By Melinda L. Lucas
Around 200 voters cast ballots during early voting being held this week in the Albany Independent School District trustee and Shackelford County Hospital District elections, and others will have the chance to vote on the regular election day this Saturday. May 3.
Early voting ended at 7:00 p.m. on Tuesday. The total number of early voters was not available because of press deadlines.
Texas singer-songwriter Paul Cauthen will return to Albany next month, headlining a concert at the Aztec Theater on Friday, May 30. The show marks Cauthen’s third performance at the Aztec since 2023 and follows an unscheduled acoustic set he performed earlier this month at Goodnight Steakhouse and Saloon.
Shackelford County 4-H member Grace Fry was the top presenter in the Equine Educational Presentation contest held last week in San Angelo.
The blue ribbon achievement at the District Roundup earned the local competitor a trip to the state contest, which will be held in June in College Station.
This is Fry’s second year to advance to the state level. Last year, a team consisting of Grace Fry, her sister Faith Fry, and Madailein Beard won the 4-H horse judging contest at the state competition.
Certified Estimates of Value were released to the Shackelford County tax units May 1 as required by state law, according to interim Shackelford County chief appraiser Richard Petree.
“Overall estimates have increased by 8.75%, mostly driven by local housing increases,” Petree said. “The desire for homes in the area remains high, and the values of better quality homes have risen well over sales prices of $100 per square foot of living area.”
Avery Everitt, daughter of Mark and Jennifer Everitt of Albany, was one of 13 students to receive the President’s Outstanding Student Award at a banquet Monday at the Cisco College campus.
Avery was nominated for the award by her Dual Credit Teacher, Dr. Linda Spetter, after which a judging committee selected her as the top student in English.
She received a certificate and a medal at the ceremony. Her mother, Mrs. Everitt, attended the banquet.
The countdown to the 87th anniversary of the Fort Griffin Fandangle has begun, with rehearsals for the 2025 show scheduled to start Monday, May 12, at the Prairie Theater.
Anyone interested in participating is welcome to be part of the cast, and no prior experience is required. Rehearsals will be held three nights a week during May, with different parts of the show rotating each evening.
Beginning June 9, the schedule will shift to four nights a week to allow time for full cast run-throughs and final preparations.
By Melinda L. Lucas
A whirlwind of activities is already underway as members of the Albany High School Class of 2025 face a busy May schedule, ending with commencement exercises and Project Graduation on May 23.
Class members already celebrated with the annual Progressive Dinner on Sunday, April 27, during which the seniors were bused to three locations.
The City of Moran passed an ordinance last week declaring itself a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn,” joining a growing list of Texas municipalities adopting similar measures.
The ordinance, titled “Ordinance Outlawing Abortion, Declaring Moran a Sanctuary City for the Unborn,” was approved by the Moran City Council in a 4-0-1 vote on Monday, April 15. Four council members voted in favor of the ordinance, with no votes against and one abstention.
Shackelford County received some much-needed rainfall over the weekend, breaking a dry stretch that had left pastures dusty and tanks low. Rain began falling on Saturday afternoon, picking up in intensity by evening and continuing through the night into early Sunday morning.
According to the National Weather Service, Albany officially recorded 3.80 inches over the weekend. However, reports from ranchers and residents around the county suggest higher totals in some locations, with several measuring between 4.5 and 5 inches in their gauges.
By David H. Waller
The Albany ISD Board of Trustees met Monday, April 21, where they unanimously voted to move forward with HPA, an architectural firm out of Wichita Falls, for a potential bond project that could include a new high school.
Discussion centered on selecting a firm that would prioritize Albany’s project and provide direct involvement throughout the process. Superintendent Daryl Stuard and board members expressed concern about getting lost in the shuffle if they chose a firm managing multiple large-scale projects elsewhere.
