By Melinda L. Lucas

An open house showcasing the organizations and activities receiving financial support from the Academic Booster Club is planned for this Sunday, Oct. 8 at the Feed Store.

The time of food and fellowship to thank donors will be 2:00-4:00 p.m.

A fundraising campaign is currently underway, with a goal of “helping equip teachers, students, and classrooms with the tools and resources needed to excel.”

Those who would like to contribute can bring donations to the open house or mail them to Academic Booster Club, PO Box 2011, Albany TX 76430.

By Donnie A. Lucas

An important assembly on the dangers of rapidly increasing use of the drug Fentanyl will be presented to students in grades 6-12 next Thursday, Oct. 12 at the high school auditorium.

Parents and the general public are urged to attend to learn more about the illegal Fentanyl epidemic and how to help protect children and adults from falling prey to the deadly drug.

The event is set to start at 9:15 a.m., with a pair of law enforcement officers from a Lubbock area narcotics unit presenting the information and sharing stories.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The Fandangle Association has set its annual membership meeting for next Tuesday, Oct. 10 at the Studebaker building (Musselman office), located at 324 South 2nd St.

The meeting will start at 5:30 p.m., with four positions on the board of directors up for election and the vote on the 2024 show on the agenda.

Members can re-elect board members whose terms are expiring, or elect new board members. The directors can then elect officers for the coming year.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Nominees and other class royalty were selected last week for Albany High’s homecoming set for Friday, Oct. 20.

The homecoming celebration will kick off with a parade at 5:00 p.m. down Main Street around the courthouse and back to the football field.

The parade is open to the public to enter for graduating classes, local organizations, and groups. In addition to floats decorated by the junior high and each high school grade level, class princes and princesses, organizational sweethearts and beaus, and king and queen nominees will be presented.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The last day to register to vote in the Nov. 7 Constitutional Amendment election is next Tuesday, Oct. 10, delayed a day because of Columbus Day.

By Sam Waller

The Shackelford County Home School Co-op held its first system-wide program Friday, Sept. 29, with about 50 students in attendance at The Feed Store.

The program studied the life cycle of butterflies, with the Abilene Zoo showing animals. Each student was given a caterpillar to take home and watch develop into butterflies, which will then fly south later this fall.

“Some of the caterpillars have already become chrysalises,” organizer Tiffany Waddell said. “In about 10 days, we’ll have butterflies.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County elected officials met Friday morning, Sept. 29 for a special session with one goal in mind – to open and award bids for three different services in time for a Oct. 1 start date and new fiscal year.

However, they ended up adjourning with no action taken just a little while later, because the single electronic bid to supply bulk fuel was corrupted and couldn’t be opened.

No bids were received for mowing of the Courthouse Square and mowing of two rural county cemeteries.

By Melinda L. Lucas

As scheduled, Albany families can pick up their October food commodities this Friday, Oct. 6 from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m., with Moran distribution scheduled the day before on Thursday, Oct. 5.

Moran delivery is set for 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. today at Moran City Hall, while Albany recipients can pick up their commodity food at the back door of the Justice of the Peace office from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. on Friday.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A blood drive is scheduled to take place in Albany next Thursday, Oct. 12.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center will park its bloodmobile at First Baptist Church at the usual time from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m.

The blood center depends on volunteer blood donors to supply 100 percent of the blood that is used for patient care at 17 area hospitals.

Blood center officials said that there is always a need for blood donors of all types. In particular, officials said those who have O+ and O- are needed.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Ragin’ Red Band will compete Saturday, Oct. 7 at the Big Country Marching Festival at Wylie High School in Abilene.

The Albany band will take the field at 11:30 a.m., according to director  Will Vaughan, and the public is invited to attend.

The band will be performing its contest show “Our World,” with music arranged by Luke McMillan and marching drill by Rodney Gurley of Lubbock.