The Old Jail Art Center will open its fall season of exhibitions this Saturday, September 27, with a public celebration for members and guests from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. The evening marks the debut of three new exhibitions: Texas Moderns: Dickson Reeder, Strange Expanses by Timothy Harding, and Curious, a series of short films on loan from the Blanton Museum of Art.

The exhibitions reflect the museum’s continued efforts to present a wide range of visual art—from mid-century Texas painters to contemporary installation work and multimedia storytelling.

Seniors Mimi Ivy and Cade Fairchild were crowned Albany High School’s 2025 Homecoming Queen and King during halftime ceremonies at the Albany vs. Coahoma football game Friday night, Sept. 19, at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.

The pair, both Albany seniors and lifelong friends, were crowned in front of a large homecoming crowd. The king and queen were selected by a vote of students in grades 9–12 from among eight senior nominees. Class princes and princesses, organization sweethearts and beaus, and other royalty were also introduced on the field.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Eight new public information requests submitted at Albany City Hall by Tammy Fogle of Abilene  on Monday, Sept. 22, have extended the ongoing debate over the “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” ordinance in Albany. 

A Sanctuary City ordinance failed at the Aug. 18 city meeting, when no motion was voiced to bring it to a vote. Supporters had been seeking to have it placed on the city agenda for several months, and city officials finally did that in August.

Fort Griffin will come alive with frontier sights and sounds during Living History Days, set for October 10–11 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Fort Griffin State Historic Site north of Albany. The event offers an immersive step back into the late 1800s, featuring reenactments and demonstrations that capture the spirit of Texas frontier life.

In one of the most emotionally charged games of the season, the Albany Lions came up just short against a much larger Class 3A Coahoma team on Friday night, falling 15–12 in front of a packed homecoming crowd.

“It was a great high school football game,” said Head Coach Denney Faith. “Two good football teams played each other, and I think both teams are better because of it.”

The Albany Lady Lions opened district play on a strong note Tuesday night, sweeping the Abilene TLCA Lady Eagles in three sets (25-16, 25-10, 25-19). The road win marked a critical momentum shift for the varsity team following a difficult loss over Homecoming weekend to Veribest.

“I thought our transition was spot on,” said Head Coach MJ Reneau. “It’s something we’ve really been working on, and it gave us so many opportunities to attack. The girls made adjustments without hesitation, and our chemistry and confidence are right where they need to be.”

The Albany Mainstreet Playhouse has announced its 2025–2026 performance season, featuring a diverse lineup of productions that promise both entertainment and community engagement. The group, now officially operating as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, hopes this season will raise both spirits and funds—with a goal of $15,000 to support its efforts.

Season Opens with WWII-Era Cabaret

Human beings have a proclivity to place people into groups based on appearances, attributes, abilities, and behaviors; and to then contrast people in a given group with people in an opposing group. So people are said to be short or tall, kind or cruel, extravert or introvert, normal or abnormal.

These categories are oversimplifications. We know most people tend to fall along a continuum from one extreme side of a category to its opposite, and most people would best be placed somewhere scattered around the middle.

The Patch, hosted by Bethel Albany, returns for its eighth year this Saturday, Sept. 27, bringing fall fun to Clear Fork Bank Park for the entire community. This year’s event also coincides with Bethel Albany’s 10th anniversary, adding an extra layer of celebration to the day.

The event kicks off at 9:00 a.m. with the opening of the pumpkin market, followed by a wide array of family-friendly activities starting at 10:00 a.m. Guests can enjoy live music, games, bounce houses, train rides, a petting zoo, face painting, and free family photo opportunities.

Albany High School will celebrate Homecoming 2025 on Friday, Sept. 19, with traditional festivities that include a downtown parade and the presentation of royalty during halftime of the football game against Coahoma. 

Kickoff is scheduled for 7 p.m. at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.

Homecoming Parade

This year’s parade will begin at 5 p.m. and travel through downtown Albany before returning to the stadium parking lot.