By Melinda L. Lucas

Courthouse cleaning options during the ongoing medical leave for county employee Sherry Garvin was the main focus of Monday’s meeting of the Shackelford County elected officials, but no action was taken and a special meeting set March 7 to continue looking at solutions.

Garvin has been ill for several months, and Courthouse employees have been trying to keep up with basic cleaning. Commissioners are also concerned that the wooden blinds are due for “oiling,” along with several other projects that can’t be performed by office workers.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany ISD students and staff will make up a deficit in classroom minutes by eliminating three early release days at the end of the spring semester, according to an announcement by AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott on Monday.

Scott said that members of the District Improvement Committee met Friday, Feb. 24 and were presented with a couple of different options on how to make up “minutes” lost when last week’s winter storm caused classes to be cancelled on Wednesday and Thursday.

By Melinda L. Lucas

By the end of Tuesday’s primaries, about 24 percent of Shackelford County’s 2,261 registered voters elected a new county judge to take over next January, and followed most statewide trends in other elections.

John M. Viertel finished with 290 votes to Raleigh Breeden’s 214 to win the Republican candidacy for county judge. He will be unopposed on the November general election ballot.

By Sam Waller

Two Moran meat judging teams scored well in contests over the weekend at major livestock shows.

Moran teams placed 25th and 35th out of 43 teams on Saturday, Feb. 19, at San Angelo. On Sunday, Feb. 20, the teams finished 33rd and 41st out of 77 teams in San Antonio.

Moran superintendent Dr. John Denson said two members of the first team scored extremely high in placing classes at San Angelo.

By Sam Waller

Colter Edgar placed second in his division with a barrow as Albany FFA and 4-H members completed participation in the San Angelo Livestock Show and Rodeo.

Five Albany students exhibited barrows in the swine show, which wrapped up Thursday, Feb. 17. The San Angelo show concluded on Sunday, Feb. 20.

Edgar competed in the Lightweight Cross division in San Angelo. His second-place finish enabled him to make the sale with the animal.

Also showing barrows were Callan Edgar, Tye Edgar, Tatum Grady, and Paige Price.

By Sam Waller

Fort Griffin Fandangle Association members are responding quickly to letters that they received a couple of weeks ago, purchasing memberships at seven different levels ranging from Pioneer at $25 to platinum at $5,000. The Pioneer membership is open only to those age 65 and up.

Memberships may be purchased online at www.fortgriffinfandangle.org or by calling the Fandangle office at 325-762-3838.

Rehearsals Start

By Sam Waller

Registration deadline for Albany Little League is Friday, Feb. 25.

Registration is being conducted online at www.albanytxll.com.

Tryouts for new players age 8-12 will be held at 3:00 p.m. Saturday, March 5, at the Little League complex on Griffin Road. Players unable to attend at that time may try out at the field at 3:00 p.m. Sunday, March 6.

Players who were in the program last year and those who will be playing T-ball or Coach Pitch do not need to attend.

For more information, contact Paul Hamilton at 214-543-9947.

First Baptist Church will hold a volleyball tournament Saturday, March 12 to raise funds to send youth to church camp this summer.

The double-elimination tournament will be held at the Albany High School gym. Awards will be presented for first, second, and third place.

The tournament is open to incoming eighth graders and older. Teams must have a minimum of seven players and a maximum of 10. At least three team members must be girls.

Entry fee is $16 per person, with a deadline of Sunday, March 6. Teams must have a team name and designate a team captain.

By Donnie A. Lucas

When their parents moved their families halfway around the world in search of a better life, they probably weren’t thinking that a small West Texas community like Albany would provide its own version of the American Dream.

Most folks in Albany or passing through have noticed the new building housing the Donut Shop, just a block east of the original location on Main Street.

By Sam Waller

Albany churches will conduct Ash Wednesday services Wednesday, March 2, to begin Lent, which continues until Thursday, April 14.

Albany United Methodist Church will participate in “A Night With New Room” at 6:30 p.m. on Ash Wednesday. The livestream program can be viewed at the church or online at www.newroom conference.com.

The service is a preparation event for the church’s Lenten Study, a 40-day devotional for Lent which begins Sunday, March 7.