management & Staffing Solution (ESS).

Hamilton finished out the final month of the school year teaching senior English at Cooper High School in Abilene after faculty member Jimmy Pogue encountered health problems. Others recognized were from school districts in New Jersey, New Mexico and Utah.

Hamilton was nominated by Cooper teacher Shawna Parmelly.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Parents are reminded to stop by the Albany News office to pick up photo packets of players in various spring and summer sports leagues.

Individual and group pictures of graduating seniors have also arrived and are ready for pickup.

Packages that weren’t paid in advance or charged to established accounts can be ordered when paid for.

By Sam Waller

Shackelford County Library’s annual summer children’s story hour program shifted to Wednesdays this week as the calendar switched to July.

Organizer Janna Ledbetter said the program will continue on Wednesdays as long as attendance warrants, even until school starts if children keep coming.

By Donnie A. Lucas

After releasing preliminary results for the five End-of-Course exams administered to high school students last month, the Texas Education Agency has now posted individual results for most students.

The scores have been loaded to TEA’s parent portal accessible at www.texasassessment.gov.

Parents must log in to that website using a state account they can set up for their student.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Ragin’ Red Lion Band will start preparing for the 2023 marching season on Monday, July 24 in the band hall with rehearsals for the percussion section including the pit crew.

The percussionists who stand on the sideline, as known as the pit, will meet 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, with the drum line scheduled for 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

By Sam Waller

Albany’s 2022 Annual Drinking Water Report showed one violation, the city’s first in some time.

Albany water superintendent Michael Graham said the violation occurred Sept. 8 when an equipment failure prevented testing for chlorine dioxide and chlorite. Public water systems are required to collect and submit chemical samples of water provided to their customers and report the results of those samples to the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality on a regular basis.

“A piece of equipment went down, and it was just for one day,” Graham said.

Don Sazama, 85 of Albany, passed away Tuesday, June 27, 2023. Joyce Sazama, 81 of Albany, passed away Friday, June 30, 2023. Graveside funeral services were held Monday, July 3 at the Albany Cemetery Pavilion with Rev. Tom Chandler and Pastor Paul Johnston officiating. Interment followed under the direction of Morehart Mortuary.

Beverly Ann McDonald, 67, went to be with her Lord Jesus Christ on June 27, 2023, surrounded by her family. Born with a heart defect on Dec. 30, 1955, to Elva and Bud Dillingham, she was only given two weeks to live.

Specialists in Dallas said she would never live a normal life. In 1962, at the age of seven, surgery was performed to correct a hole in Beverly’s heart. Given only a 20 percent chance to live through the procedure, she was one of hundreds that survived.