As Albany ISD prepares for a May bond election, questions have surfaced regarding whether Shackelford County could use revenue from the new data center project to help fund construction of a new school campus.

The Albany Mainstreet Playhouse will take the stage this weekend with its production of God’s Favorite, a comedy by Neil Simon inspired by the biblical story of Job. Performances are scheduled for Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30 p.m. and Sunday afternoon at 2:30 p.m.

The play was last staged in Albany in 2010 and returns more than a decade later with a largely new cast under the direction of Lorna Ayers. The production also marks AMP’s second Neil Simon comedy in less than a year, following last winter’s presentation of Rumors.

Significant course improvements are scheduled to begin next month at Albany Golf Club, with a multi-phase greens renovation and course enhancement project planned for late winter and early spring.

The Albany ISD Board of Trustees unanimously voted Monday morning to call a $26 million school building bond election, officially setting the issue before voters in May.

The special meeting was held at 8 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 2, and was called specifically to consider the order calling the bond election. The motion was made by Joe Tidwell and seconded by Ginny Ivy and passed with a 6–0 vote. Trustee Reggy Spencer was absent.

Trustees voting in favor were Matt Bellah, John Gallagher, Ginny Ivy, Kalico Leech, Robert Montgomery, and Joe Tidwell.

A prolonged Arctic cold front brought dangerous winter weather to Shackelford County last week, leading to school closures, schedule changes and icy travel conditions across Albany and Moran.

Albany ISD announced an early release at noon on Friday, Jan. 23, ahead of the arrival of the winter storm. Classes and all school activities were canceled the following Monday as ice and freezing temperatures moved into the area.

More than 100 Shackelford County youth showcased their livestock projects last week as the 2026 Shackelford County Livestock Show concluded with a solid premium sale and add-on contributions still coming in.

A total of 116 students from the Albany and Moran FFA chapters and Shackelford County 4-H entered 219 animal projects. Each exhibitor was eligible to sell one project in Saturday’s premium sale. The annual show is presented by the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association (SCYLA).

What began as a crowded local leaderboard ended with a single winner after the final whistle of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.

Five participants finished the bracket challenge tied after the first round, quarterfinals and semifinal games. Points were awarded for correctly picking the winner of each game, setting up a tight race heading into the title matchup.

Albany ISD will decide next month whether to call a $26 million school bond election, following months of work by the district’s Long Range Facility Planning Committee, which members say has revealed that the district’s facilities are no longer safe, functional, or financially sustainable.

The committee presented its findings to the school board during the Jan. 12 meeting, and trustees are expected to vote at the February meeting on whether to place the bond on the May ballot.

The 2026 Shackelford County Livestock Show is set for Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 15-17, at the county show barn.

Annually the largest single extracurricular activity in the County, this year’s show has 120 students from Albany and Moran FFA chapters as well as Shackelford County 4-H entering approximately 232 animal projects. Each student will be allowed to sell one project in the premium sale, scheduled for 1:00 p.m. Saturday.

Closet Angels Ministry, a longtime Albany outreach effort that has quietly met some of the community’s most basic needs for the past 15 years, is beginning a new chapter as leaders seek a temporary home and launch a campaign to purchase a permanent facility.

Founded in the fall of 2010 after director Lori Reames posted a simple Facebook message about a coat and clothing drive, Closet Angels quickly grew beyond its original mission and began operating from the Allen House building, where it has served families since its earliest days.