The Albany ISD board of trustees approved a series of pay increases during its regular meeting June 23, addressing administrative raises, support staff adjustments, and new legal requirements affecting board procedures.
Two Albany FCCLA teams will leave Saturday, July 5, to attend the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, where they will compete in the Level 3 Instructional Video Design event. The group will return home on July 10.
Only the top 20 video projects in the nation were selected to compete at the national level, and both Albany teams earned a spot after months of hard work. The teams will present their videos, give a five-minute oral presentation, and answer questions from a panel of judges during their scheduled competition times on Sunday, July 6.
Albany water customers should receive a “2024 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report” in the next few days showing that locally treated water meets or exceeds all federal drinking water requirements.
“All the numbers looked good,” Albany water superintendent Michael Graham said. “There were no violations, which there really haven’t been in several years, except a very minor reporting problem in 2022. We haven’t had any actual treatment violations in a very long time, so our water quality continues to be very good.”
The Shackelford County Commissioners Court met Monday, June 23, addressing a range of routine matters and approving several action items, including the 2025–2026 employee health plan and the removal of bee colonies from a county facility. Due to ongoing air conditioning problems at the Shackelford County Courthouse, the meeting was held at First Christian Church.
Moran ISD will welcome a new principal and counselor for the 2025–26 school year.
Ryan McElroy, formerly of Hondo ISD, has been named principal. His wife, Destaney McElroy, will serve as the new school counselor and will also teach some classes. Additional details will be shared once the couple arrives on campus.
As Independence Day approaches, Shackelford County officials are reminding residents to take extra precautions when using fireworks – especially inside city limits and along county roads, where they remain strictly prohibited.
While the spring of 2025 has been notably wet, conditions can shift quickly in Texas weather.
Shackelford County Judge John Viertel said that although the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, maintained by the Texas A&M Forest Service, still shows the county in a safe condition, there are always reasons for concern.
There will be no issue of The Albany News next week, as the paper pauses publication for its annual July 4th break.
The paper publishes 50 issues per year, taking planned breaks for Independence Day and Christmas. Publication will resume with the July 10 edition.
The Albany News office will also be closed for the holiday week, from Sunday, June 30 through Friday, July 4. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, July 7.
For immediate assistance during the closure, text (325) 238-6128 or email news@thealbanynews.net.
The 87th anniversary season of the Fort Griffin Fandangle will open this weekend, with performances scheduled for Friday and Saturday, June 20–21, and continuing the following weekend on June 27–28 at the Prairie Theater.
Gates open each evening at 7:00 p.m. The main production begins at 8:30 p.m. Parking and concessions will be available on-site, and the ticket office at the theater opens at 7:15 p.m. on show nights.
The Care Lunker Classic was held Saturday morning, June 14, at Hubbard Creek Reservoir and brought in a strong turnout for both the competition and the weigh-in ceremony. A total of 49 teams participated in the tournament, which proved to be one of the summer’s biggest events so far.
The event was the brainchild of Jason Harlow and Goodnight Steakhouse and Saloon, who helped organize and promote the tournament in support of a good cause.
The Fort Griffin Fandangle Parade will take place this Saturday, June 22, beginning at 5:00 p.m. and making two passes through downtown Albany. The annual event coincides with the second night of performances at the Prairie Theater.
This year’s parade marshals are Donnie and Melinda Lucas, longtime owners and publishers of The Albany News. The couple recently stepped down after decades at the helm of the local newspaper.
