The mile-long bridge on US Highway 180 over Hubbard Creek Reservoir was reopened to traffic by TxDOT on Sunday, Jan. 7 following repairs to at least one of the concrete support beams underneath the structure.

Albany students and staffreturnedbacktoschool this week after after a two and a half-week Christmas break, but they will again have holidays next week. Students will have their next holiday on Monday, Jan.

Albany FFA member Madailein Beard had a productive showing at the SandHills Stock Show and Rodeo in Odessa, placing with two heifers. With her Senior Polled Hereford heifer, Beard placed first in her class and was Senior Heifer Division Champion in the Polled Hereford Show.

Four Albany students who earned seats on the All-Region bands for high school and junior high during tryouts in December will play in separate concerts overthenextfewdays. Eighth graders Charlee Patterson and Karlyn Thompson earned seats on the junior high All-Area band.

The annual Albany Youth Ministry Winter Ski Trip and Christian Adventure saw 40 youth andadultvolunteerstravel to Breckenridge, Colorado. The Jan.

Wednesday night programs for children and youth are resuming at local churches following the Christmas break. First Baptist Church First Baptist’s Jesus and Me (JAM) Children’s program resumed Wednesday, Jan.10,withprograms for junior high and high school youth starting back next week.

TheSeptembermorning sun was pleasantly warm as I sat at the patio table in a back yard in Dallas. Next to me in a wheelchair was a man with thick silver hair, a beard to match and deep lines etched in his face from years of hard working and hard living. He was a big man who still looked strong. Rough enough to use a snake as a bookmark as the saying goes in West Texas.

The Feed Store will host monthlyyouthnightsstarting Wednesday, Jan. 31.

Tickets are on sale for the Feb. 17 concert by Jason Boland and the Stragglers at the Aztec Theater in downtown Albany.

Albany city council members voted to raise water rates by $1 per thousand gallons starting with the April 2024 billing during a Jan. 8 session.