By Sam Waller

Three members of the Albany High School varsity cheerleading squad earned All-American honors during their recent summer camp.

Head cheerleader Ella Webb, Brooke Kayga, and Robyn Trail were honored during the team’s home camp, held Monday-Wednesday, June 20-22 with the National Cheerleaders Association.

“At the cheer camp, the NCA  instructor selected the girls to try out for All-American,” Albany cheerleader sponsor Nickie Leveridge said. “All 10 cheerleaders were given the opportunity to try out.”

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions baseball team raised more than $10,000 in pledges through its Longball fundraiser, held Tuesday, June 21 at the high school field.

“We had a great fund­raiser,” Lion baseball coach David Fairchild said. “We don’t have an exact total yet, but it was one of our best ones so far. Now it’s just a matter of getting the money turned in.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

With a Friday, July 1 deadline coming up fast, parents need to get their 6-12 year olds signed up for the  Old Jail Art Center children’s summer workshops.

The traditional Cultural Connections Camp, which is centered on Greece this year, will be offered both on-site and virtually to start things off on Wednesday, Aug. 3.

Two other workshops will be in-person only on Aug. 5 and Aug. 9, and then the popular puppet workshop will be online only on Aug. 10-12.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The hiring of several new staff members came toward the end of the June 21 morning meeting of the Albany ISD school board, and teacher pay raises were approved for those who have “topped out” on the state salary scale.

Trustees also went over preliminary EOC and STAAR results, administrators expecting to have the final numbers by next week.

The board met in closed session with Texas Ranger Bo Brown to discuss  “school safety plans,” but no action was taken when the meeting reopened.

Teacher Salaries

By Donnie A. Lucas

Although there are tickets left for both Friday and Saturday performances of the Fort Griffin Fandangle, the final Saturday show is inching closer to selling out.

Office manager Jamie Parsons said that all tickets were sold for the first Saturday show on June 18, and the second Saturday performance is getting closer each day.

“We have been really busy selling tickets,” Parsons said. “We still have availability for both nights, but I wouldn’t wait any longer if you want to come on Saturday night for the last show.”

By Donnie A. Lucas

Despite fewer out-of-town participants this year, the 2022 version of the Fandangle parade rolled down Main Street last Saturday with a number of the entries awarded cash prizes.

The number of entries may have been down, but the number of spectators seemed to be higher.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Directors voted to increase hourly rates for most local ambulance workers at Monday’s meeting of the Shackelford County Hospital District’s board meeting, acting on recommendations from EMS director Mateo Millan at last month’s session.

Millan had initially proposed slightly higher rates at the May meeting, ranging from $15 to $22 per hour to replace the current $11 to $16 per hour pay for EMTs, intermediates, and paramedics, which is reportedly about $5/hour less than most comparable size services in the area.

Albany News readers and advertisers are asked to be aware that no newspaper will be published, either in print or online, during the week of July 4.

“There will not be an edition on Thursday, July 7,” said News editor Melinda Lucas. “We hope we’re giving everyone ample notice that we’re going to take that week off.”

The News office will be closed on Monday for the July 4th holiday but open on Tuesday through Thursday of that week and closed on Friday as usual.

By Donnie A. Lucas

A variety of activities are planning for the second weekend of performances for the Fort Griffin Fandangle on Friday and Saturday.

Free events during the final two days of the show include a quilt show, tracker organ concerts, a pet parade, calliope concerts, car museum, viewing the Picket House, longhorns on the Courthouse Square, a film at the Aztec Theater, exhibits, and activities at the Old Jail Art Center including a traditional Native American dance performance, plus several others.

By Sam Waller

There is still time to purchase raffle tickets for the Albany Study Club’s annual quilt raffle with the drawing to be held Saturday, June 25, and the winner to be announced before the final performance of the Fort Griffin Fandangle.

The quilt raffle is one of two fundraising projects the Study Club has, along with cookbook sales, to fund scholarships.

Raffle tickets may be purchased from any Study Club member or at Study Club’s Quilt Show. Tickets are $5 for one or $20 for five. Tickets will be sold until 7:00 p.m. Saturday.