By Melinda L. Lucas

With the extended deadline for the Old Jail Art Center children’s workshop coming up on Friday, July 21, parents need to get their 6-12 year olds signed up for one or more of the four sessions scheduled over the first two weeks of August.

All the workshops are only offered in person this year, moving back to pre-COVID traditions according to the OJAC’s director of education Erin Whitmore.

The traditional Cultural Connections Camp, which is centered on Egypt this year, will start things off on Wednesday, Aug. 2.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners worked through several items on their July 10 agenda, including setting a time for the first budget workshop of 2023 next Monday at 1:00 p.m.

County judge John Viertel also reported that representatives from Lone Star I Windfarm Data Center are expected to be at the next regular session to talk about a proposed wind farm in Precinct 4 north of Hwy. 351.

Viertel said that he is studying the county’s tax abatement options and conferring with officials from other counties.

Broadband Transition

By Sam Waller

The Albany Booster Club will hold its kickoff meeting at 6:00 p.m. Monday, July 24, at The Feed Store.

The meeting is for all parents who would like to be involved in the Booster Club for the 2023-24 school year with team parent signups and other business on the agenda.

The Booster Club is also seeking volunteers to help with the annual Ice Cream Supper, scheduled for Monday, Aug. 7. A link to signupgenius.com has been posted on the Booster Club’s Facebook page for anyone wishing to help.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Students in grade 8-12 who are planning to be a member of the Ragin’ Red Lion Band will start preparing for the 2023 marching season on Monday, July 24 in the band hall with rehearsals for the percussion section including the pit crew.

The percussionists who stand on the sideline, known as the pit, will meet 12:30 p.m. until 2:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, with the drum line scheduled for 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Parents of students attending Nancy Smith Elementary are going to find the cost of sending children back to school will be lower this year.

The Albany PTO is furnishing all school supplies needed for Pre-K and Head Start through sixth grade this year.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany High School students entering grades 11 and 12 will again have the opportunity to take dual credit courses during the upcoming school year that earn course credit for both high school and college.

The high school offers a total of 43 hours of dual credit classes through partnerships through both Cisco College and Western Texas college.

By Sam Waller

Future Albany cheerleaders can get a start on learning what cheer is all about Monday-Wednesday, July 24-26 at the 2023 Cheer Camp.

The camp for children age 3 through sixth grade will be held at Albany Junior/Senior High School’s auxiliary gym.

Cost is $35 per child with additional siblings accepted for another $20 each.

Checks should be made out to Albany Cheer and mailed with registration forms to Nickie Leveridge at P.O. Box 2050, Albany, Texas 76430.

Camp sessions will be 9:30-11:30 a.m. each day.

By Sam Waller

Five youth and four adults from Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church have spent this week in Belize as part of a mission team.

Local teens Cambree Clegg, Melanie Figueroa, Maci Hatchett, Gatlin Wills, and Porter Wills were joined by MMPC youth minister Becky Wills, and other sponsors Sandy Ingalls and Paul and Debbie Hamilton for the weeklong trip to the Central American nation.

A total of 16 people made up the mission team, according to Courtney Clegg, mother of Cambree. The group departed Friday, July 7.

By Sam Waller

Preregistration is continuing for Albany Community Vacation Bible.

The event, sponsored by the Albany Ministerial Alliance, is for children age 4 through those who have completed sixth grade and is scheduled for Sunday-Wednesday, July 30-Aug. 2. Preschoolers must be 4 years old by Aug. 1.

Preregistration may be done by scanning a QR code included on promotional posters and in an ad in this week’s Albany News. Organizer Betsy Spraberry said there is no registration deadline, but preregistration will help organizers prepare adequately.

By Donnie L. Lucas

The first-week Summer Day Camp sponsored by ResourceCare began Monday, July 10 at the Albany Youth Center, with almost 140 campers enrolled, but about 80 attending.

This year the program is split between July 10-14 and July 24-28 to accommodate a number of the high school age workers to attend church camps.

A total of 138 campers ages 3 through the sixth grade are enrolled, with 40 high school staffers signed up to work the event, along with 10 junior high volunteers.