By Sandy Morris

Activities for 4-H and FFA members increase as the year-end approaches.

 4-H Shooting Sports

The Shackelford County 4 –H Club will be hosting a shooting sports meeting next Tuesday, Dec. 8 at 5:45 p.m. at First Christian Church. 

Shackelford County Extension Agent Kloey Painter said all of the shooting sports options will be discussed at the meeting.

“We will introduce coaches and go over important information for the shooting sports season,” said Painter.

4-H Christmas Party

By Sandy Morris

Members of the AJSH Academic Booster Club’s “Rise and Shine” committee are inviting the public to “adopt” a local teacher.

“The committee has created a teacher/staff Christmas wish list event,” said Rise and Shine Committee member Heather Brown. “This is a great opportunity to encourage the teachers/staff who love, care for, and educate our students each and every day.”

Due to COVID-19 regulations, the methods to get wish lists out to the public have been revised. 

By Sandy Morris

The 2020 Believe Tree for Teens applications have been received and have been disbursed among several local churches.

Ministerial Alliance secretary Tisha Wilkins said the total number of applications submitted was down this year. 

“We had a total of 43 teen applications,” said Wilkins. “Of those 43, 28 were from Albany and 15 were from Moran.”

Ornaments with the teens’ wish lists can be found at First Methodist Church, Friendship Baptist Church, First Baptist Church, First Christian Church, and the Church of Christ. 

By Sandy Morris

The First United Methodist Women are hosting a chili fundraiser this Sunday, Dec. 6 from 12:00 noon to 2:00 p.m.

The chili fundraiser will be take-out orders only with no indoor dining allowed due to COVID-19 concerns.

Offerings of both chili and beans will be frozen when picked up. 

A one-quart bag of chili is $10.50 and a one-quart bag of beans is $1.50. 

Tickets may be purchased from any UMW member.

By Sandy Morris

The deadline to apply for a Christmas basket from the Albany Ministerial Alliance has passed, and now the process of preparing the deliveries begins. 

Applications were due by Dec. 1, but county citizens can still apply. 

“We received a total of 110 applications,” said Ministeral Alliance secretary Tisha Wilkins. “ Of those 110 applications, 67 were from Albany and 43 were from Moran. 

While the deadine has passed, Wilkins said families can still apply, but they are not guaranteed to receive a delivery.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Despite ongoing coronavirus restrictions, blood is still needed, and a blood drive is scheduled to take place in Albany next Thursday afternoon, Dec. 10.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center (formerly Meek Blood Center) will park its bloodmobile at First Baptist Church at the usual time from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center is now offering COVID-19 antibody testing at no charge for donors who successfully donate.

By Sandy Morris

The Christmas season is typically an extremely busy time of year for the United States Postal Service, and this year already promises to be busier than previous years. 

The Albany Post Office already is handling an increased volume of packages, and they need for customers to continue to pick them up in a timely manner.

By Sandy Morris

The deadline to apply for a $100 Brookshire’s gift card courtesy of the CARES Act is fast approaching. 

At the suggestion of mayor Susan Montgomery, the city council, working in conjunction with city manager Billy Holson and local Brookshire’s store director Curt Manning, established a grocery gift card distribution process. 

“This is a way the city is reaching out to our citizens during the holiday time since this year has been very trying on everyone,” said Montgomery, who encouraged anyone affected by the pandemic to apply.

By Melinda L. Lucas

With what is being referred to as “the second wave” of coronavirus sweeping across the nation, Shackelford County seems to be experiencing its own smaller version of  the surge, even though official numbers reported Tuesday by the Texas Department of State Health Services show only four new cases of COVID-19 and five active cases on the list.

However, Shackelford County Health Clinic has tested 21 positive patients in the past three weeks, according to county judge Robert Skelton.

By Sandy Morris

After much discussion and research, Albany city officials have finalized plans to use the remaining funds of the CARES Act allocation, with $100 grocery gift cards to be distributed to local residents and city employees on Saturday, Dec. 5. 

The city was originally allocated $108,000 through the CARES Act funding, and at their most recent meeting on Nov. 9, council members voted to set aside the last $25,000 to use for public health.