By Melinda L. Lucas

Despite last Saturday’s weather-triggered cancellation of a family festival, the Old Jail Art Center has a lot going on this month and on into March.

The museum is in the midst of February’s member appreciation month, and Hearts for Arts Week will get underway next Tuesday, with preparations underway for an exhibition opening and the Old Jail’s Ruby Jubilee at the end of the month.

In the works is another family festival March 12 – Helidonismata, a Greek celebration of spring.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Chris Knight concert set for last Saturday at the Aztec Theater was postponed by the artist due to weather conditions.

The event, which was part of the singer/songwriter series offered by Albany Live, has been rescheduled for Saturday, June 11, with the same tickets still valid for the later show, or a complete refund is also available through the website where tickets were purchased.

Registration for Albany Little League has been extended two weeks to Feb. 25, according to league organizer Paul Hamilton.

Sign-up for Minor, Major, Intermediate, and Junior leagues is being conducted online at www.albanytxll.com.

Registration for T-Ball and Coach Pitch is also underway, Hamilton said.

For more information, contact Hamilton at 214-543-9947.

By Sam Waller

The final day of Albany’s youth basketball season and the opening of the Little Dribblers season, both scheduled for Saturday, Feb. 5, were postponed a week because of last week’s winter storm.

The fifth and sixth grade boys and girls teams will now wrap up their schedules Saturday, Feb. 12, at Eula. All four teams will play two games. League organizer Clint Chapman said some teams may play a third game.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Even though it looked as if the Albany Chest would fall short of its 2021 goal, donations poured in at the end of the year, surpassing the goal of $46,000 and closing out at $50,751.

Chest board members met Wednesday, Jan. 26 and decided to distribute all that amount plus a little out of the reserves, allocating $51,050.

The Chest still has a total of $2,556 in emergency funds for needs throughout the year.

Board president Jana Kitchens said the directors were pleasantly surprised at the last minute donations.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Tickets are still on sale for the Chris Knight concert set for Saturday, Feb. 5 at the Aztec Theater, and they will probably be available at the door, according to organizers.

The performance is sponsored by Albany Live, a nonprofit organized last year to bring live musical events to Albany. Knight’s show is the second in an ongoing singer/songwriter series that will continue monthly through July.

By Melinda L. Lucas

If this week’s winter storm weather lets up in time, the staff at the Old Jail Art Center will welcome families into the Stasney Center on Saturday, Feb. 5 for a three-hour celebration of the Lunar New Year.

Starting at 12:00 noon, weather permitting, participants can enjoy traditional food, art, and games observing the Year of the Tiger, according to OJAC education director Erin Whitmore.

By Donnie A. Lucas

With the number of new cases dropping to less than half of those recorded the prior week, the peak of the latest ­COVID-19 surge appears to be in the past.

The number of positive test results decreased significantly during the week of Jan. 24-28 to 29 positive cases based on tests administered at the three local testing sites.

A total of 57 tests were given for the week of Jan. 24-28, according to the weekly report issued by county judge Bob Skelton.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Normally held the first Friday in February, the annual meeting of the Albany Chamber of Commerce membership is being postponed until the following Friday, Feb. 11.

Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones announced late Tuesday afternoon that concerns about the winter storm and safe travel had prompted officers to make the decision to delay the board election by one week.

Instead of this Friday, the meeting will start after the noon luncheon on Friday, Feb. 11 at the Beehive Restaurant to elect two board members.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Regular pick-up dates for the February distribution of the commodity food program were Thursday, Feb. 3 and Friday, Feb. 4.

However, in anticipation of bad weather, Moran families received their food a day early on Wednesday.

Shackelford County Justice of the Peace James Breeden, who coordinates the program, said Tuesday that the weather is still bad on Friday and his office is closed, Albany families can pick up on Monday, Feb. 7 instead, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the JP office.