The Albany City Council meeting at the Aztec Theater was filled to capacity Monday night as over 80 residents and visitors gathered to weigh in on whether Albany should join the growing list of Texas towns declaring themselves “sanctuary cities for the unborn.” What followed was more than an hour of impassioned testimony, at times deeply personal, as 25 speakers took turns at the podium.

Nineteen spoke in favor of the ordinance, while six voiced opposition — a notable shift from earlier meetings that had been mainly pro-ordinance speakers. 

The Albany Mainstreet Playhouse will bring down the curtain on its 2024–2025 season this weekend with The Curious Savage, a classic comedy by John Patrick. The production will take the stage at the Aztec Theater August 22–24, with evening performances on Friday and Saturday at 7:30 p.m. and a Sunday matinee at 2:30 p.m.

The Albany ISD board of trustees met Monday, August 18, focusing on accountability ratings, teacher pay, and the district’s financial outlook for the coming school year.

Superintendent Daryl Stuard reported that Albany ISD received an overall B rating (81) in the state’s accountability system. Albany Junior/Senior High earned an 84 (B), while Nancy Smith Elementary posted a 76 (C). The elementary campus scored lowest in the “Closing the Gaps” category, which measures performance among different student groups.

Albany head coach Denney Faith said he was pleased with the effort and physical play his team showed in last Friday’s scrimmage against Coleman, though there are still plenty of areas to sharpen as the season draws closer.

“We were physical,” Faith said. “I thought our conditioning was further along than I expected, and I was pleased with the way we executed without any turnovers.”

The Albany Lady Lions were back on the road Tuesday, Aug. 19, traveling to Eastland for their third match of the season. The night ended in straight-set losses for both varsity and junior varsity, but head coach MJ Reneau said the games were another important step in the team’s growth.

Varsity fell by scores of 13–25, 7–25, 16–25, while the JV girls dropped their match 12–25, 25–20, 10–15.

With the new school year underway, the Albany ISD staff is reminding families of the importance of safety, patience, and consistency during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up – particularly in the circle drive in front of the Nancy Smith Elementary School campus.

“It’s been smooth so far,” said NSES principal Jenci Chambers. “It always takes a little longer in the beginning, but each day gets better. We really appreciate parents helping us follow the rules so we can keep things safe for the kids.”

The Blessing

By Clint Chapman

Maranatha Fellowship

Season tickets for the Albany Lions 2025 football season are now available through the Albany administration office with all prices being the same as last year.

Adult season tickets are $30 for five games with student packages costing $20. Returning ticket holders have the right to claim the same seats they had last season, but must do so through administrative assistant Lynsi Perry in the Albany ISD administration building. Season tickets cover only varsity home games.

When I bought this paper, I’ll admit I did not come into it with a journalism background. My experience was on the design side, in graphics and layout. Covering hard news and sensitive issues has been a learning curve and at times an eye-opener.

The 7th annual CareFest took place this past Saturday, August 16, at the Happy Wife Happy Life Weddings and Events Venue.

CareFest co-coordinator Ragan Riley said the day exceeded expectations. “It was a great turnout,” Riley said. “We would like to thank all our sponsors for helping us make it a success. Our volunteers are who make the event possible, and we are thankful for them.”