By Sam Waller

Approximately $6,800 was raised to benefit the Albany Softball Association with the Midnight Slow Pitch Softball Tournament held Friday and Saturday, June 9-10 at Webb Park.

The co-ed double-elimination event drew 14 teams with games going all night. Street Dawgs out of Abilene won the championship, defeating Albany’s Balls Deep in the final round.

A planned home run derby was not held, but the event was quite successful, ASA board president Beth Roysdon said.

By Sam Waller

Albany Junior/Senior High’s summer conditioning program for prospective athletes got underway this week with solid participation for both boys and girls.

The program is open to all incoming seventh through 12th graders who plan to participate in interscholastic sports.

“The first couple of days have been good with good turnouts,” Lions head football coach Denney Faith, who oversees the boys workouts, said. “We had 30 the first day and 38 the second, so we’re getting good numbers. We’ve had a good mixture of classes, seventh through 12th.”

By Donnie A. Lucas

A three-person scramble is set for July 22-23 at the Albany Golf Course benefitting renovations by Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association at the county show barn.

The event is limited to the first 36 teams with paid registration of $125 per person.

Tee times are 8:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m., with a meal on Saturday night included.

A Calcutta will be held after the meal on Saturday.

All proceeds will be used for the current renovations being made at the county show barn.

To enter, contact Reggy Spencer at 325-370-8990.

By Sam Waller

Seven current or former Moran FFA members will receive state and national degrees later this year.

In July, recent graduate Alyssa Allred and returning students Zech Henderson, Cotton Campbell, Allen Hebel, and Ellis Hise will receive their Lone Star Degrees at the state convention in Dallas.

In October, Moran grads Johnnie Hise and Hannah Rogers will receive the American Degree at the National FFA Convention in Indianapolis. They are the first Moran FFA students to attain that level.

Heifers Purchased

By Sam Waller

Registration remains open for the Albany Volleyball Camp, but space is running out, according to camp director M.J. Reneau.

The camp is scheduled for Monday-Wednesday, June 26-28, for students entering first through ninth grades.

“There are still a couple of spots available, but
I have over 70 campers, almost 80,” Reneau said. “That’s the best turnout I’ve had in the last five years.”

Cost for the camp is $25 per camper. The camp fee includes a camp T-shirt with sizes ranging from youth small to adult extra-large.

By Melinda L. Lucas

No action was taken other than approving the minutes and bills during a brief meeting of the Shackelford County Hospital District’s board of directors on Monday, March 20.

The session was closed for half of the 40-minute time frame to discuss “EMS personnel,” but no motions were made when the meeting was reopened to the public.

EMS and clinic reports were heard during the meeting but required no action.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A new principal for Albany Junior/Senior High School was hired at a special noon meeting of the AISD board of trustees on Friday, June 2.

Ezra Chambers, who has served as principal of Abernathy High School since 2018, was the recommendation of superintendent Jonathan Scott. Kim Fuentes’ motion to extend a contract, which included no other details, was seconded by Joe Tidwell and passed unanimously.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Local volunteers are being asked to show up at the Chamber of Commerce office located in the Depot on Saturday morning for the annual city-wide clean-up.

“We will concentrate our efforts on Main Street, the creek beds, downtown, and Cook Field Road out to the Fandangle grounds,” Chamber manager Brandi Lehew said. “We are asking people to bring their yard tools and help us get the public areas ready for all the visitors who will be in town in a couple of weeks for the Fandangle.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Drawings by Cheyenne warriors are being hung on the walls of the Old Jail Art Center this week, and Fort Worth artist Corrie Thompson is installing her works in the upstairs galleries as preparations are made for the opening of the summer exhibitions.

The opening will start with a members’ viewing and reception, along with a time to meet Thompson, on Saturday, June 10 from 6:00 to 8:30 p.m.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany residents may wonder what’s going on with all the sirens on Saturday morning; it will not be an emergency but rather a tribute to a community servant who worked behind the scenes until she was not physically able to.

A Memorial Ride for Kristi Brooker will be held Saturday, June 10 at 10:00 a.m., with fire trucks and firemen from several counties expected to participate. She died several months ago after a long battle with cancer, continuing her service for much of that time.