By Melinda L. Lucas
Albany ISD students and staff get a day off for the first holiday of the 2023-2024 school year on Monday, Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day.
Classes will resume as scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at the normal time of 7:55 a.m. for Nancy Smith Elementary and 8:00 a.m. at Albany Junior/Senior High School.
Classes started at both campuses on Aug. 17, with the end of the first six-week grading period ending on Friday, Sept. 29.
By Sam Waller
Dakota Irwin will join Friendship Baptist Church as its new youth minister Wednesday, Sept. 6, as the church holds its Back to School Bash.
Irwin, who grew up at Ranger, is a student at Tarleton State University and has a ministry at Solid Rock.
“After he graduated from high school, he joined the U.S. Navy and served on a submarine,” Friendship pastor Paul Johnston said.
By Sam Waller
The Feed Store will conduct its first Fifth Quarter gathering for local youth following the conclusion of the Albany Lions’ home opener Friday, Sept. 1.
The postgame events are sponsored by the Albany Ministerial Alliance and are open to all junior high and high school students. The gatherings will run from the end of each game until 11:00 p.m.
“Everything’s the same as last year,” Feed Store executive director Tisha Wilkins said. “Junior high and high school students will meet at The Feed Store until 11:00.”
By Sam Waller
First Baptist Church will begin its Jesus and Me (JAM) program for children in kindergarten through sixth grade on Wednesday, Sept. 6.
Parents can register their children by using a QR code that can be found on Page 2A of this week’s edition of The Albany News.
JAM will meet 5:30-7:30 p.m. each Wednesday that school is in session.
Two programs for children and youth will begin Sunday, Sept. 10.
Albany Children’s Choir, under the direction of Lacey Anderson and Rachel Williams, will hold its first practice 4:30-5:30 p.m.
By Donnie A. Lucas
Directors of the Shackelford County Appraisal District (SCAD) have set a public hearing for the proposed 2024 budget on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 a.m.
Following the hearing, the board of directors is expected to adopt the 2024 budget for next year, which tallies $468,469 in expenditures. The proposed budget represents an overall increase of about nine percent increase over the budgeted expenses of $442,744 for 2023.
The public is invited to attend the hearing and the meeting to adopt the measure that will follow.
The Albany Chest board will meet at 5:15 p.m. Sept. 13 to organize the 2023 fund-raising campaign, nominate and elect new directors, and choose officers for the upcoming year.
Application forms are available at First Financial Bank, First National Bank, and The Albany News.
By Sam Waller
For the second year in a row, the Albany Lions eked out a narrow season-opening victory over the Lubbock Trinity Christian Lions, rallying from a two-touchdown deficit Friday, Aug. 25 to win 22-21.
Albany (1-0) makes its 2023 home debut Friday, Sept. 1 when it hosts the Dublin Lions at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Lady Lions volleyball team closed out tournament play last week by winning the Aspermont tourney for their second title of the season, going 7-0 for the second week in a row.
The Lady Lions (17-3) carried a 14-match win streak into their Tuesday, Aug. 29 match against Abilene Christian. Albany won a hard-fought four-set match 25-27, 25-15, 26-24, 25-17. Details will be reported next week.
By Sam Waller
About 10 openings – all afternoon tee times – remain for the Albany Golf Club’s annual Labor Day Golf Tournament as of Tuesday, Aug. 29.
The two-person scramble is scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 2-3 at Albany Golf Course.
Entry fee is $200 per team and includes one mulligan per player per day as well as a meal on Saturday evening. The field is limited to 60 teams. Tournament director Shawn Sutton said entries will be taken until the limit is reached.
By Sam Waller
The Albany Junior High Lady Cubs split a pair of volleyball matches against Hawley on Monday, Aug. 28, at home as the season entered its second week.
All three teams – Red, White and Silver – will be in action Thursday, Sept. 7 at Bangs in their first road matches. The Silver team will play at 4:30, followed by the White team. The matches will be Thursday because of the Labor Day holiday.
