By Sam Waller

Local residents still have nearly a week to register for the Albany Chamber of Commerce’s community-wide garage sale, but Chamber manager Brandi Lehew encouraged anyone planning to participate not to wait until the last minute to sign up.

Lehew said she’s had as many or more people indicate they will register as have already done so.

“We’re short of what we were at the end last year,”she said, “but I’ve had enough people say they need to get in here that I think we’ll be about the same as last year.”

By Donnie A. Lucas

Members of the community are again being sought to serve as mentors to local students at Nancy Smith Elementary School during the new school year.

The goal of the program is to increase confidence and self-esteem, along with helping students make positive choices through one-on-one support, friendship and fun, according to school officials.

Tuba players (l-r) Lathin Brownlee, Marcus Valfre, and Joe Angel Alcaraz help get the crowd going during a close Lion season opener against Lubbock Trinity Christian last Friday. The award winning Ragin’ Red Band will make its marching debut at this week’s home game against Dublin, performing a portion of the 2023 contest show.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany ISD students and staff get a day off for the first holiday of the 2023-2024 school year on Monday, Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day.

Classes will resume as scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at the normal time of 7:55 a.m. for Nancy Smith Elementary and 8:00 a.m. at Albany Junior/Senior High School.

Classes started at both campuses on Aug. 17, with the end of the first six-week grading period ending on Friday, Sept. 29.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Directors of the Shackelford County Appraisal District (SCAD) have set a public hearing for the proposed 2024 budget on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 a.m.

Following the hearing, the board of directors is expected to adopt the 2024 budget for next year, which tallies $468,469 in expenditures. The proposed budget represents an overall increase of about nine percent increase over the budgeted expenses of $442,744 for 2023.

The public is invited to attend the hearing and the meeting to adopt the measure that will follow.

The Albany Chest board will meet at 5:15 p.m. Sept. 13 to organize the 2023 fund-raising campaign, nominate and elect new directors, and choose officers for the upcoming year.

Application forms are available at First Financial Bank, First National Bank, and The Albany News.

By Sam Waller

About 10 openings – all afternoon tee times – remain for the Albany Golf Club’s annual Labor Day Golf Tournament as of Tuesday, Aug. 29.

The two-person scramble is scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 2-3 at Albany Golf Course.

Entry fee is $200 per team and includes one mulligan per player per day as well as a meal on Saturday evening. The field is limited to 60 teams. Tournament director Shawn Sutton said entries will be taken until the limit is reached.

By Sam Waller

Moran ISD superintendent Dr. John Denson was selected recently to receive the Honorary American FFA Degree.

“I’m very honored to be nominated for it and to receive it,” Denson said.

The award is given to those who advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal commitment, according to a news release from the National FFA Organization.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Ticket holders for the fifth annual CareFest concert set for Saturday will get an extra dose of stage time from headliners Pat Green and Kevin Fowler after another country artist had to pull out of the event late last week.

Seven performers were originally slated to take the stage; however, Cooder Graw and his band had to cancel due to a medical situation with a key band member.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany ISD has registered just under 500 students for the 2023-24 school year, showing a small decrease in enrollment for the first time in several years.

As of Monday, Aug. 21, the district is reporting a total of 493 students, compared to 502 students at the same point last year.

“Our enrollment went very well,” said Leigh Lowe, director of student services. “Our numbers have been relatively stable the last four years.”

This is the third year that the district has conducted registration using the Ascender Parent Portal.