By Donnie A. Lucas

Summer band camp for members of the Ragin’ Red Lion Band will switch from sectionals to full band rehearsals starting Monday, Aug. 7.

Director Will Vaughan announced last week that the band is working on a show entitled “Our World” written by Luke McMillan.

The entire band will meet from 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday next week, with the exception of a 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. practice on Wednesday to allow students to participate in church youth group meetings.

By Sam Waller

Albany’s Closet Angels ministry will hold its annual Back To School Bash from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8.

Closet Angels director Lori Reames said the event is open to students of Shackelford County schools and their families.

The ministry will be closed Monday, Aug. 7, in preparation for the sale.

Reames said names for door prizes will be drawn at 6:00 p.m. Customers are asked to enter through the front door and fill out an entry form to be entered for the drawing.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Chamber of Commerce is making plans for its annual community garage sale with registration to start later this month.

“We know the garage sale will be in September; we just don’t have an exact date nailed down yet,” Chamber manager Brandi Lehew said. “Plans are being made, and we will have a date soon. People should go ahead and start getting ready and gathering stuff for this year’s garage sale. It’ll be here soon.”

By Sam Waller

Moran Independent School District is gearing up for the start of another school year with faculty and staff going through in-service this week.

Classes start Monday, Aug. 7. Principal Jo Hise said students must have enrollment packets filled out and turned in before then. The last chance to pick up packets is 5:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4 before the start of the Meet the Teachers program.

Four days of in-service training started Tuesday, Aug. 1, with First Financial Bank providing breakfast for school personnel.

By Sam Waller

Moran High School athletes began preseason workouts for football, volleyball, and cross country this week.

Football began Monday morning before shifting to afternoon practices the rest of the week.

Bulldogs coach John Hughes had expected 10 or more players at the start, but those hopes were dashed.

“I thought we weren’t going to have to deal with the numbers issue, but right now we are,” Hughes said. “On Monday and Tuesday, I had seven out here.”

Goodnight Steakhouse owner Jason Harlow (r) and chef Terry Chandler (r) hand Mike Bean a donation check for $6,168 for Ben Richey Boys Ranch. The contribution amount is the total from the dollar bills that were taken down from the walls and ceilings at the Beehive.

By Sam Waller

A report of a credit card scam against a local resident has been made to the Shackelford County Sheriff’s Department, which is actively investigating.

Deputy Sheriff Jason Price said such scams typically involve a request for money with the promise of refunding more money, but the refund never comes.

“The scammers will ask people to put money on a card and give them the card number to get money back,” he said. “If anybody tells you to put money on a card or buy a card, it’s a scam.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Pick-up dates for the August distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, Aug. 3 and Friday, Aug. 4.

On Thursday Aug. 3, certified elgible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

Certified eligible Albany families for the August food distribution program can pick up their commodity food on Friday Aug. 4 at the back door of the Justice of the Peace office from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Pictures for varsity and JV football players have been set for this week, with volleyball teams and cheerleaders scheduled next week.

Members of the Albany varsity and junior varsity football teams will be in full pads on Friday, Aug. 4 for team and individual photos to be taken at Robert Nail Stadium.

The Lions and their coaches will gather at 1:30 p.m. after the morning practice.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Masonic Lodge expects to come close to matching its 2023 scholarship total in 2024 following the Lodge’s Scholarship Golf Tournament, held Saturday, July 29.

“I think we are going to be able to offer five or six $1,000 scholarships,” Lodge member Randall Palmore said “We had 51 participants and a great amount of support from local folks kicking in for hole sponsorships and general donations. We’ll be close to $6,000, and that’s what we gave this year.”

The lodge presented $5,000 in scholarships in 2022 and 2021 after giving four in 2020.