By Sam Waller

Albany’s Romie Hinshaw won the 12-and-under age division of the Western Heritage Classic Fiddlers Contest on Saturday, May 14.

The event was part of the Western Heritage Classic, which ran Tuesday, May 10, through Sunday, May 15, in Abilene. The festival regularly draws several participants from Albany.

In addition to Hinshaw, a third grader, Albany sixth grader Charli Trail finished third in the Fiddlers Contest, and first grader Olena Hinshaw finished fifth.

Gage Burton, competing in the same division, came in sixth.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County ResourceCare hosted the 18th annual spring health fair at the Albany Bank Park last Friday, May 13.

ResourceCare program director Mindy Ary said children attended from Nancy Smith Elementary School and the Mother’s Day Out program.

“I would say close to 300 kids came through,” said Ary. “The children enjoyed all of the games, prizes, snow cones, and popcorn.”

Albany High School graduate Sarah Cotter has been awarded the Nancy and Ted Paup Big  Country Athletic Hall of Fame Scholarship. This scholarship fund is managed by the Community  Foundation of Abilene.

This scholarship goes to an Albany student who is in the top 25 percent of his/her class and  participated in varsity athletics.

Cotter will attend Texas A&M University in the fall and plans to study Business.

By Sam Waller

Seven Moran High School students were inducted as charter members of the school’s chapter of the National Honor Society on Monday, May 9, at the Moran Events Center.

Seniors Hannah Rogers, Harmony Slaughter, and Johnnie Hise, juniors Emily Murk and Alayna Baker, and sophomores Caleb York and Terra Thompson were honored at the ceremony.

Moran superintendent Dr. John Denson said the chapter is looking toward several projects next year, but members still have time to provide service before the current school year ends.

By Melinda L. Lucas

In addition to hearing concerns from a group of local citizens at Monday night’s meeting, council members also discussed detailed plans with this year’s pool managers.

After a review by phone with CPA Cameron Gulley, council members approved the 2020-2021 audit.

Chris Beard, who had been sworn in earlier that day, was welcomed to his first meeting.  Because there were no opposed races for the council terms, the election was cancelled.

Neighborhood Concerns

By Donnie A. Lucas

For the first time in about a month, three cases of COVID-19 were recorded at the three Albany testing sites last week, with a total of eight tests administered.

At least one of the new cases was reportedly of a student on the secondary campus of Albany ISD.

The three positive tests come on the heels of a quiet month for COVID-19 cases locally. Three of the last four weeks resulted in no new cases, with only one positive reported for the first week of April.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Both Albany competitors at the State UIL Academic Meet came home with medals last Friday in journalism events.

This was the first time since May of 2019 that the state meet was held in person at Austin. In 2020, the meet was cancelled altogether due to the shuttering of schools at the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, and the 2021 contest was held remotely due to the virus.

By Donnie A. Lucas

One incumbent and three other candidates from a field of seven were elected to the Shackelford County Hospital Board, along with two statewide constitutional amendments were approved by voters.

Only 202 ballots were cast in the hospital board election, representing about nine percent of the county’s 2,266 registered voters.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The spring health fair hosted by Shackelford County ResourceCare returns to the Albany Bank Park on Friday, May 13 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. after missing last year due to COVID concerns.

The event, for which this is the 18th year, is often held on the Friday closest to Cinco de Mayo, but because of numerous conflicts with school and other events, including test preparations, it was moved to this coming Friday morning.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Albany school board accepted five resignations and hired one teacher at their May 9 meeting.

The resignations of four teachers and one staff person were accepted “with regrets” on a motion by Joe Tidwell.

Teachers resigning included Kevin Hill, Andre Raymond, Lauren Peacock, and Robbin Westmoreland. Staff member Shelia Hogan’s resignation was also included.