By Sam Waller

The 19th annual Friends of Fort Griffin Gala will offer attendees a steak dinner and dancing under the stars to the music of Aaron McDonnell and the Neon Eagles.

The event, which raises funds for Fort Griffin State Historic Site, is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 14 at Collins Creek Ranch.

Tickets are $50 per person. Tables of 10 are $500. All attendees must be 21 or older. Cost covers the meal, an open bar, and entertainment. Dinner music will be performed by Finis Dean Smith.

By Sam Waller

The Albany High School cross country program entered its second week of preseason practice with all athletes expected to compete this fall taking part.

Coach Donnie Hart said the eight girls and three boys who attended the Monday, Aug. 7 training session are still working to get into shape before the first meet, Jim Ned’s Warpath Invitational on Saturday, Aug. 19.

By Sam Waller

Moran Independent School District began its new school year Monday, Aug. 7, ahead of where it began last year.

Principal Jo Hise reported that 105 students from all grades attended the first day with 110 the second day. Superintendent Dr. John Denson said the enrollment figure is expected to continue growing.

“Two said they’d be here Wednesday, so we should be at 112,” Denson said.

The growth appears evenly split between primary and secondary grades.

By Sam Waller

The start of a new school year is also the start of new livestock projects for FFA and 4-H members.

Albany FFA advisor Chris Beard said Friday, Aug. 25 will be a key date for upcoming shows.

“I’ve already got everybody entered who’s going to the West Texas Fair,” Beard said. “The next deadlines will be for the State Fair of Texas in Dallas and the Heart of Texas Fair in Waco. Both of those are due Aug. 25.”

By Sam Waller

Albany Chamber of Commerce manager Brandi Lehew announced that the date for the community-wide garage sale will be Saturday, Sept. 9.

Registration for the event will begin Tuesday, Aug. 22. Lehew said registration will close the Wednesday before the sale as in past years.

A $10 registration fee will include a yard sign and inclusion on a map of participants. Lehew said signs can be picked up the week of the sale with maps available at the Chamber office at 7:00 a.m. that day.

“The details will be the same as last year,” Lehew said.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany High school sports fans will not only get to hear a play-by-play account of Lion and Lady Lion sports this year, they will also get to see the action.

The district is adding a new program of study as part of the Career and Technology Education (CTE) offered at the high school.

By Donnie A. Lucas

In-person registration for new Albany ISD students continues this afternoon at the high school campus for both elementary and secondary students.

Personnel from both campuses will be on hand from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. at the high school building to assist with registering students new to the district or help parents having trouble with the online registration for returning students.

All students need to be registered either in person or online for the new school year.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A special July 26 city council meeting to take action concerning repair of the Albany Volunteer Fire Department’s 2002 “second out” fire truck resulted in a motion to spend $25,389 to upgrade the vehicle.

Because the item was not on the agenda of the July 10 regular meeting, no action could be taken at that time, and AVFD fire chief Joel Viertel had expressed concern about the time frame to get the truck back to Albany.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The Old Jail Art Center’s summer workshops got underway this week, with several in-person camps on the calendar for students in first grade and up.

On Wednesday, campers met in the museum’s Stasney Room for “Re-Create!” The workshop for older students in grades 4-6 was designed to find artistic re-uses of found and recycled materials.

On Friday, Aug. 4, participants will meet for the traditional Cultural Connections Camp, which this year highlighted Egyptian art and culture based on pieces in the Old Jail’s permanent collection.

By Sam Waller

Shackelford County 4-H members kept busy in July, placing in the state horse show, shooting sports games, and district record book contest.

At the state horse show, held Saturday-Friday, July 22-28 at Bryan, four 4-Hers competed in multiple events.

Faith Fry was sixth overall in yearling futurity. She was also fourth in lunge line, sixth in showmanship, and seventh in trail.