By Sam Waller

The Albany Junior High Cubs kicked off the football season with a pair of victories Thursday, Aug. 31, at Dublin.

The seventh grade won 38-14 with the eighth grade winning 36-22.

A combined seventh/eighth grade team will play this week at 4:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 7 at Seymour.

Coaches Ryder Peacock and Tate Thompson are working with both grades, which each have just enough players to put 11 on the field with one or two substitutes. Thompson is handling the offense, with Peacock tutoring the defense.

Seventh Grade

By Sam Waller

Overall, Moran ISD saw higher scores on state-mandated testing for the 2022-23 school year.

“Moran ISD received EOC and STAAR scores for the 2022-23 school year earlier this summer,” Gay Williams, the district’s director of testing, said. “Overall, passing rates are up from the 2021-22 school year.”

In English I, Moran posted 57 percent passing in 2023, compared to 42 percent passing in 2022.

English II saw a drop to 75 percent passing from 89 percent in 2022.

U.S. History produced 80 percent passing, up from 66 percent in 2022.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Team and individual pictures of the junior high football teams will be taken on Thursday, Sept. 14, starting at 3:45 p.m.

Those packages, along  with Lady Cubs volleyball, will be ready for pickup in the next couple of weeks.

All cheer packages, high school football and volleyball are ready to be picked up at the news office.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners proposed a tax rate and heard a presentation about building a data center adjacent to the Lone Star Wind Farm during their meeting on Monday, Aug. 28.

A workshop at the end of the regular session gave elected officials some time to refine the $4,955,169 budget that was proposed and filed after an Aug. 14 session, as required by law.

Adjustments can be made before the budget is adopted, but no action was taken Monday to change the total.

Tax Rate Proposal

By Donnie A. Lucas

A record crowd of music festival fans were on hand last Saturday for the fifth annual CareFest benefiting the ResourceCare centers serving six area communities.

The event was hosted at Happy Wife, Happy Life Event Center located about four miles west of Albany.

“It was definitely our best year yet,” co-organizer Mindy Ary said. “We don’t have an official number yet, but between 1,300 and 1,400 people attended.”

By Sam Waller

Despite excessive heat this summer, dove numbers are up across the state as the start of the hunting season approaches.

The downside is the local population is not as robust as other areas.

“We’ve had quite a few birds in the area,” game warden Jacob Mort said. “Unfortunately, in the last couple of weeks, a lot of them have pushed out. By far across the state, our dove numbers are way up, but that’s not going to help us here.”

By Sam Waller

The Albany Volunteer Fire Department will hold its second annual Burgers and Birds fundraiser from 11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2 at the fire station on Railroad Street.

There is no set price, but donations will be accepted with a suggested price of $10. Meals include fresh-cooked burgers, chips, a drink, and a cookie.

Chief Joel Viertel said funds will go toward helping cover expenses incurred by the department.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Pick-up dates for the September distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, Aug. 31 and Friday, Sept. 1.

On Thursday, Aug. 31, certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

Certified eligible Albany families for the September food distribution program can pick up their commodity food on Friday Sept. 1 at the back door of the Justice of the Peace office from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m.

By Sam Waller

In a little over a week, the 37th annual First Impressions Invitational Pig Sale will offer approximately 125 to 140 animals to be auctioned to FFA and 4-H members for  agriculture projects.

The longest-running livestock sale in the U.S., which benefits Shackelford County youth who participate in the county stock show, is scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 9-10.

At 1:00 p.m. Friday, Sept. 8, a ribbon cutting will be held to reopen the renovated show barn.

By Sam Waller

Shackelford County 4-H gets started on the new year with a kickoff party Monday, Sept. 4.

The event is scheduled for 5:00-7:00 p.m. at Webb Park.

Pizza and drinks will be provided along with a variety of activities for the whole family.

“There’s no need to bring anything; just come and bring the whole family,” Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell said. “We’ll have a water slide for the kids. Parents can ask me questions, several of our adult volunteers will be there, and everyone can find out what they need to know about 4-H.”