A meteorological station has been constructed and is up and operational on the Sanders Compton Ranch, located just east-northeast of Albany.

The station will provide near real-time information on weather data such as wind speed, direction, daily and yearly rainfall, soil temperature, and moisture levels along with barometric pressure, humidity, dew point, and solar intensity data.

The site also offers a ­real-­time source of weather information to groups such as the National Weather Service and the Texas Forest Service from Shackelford County.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The second week in April is traditionally designated as National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week and last week,  April 10-16, local dispatchers were recognized for work they do behind the scenes.

Many people don’t realize the training and discipline necessary to become a public safety dispatcher, according to Shackelford County sheriff Ed Miller.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Over 250 members and guests ventured to Rey­nolds Bend on the Matthews Ranch last Saturday for the annual Sampler of the Fort Griffin Fandangle, performed by a cast and crew of about 80.

It was the first time that the membership sampler had been held at the ranch in 25 years, giving many of those attending their first look at the idyllic setting of where the “interwoven” story of the Matthews and Reynolds families began some 150 years ago.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The ResourceCare Community Health Center will host a Murder Mystery Dinner fundraising event at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 5.

“Cinco de Mayo Mayhem: Murder at Isadora’s Fiesta” will be performed in collaboration with the Albany Mainstreet Playhouseat the Albany Youth Center located at 84 North Avenue B.

Tickets for the fundraiser are $60 each and will benefit the Vittles by Vehicle program.

George “Clint” Barrett, DDs MD of Lubbock was recently recognized by Texas Monthly in an elite group of “Super Dentists of Texas for 2021.”

The list of “Top Dentists in Texas” was published in a special advertising section in December 2021.

Dr. Barrett is the son of Charles Barrett and the late Georgia Barrett of Albany.

An all-state football and basketball player in high school, he graduated from Crane High School as valedictorian of his class. He attended Howard Payne University on a football scholarship and graduated from Angelo State University.

By Sam Waller

The Feed Store student council is reviving Powder Puff football in Albany with two teams of high school girls meeting at 2:00 p.m. Sunday, April 24 at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium.

The event, formerly sponsored by the Albany High School student council, has been dormant for several years, according to Feed Store director Tisha Wilkins.

“This is for fellowship and fun,” Wilkins said. “It’s free admission, but we are going to be asking for donations to The Feed Store at the gate.”

By Sam Waller

The First Baptist Church youth group is planning a bake sale Saturday, April 23, at the Bank Park.

The sale will begin at 9:00 a.m. and last until all items are sold.

FBC youth minister Eduardo San Lucas said purchases will be made by donation with no set prices for items.

“We’ll take whatever people want to give out of their hearts and out of their pockets,” San Lucas said. “We’ll have cakes and cookies and items like that.”

Proceeds will help fund attendance at summer camp for FBC youth.

Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) members will gather Monday evening for a happy hour in the Buffalo Room at the Ice House in Abilene with drinks and table fare courtesy of sponsors Shiner Beer and First Financial Trust.

According to association member Tamara Trail, the event coincides with the return of TWA’s coveted QuailMasters program, a series of intensive, hands-on training sessions designed to expose participants to the best quail habitat in the state of Texas and make them “masters” of the art and science of quail management.

By Sam Waller

Albany FFA was recognized with the Golden Horizon and National Chapter awards on Wednesday, April 13, at the Big Country District and Area 4 FFA contests at Tarleton State University in Stephenville.

By Donnie A. Lucas

No new cases of ­COVID-19 were recorded at the three Albany testing sites last week, marking the second time recently that no new positive test results were reported.

No new cases were documented for the week of March 28 through April 1 for the first time in several months.

Only four tests were administered during the period of April 11-15, according to a report issued by county judge Bob Skelton.

Only one positive case was reported locally the prior week out of five tests administered.