By Melinda L. Lucas

During a regular session on Monday, Aug. 15, Albany ISD’s board of trustees set a date for a special meeting to adopt the 2022-2023 budget and tax rate, planning an early morning meeting on Aug. 31, the last day that the budget can be adopted according to state law.

The board also reviewed recently released state school ratings, with director of student services Leigh Lowe explaining the information, which is detailed in a separate article.

FIRST Rating

By Melinda L. Lucas

Progress has been reported in solving a series of car burglaries that occurred earlier this month, and the same thieves have apparently hit several other communities, according to Shackelford County deputy Jason Price, who is investigating along with police chief Mike House.

Officers are working with law enforcement in at least five other areas, including towns in Jones, Taylor, Callahan, and Haskell counties, Price said.

By Melinda L. Lucas

An Albany woman was killed last Saturday afternoon in a single vehicle roll-over on U.S. Hwy. 283 11 miles north of Albany.

According to a preliminary report by DPS media communications officer Sgt. Marc Couch, Robin Detrick Morrison, 51, of Albany, was pronounced dead at the scene by Shackelford County judge Robert Skelton.

DPS trooper Gilbert Valdez of Abilene North, assisted by trooper Joseph Osborne of Haskell, investigated the accident, which was reported by a witness at 1:02 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 13.

By Melinda L. Lucas

After approving his retainer at last month’s meeting of the Shackelford County Hospital District board meeting, the directors met their new legal counsel on Monday, Aug. 15 at their regular monthly session.

They also set a date to work on the budget and discuss tax rate calculations, which should be available by the end of this week. The special session will be held at 5:00 p.m. Wednesday, Aug. 24.

New Attorney

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners have yet to see tax rate calculations so they can finalize their budget, but because county-wide values are up, they are optimistic about being able to offer a three to five percent across-the-board increase in employee salaries.

They saw new numbers at their Aug. 17 session showing the five percent increase, but no action was taken.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A special meeting of the Albany city council was set for next Tuesday, Aug. 23 to discuss and possibly propose a tax rate for the upcoming tax year.

Mayor Susan Montgomery said that making a decision next week would give the city time to post any required notices prior to the regular meeting on Sept. 12, when she hopes the new tax rate will be adopted.

The council has not discussed tax rates because those calculations were not yet available.

The city’s fiscal year ends in March, so their budget has already been decided.

By Sidney Bartee

Eight performers are set to hit the stage for CareFest 2022 on Saturday, Aug. 27 at Happy Wife Happy Life Wedding and Events venue.

CareFest is a fundraising event organized by ResourceCare. Proceeds benefit outreach programs.

Tickets are available at www.outhousetickets.com, with prices beginning at $55 for general admission. Preferred limited tickets are $125.

Canopy and VIP tickets have sold out, according to Ragan Riley, who is helping organize the event.

In addition to admission tickets, parking passes and cooler passes are $20.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Chamber of Commerce will resume normal hours of operation Monday, Aug. 22 and begin accepting registrations for the annual community garage sale.

The Chamber office has been closed for vacation since Monday. Aug. 8.

The garage sale is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 10. Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones said registration will close on Wednesday, Sept. 7.

The Chamber traditionally sponsors the city-wide event on the second Saturday of September.

By Sidney Bartee

The Ragin” Red Band will host a Meet the Band performance on Monday, Aug. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at Robert Nail Memoral Stadium.

All members of the community are invited to the event and be introduced to the band.

Along with introductions, the band will perform the first and second movements of this year’s contest show, titled “Shine” and arranged by Luke McMillan of Abilene, and marching drills by Rodney Gurley of Lubbock ISD.

By Sam Waller

Nearly 150 awards for project completion were presented to Shackelford County 4-H members Sunday, Aug. 14, during the club’s banquet at the Whitney Theatre.

“We had probably a dozen project areas,” Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell said. “Those ranged from two to 20 kids getting to completion.”

Riley Reames, Faith and Grace Fry, Madailein Beard, and Johnnie Hise were among club members to receive several awards.

“A lot of our seniors completed multiple projects,” Bell said. “Five did record books and got something extra.”