Thirty-six Albany High School seniors will receive their diplomas Friday night, May 22, during commencement exercises scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in the high school gymnasium. The event marks the conclusion of the students’ high school careers and the beginning of their next chapter.

This year’s class is led by valedictorian Woods Peterson and salutatorian Mimi Ivy. Other honor graduates include Allison McDaniel, Ryan Turner, Jaxson Street, Madison Parrott, Hollis Yeates, Cache Clark and Caysn Hargett.

The opening date for the City of Albany swimming pool remains uncertain as city officials continue working through staffing and certification requirements.

Kenisha Lucas of City Hall said this week that the city still does not know when the pool will open and likely will not have more information until after the weekend.

“We will post the opening date on our website as soon as we know something,” Lucas said. “We won’t know until after this weekend, pending certifications.”

The city’s website is albany-texas.org

Shackelford County rancher Rick Hanson was recognized as the Area 5 winner of the Conservation Rancher Award during the Texas Association of Soil and Water Conservation Districts Area 5 banquet held May 5 in Dublin.

John Tate of Albany, Area 5 state representative for the association, served as emcee for the banquet, which honors conservation efforts across a 54-county region. Smaller counties are combined into shared districts, with Shackelford and Stephens counties forming the Lower Clear Fork Soil and Water Conservation District.

Albany High School athletes wrapped up the 2026 UIL Class 2A state track and field meet with three solid performances against some of the top competitors in Texas, highlighted by a bronze-medal finish from senior pole vaulter Breylon Billington.

Competing Friday, May 15, at Mike A. Myers Stadium in Austin, Billington placed third in the pole vault, freshman Jakobi Roberson competed in the triple jump and senior Chance Stewart ran in the 800-meter run.

The Albany Lions saw their season come to an end Thursday with a 3-1 loss to Ropes in a one-game regional semifinal playoff at Ira Athletic Complex.

The defeat ended a postseason run that saw Albany advance to the third round of the playoffs and finish the year one game shy of the regional finals.

Coach David Fairchild said afterward that the loss was especially difficult because of how well Albany played.

Plans are underway for a local celebration of America’s 250th birthday this summer, with the Albany Chamber of Commerce currently organizing America 250 Jubilee at the Train Depot on Friday, July 3.

The celebration is still in the planning stages, but organizers say it will be set up similarly to the Chamber’s annual crawfish boil, with a come and go format from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Current plans include inflatables for children, Americana-themed games, hot dogs and several contests throughout the day.

The Albany Lions are headed to the regional semifinals after bouncing back from an opening loss to win two straight games against Eldorado in their Class 2A Division II area playoff series last week in Hermleigh.

Albany dropped the opener 2-1 despite a dominant outing from Brody Oliver, who struck out eight batters and allowed only one hit across seven innings. The Lions stranded 12 runners in the loss, including leaving the bases loaded with no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Aiden Vickers led Albany at the plate by going 3-for-4.

Albany High School wrapped up the 2026 UIL state tennis tournament with a third-place finish in mixed doubles as Mimi Ivy and Cade Fairchild earned another bronze medal at the Blossom Tennis Center in San Antonio on May 7-8.

The Albany mixed doubles pair advanced to the semifinals after opening the tournament Thursday with a win over Tyler Hemphill and Kylynn Ramirez of Shiner. Ivy and Fairchild followed with another victory against Hank Wheeler and Sofia Tenti of Cushing to secure a spot in the final four.

Jerry Edwin Estep, born in Sweetwater, Texas on September 10, 1936, lived a life marked not by loud accomplishments or grand attention, but by quiet faithfulness, steady love, gentle humor, and the kind of presence that makes an entire family feel rooted. He passed away quietly and comfortably on May 5, 2026, in Conroe, Texas at the age of 89.

Shackelford County voters finalized several local races Saturday, May 2, deciding seats on the Fort Griffin Special Utility District, Shackelford County Hospital District, Albany City Council and an $26 million Albany ISD bond proposal.

In the Fort Griffin Special Utility District race, voters selected three candidates for two-year terms, with incumbents Robert Montgomery, Ted Tidwell and Ben Hale winning reelection.