By Melinda L. Lucas

About 25,000 tax statements were mailed last week, as local property owners find out what they will owe in taxes for this year.

Chief appraiser Clayton Snyder at the Shackelford County Appraisal District (CAD) office stated that tax rates for all eight county taxing entities were entered earlier this month, and statements from the  mailing service started going out Oct. 17.

Statement Details

For the eighth year, statement files were uploaded electronically to a mailing company for processing and distribution.

By Donnie A. Lucas

After a four-year absence, the “Albany Nativity” will be presented for two performances on Dec. 10 and 11.

The show depicts the birth of Christ and was written by Albany playwright Robert Nail, who also wrote and directed the Fort Griffin Fandangle.

Normally produced on even years, it has been four years since the production was presented due to the ­COVID-19 pandemic.

By Donnie A. Lucas

For the second year in a row, the Albany Ragin’ Red Band will compete in the Area UIL Marching Contest on Saturday after earning a trio of Division I ratings on Oct. 17 at the regional contest.

The band will get a send-off at 4:45 p.m. Friday on their way to perform at the Albany vs. Hamlin football game in Hamlin.

Band members will present their contest show at 6:45 p.m. as a pre-game performance.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Albany Jr./Sr. High Student Council was busy collecting for a community-wide cause on Sunday, breaking a record with the amount they raised.

About 20 members of the council gathered to go trick or treating, but instead of traditional treats, they were collecting donations for the Albany Chest.

The group raised a record amount of $1,702 going door to door dressed in their Halloween finery.

By Sam Waller

The Feed Store will once again conduct “the ultimate hide-n-seek game” with the 26th Running Man event for youth.

The activities begin at 9:00 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 29 at The Feed Store with teams of runners expected to start the competition by 10:00 p.m.

“There will be a speaker, and then we’ll go over all the rules,” Feed Store director Tisha Wilkins said.

Jamey Calvary of Abilene will address the participants before they are taken to their starting points.

A fund has been established in memory of Boone Askew, a former Albany resident, who died in a vehicle crash early Sunday morning, Oct. 23.

Boone, 17, went to school in Albany until his parents moved to Comanche several years ago. He graduated from Comanche High School in May.

His paternal grandparents, Gayala and Bronco Askew, are longtime Shackelford County residents.

The Boone Askew Memorial Fund has been set up at Texas Bank, 200 W. Central, Comanche TX 76442.

Checks can be made payable to Shawn or Angela Askew with the memo “Benefit for Boone Askew.”

The Williams Family of Callahan County was recognized during the the annual Callahan-Shackelford Farm Bureau County convention on Oct. 4 in Clyde.

The last time a Cal-Shack farm family was honored was in 2019 when Gerald and Ruby Petree of Shackelford County were presented the award.

Kelly Head of Albany was also honored during the meeting. Head, who has served three terms, is retiring from the Cal-Shack board of directors

By Sam Waller

The Albany Chest has a fundraising goal of $47,000 for 2022 to help meet the needs of two dozen local organizations.

Applicants for funds range from youth sports leagues to senior citizens groups.

Here are a look at some of the applicants.

Albany 7-on-7

Albany 7-on-7 prepares teens from sixth grade through high school for competitive football, according to organizer Anthony Ceder.

The group is seeking $1,000 to help cover its operating budget for the coming year.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A new playground for the youngest students at Nancy Smith Elementary School was unveiled last week, with parents of this year’s Head Start class invited to a special opening party.

The three and four year olds got to play on the new equipment, which includes a four-piece slide with a rock climbing wall, for the first time on Oct. 20.

Also added to the playground was a stationary play fire truck and a new swing set.  A sidewalk now extends from the covered pavilion to the gate. The rest of the ground is covered in a soft rubber mulch.

The Albany News’ 17th annual holiday recipe section will be published in one month, with favorite recipes being solicited from all ages of current and former Albany and Moran chefs and bakers.

“We’ve had good response since we started publishing the recipe guides, and we’re looking forward to getting this one underway,” said News editor Melinda Lucas. “I’ve already heard from a couple of people.”

All kinds of recipes from appetizers and beverages to desserts are being requested.