By Donnie A. Lucas

Volunteers are needed to decorate the downtown area for the fall season on Saturday, Oct. 1.

Anyone wishing to help set up decorations should meet at the Chamber of Commerce office in the depot at 9:00 a.m., according to Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones.

The Chamber purchased new fall decorations last year and will provide all the supplies necessary to put up the items that include fall wreaths and garland, along with cane cut by Albany High School ag classes.

The Albany Volunteer Fire Department recently received a grant to purchase a “slip-on unit” that has been installed on a surplus military truck.

The $15,800 grant was made possible through the Rural Volunteer Fire Department Assistance Program.

The slip-on unit, or skid, is “self-contained” fire fighting equipment, including a water tank, pump, hose reel, and control panel, and has already been used several times, according to Albany VFD Fire Chief Travis Gardenhire.

By Sam Waller

Albany’s Xi Chi Pi Sorority will hold its third annual scholarship golf scramble Saturday, Oct. 1, at Albany Golf Course.

Organizer Lauren Peacock said the event raises funds for scholarships for Albany High School graduates.

“We give scholarships to graduating seniors every year,” Peacock said. “It can be anywhere from two to three scholarships. We always like to give as much as we’re able to, and that wouldn’t be possible without all the support from our community.”

By Sam Waller

Moran is celebrating homecoming this week with four days of activities leading up to the homecoming game against Mullin on Friday, Sept. 16.

“We’ve had dress-up days all this week,” principal Jo Hise said. “We had Meme Monday, Throwback Tuesday, Jersey Wednesday, and Spirit Day for Thursday.”

She added that the cheerleaders are organizing a homecoming dance Friday night following the game.

The homecoming pep rally is scheduled for 3:30 p.m. Thursday, Sept. 15 (today).

By Sam Waller

The Moran Lady Bulldogs lost one match on the court last week, then had another wiped out because of circumstances.

Moran faces another light schedule this week, visiting Ranger on Tuesday, Sept. 13 before having the weekend off. Results will be reported next week.

The Lady Bulldogs lost to Woodson 12-25, 16-25, 14-25 on Tuesday, Sept. 6.

“The girls played a lot better,” Moran coach Jo Hise said. “They got their three hits. It was just hard to finish the points, and that’s what hurt us. Otherwise, we looked a lot better than we have been.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany ISD trustees passed a budget for the 2022-2023 school year during a special early morning session on Wednesday, Aug. 31, meeting the required state deadline.

They also okayed the proposed tax rate of 94.41 cents per $100 valuation

After last year’s reprieve in deficit budgeting due to federal COVID relief funding, the district is again dipping into its fund balance, at least on paper, with projected expenses expected to exceed revenues.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Dove hunters were greeted by two days of better than anticipated success last week, followed by a weather front that moved the majority of birds out of the area for the Labor Day weekend.

According to local game warden Jake Mort, hunters had fairly good luck on the first two days of dove season, which opened Sept. 1.

“The number of birds was better than we thought for the first couple of days, but a front changed that for the weekend,” Mort said.

This is the second year in a row that dove hunting has gotten off to a slow start.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The annual citywide garage sale is set for Saturday, Sept. 10, with about 20 local individuals signed up as of Tuesday.

A few more local residents may have signed up for the event on Wednesday after the press deadline.

“We have had a few people inquire about the sale who haven’t shown up yet,” Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones said. “The deadline to sign up was Wednesday.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Members of the Albany Volunteer Fire Department will host and participate in the second annual “Never Forget” Memorial Walk this Sunday morning, Sept. 11 on the anniversary of the terrorist attacks on the United States in 2001.

The event will be held at the Shackelford County Courthouse, beginning at 8:46 a.m., the time that the first hijacked aircraft struck the North Tower of the World Trade Center.

According to Albany VFD officer Eric Johnson, anyone who would like to walk on Sunday morning is welcome to join the fire department members.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Board members of the Shackelford County Appraisal District (CAD) will meet on Wednesday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 a.m. for a final discussion about the proposed CAD budget for 2023.

A copy of the budget can be viewed at the CAD office at 132 Hill St., where the meeting will be held.

The $425,791 preliminary figure approved by CAD board members is a 6.73 percent increase, or $29,304, over the current adopted budget of $398,937.

The public is invited to attend the hearing, and the meeting to adopt the measure that will follow.