The Ragin’ Red Band is preparing for concert and sight reading competition set for March 26 at Cooper High School in Abilene, hoping to earn a third straight Sweepstakes Award with Division I ratings in both contests. The band earned a Division I at the marching contest last fall, and if they earn two more Division I ratingsinconcertandsight reading, the group will add another Sweepstakes Awardtoitsachievements.

Albany High’s one-act playcastandcrewpresented two local performance s of “Oz” on Monday, March 4 at the high school auditorium, preparing for district competition that was held Wednesday, March 6 in Haskell. Resultsfromthecontest were not available at press time.

Several students at Nancy Smith Elementary in grades 3-5 have placed well in academic contests in science and math, while four of seven sixth graders taking part in the in-person meets are advancing to compete at the state level competition.

A group of 17 Albany FCCLA members competed at the Regional Leadership Conference last week in Waco, with both Parliamentary Procedure teams plus two other individual contests all advancing to the state meet in Dallas on April 12-14. “The kids did a great job,” Jennifer Marshall, FCCLA sponsor, said.

With a forecast of sunny skies and temperatures expected to reach the mid-80s on Saturday, it should be a perfect day for the Old Jail’s March Family Festival. Entire families are invited to celebrate the traditional Bulgarian holiday, “Baba Marta,” onSaturday,March2attheOldJailArtCenter from 1:00 to 4:00 p.m.

GrandparentsWeekatNancy Smith Elementary is set for the week of March 4-8, according to counselor Susie Beard. Grandparents are invited to bring a lunch to eat with students throughout the week.

♦ With two more 12-hour days of early voting and the regular 12-hour Election Day on Tuesday, March 5 voters will still have plenty of opportunities to cast ballots in the March Republican and Democratic primaries. Friday’s ending date for early voting closes out an unprecedented weekend schedule for Shackelford County, with the Courthouse voting site open for 12 hours on Saturday and six hours on Sunday afternoon in compliance with new state laws.

Moran FFA celebrated National FFA Week on Wednesday, Feb. 21 with a heifer parade for elementary students at the football field.