‘Spoken’ films being released

The first “round” of 11 recorded interviews in the Ardon B. Judd, Jr. Oral History Project have been completed, and eight of them so far are available to watch on the Old Jail Art Center’s website, theojac.org.

The project was established to record the stories and life histories of the people of Albany and the surrounding region in memory of longtime OJAC board member Ardon Judd.

All 11 short films are available for view in the museum’s Stasney Center.

Albany News

Old Jail to host tea May 11

There is still time for local ladies and girls to register for a Victorian tea party, complete with the making of spring hats at the Old Jail Art Center this Saturday, May 11.

The education department of the museum is also hosting its regular Third Thursday Studio next week on May 16, with a sign-up deadline of Monday, May 13.

Tea Party

OJAC’s Mother’s Day Victorian Tea Party is planned at the museum from 2:00 to 4:00 p.m.

Mothers, aunts, grandmothers, daughter, granddaughters, and nieces are invited to share the event with a loved one.

Summer Fandangle rehearsals to get underway May 12

Sunday evening, May 12, the Prairie Theater is expected to fill with the sounds of dance music, children’s laughter, and instructions from the caller when rehearsals for the 2019 Fandangle summer shows begins at 7:00 p.m. with Square Dancers and Little Wrangler, followed by Yoledae at 7:45 p.m., and Huppi Hi at 8:30 p.m.

“Square Dance is for children from pre-K through sixth grade,” said artistic director Lorna Ayers. “The new dance for junior high students, Yoledae, is for seventh and eighth grade students; while Huppi Hi is for ninth to 12 graders.”  

Albany News

Deadline nears for veteran names

Memorial Day is a time to remember those who have served our country, and anyone who wants to honor a local veteran by adding their name to the Shackelford County veterans memorial marker should contact Mary Kay O’Connor at 325-660-2498 by tomorrow, May 10.

O’Connor is hopeful that if the names are turned in by Friday, the monument can have the new names engraved before the Memorial Day celebration on May 27. 

Veterans do not have to be deceased, nor do they have to have served in a war to be included on the memorial marker.

Lions Roar earns Gold Star

With competition stiffer than ever, Albany’s student newspaper staff collected one of only four Gold Star awards given at the Interscholastic League Press Conference (ILPC) annual spring convention held at the University of Texas campus in Austin last weekend.

Fifteen students who have been putting together the 2018-2019 Albany High School newspaper, The Lions Roar, earned more than three dozen individual achievement awards and helped the student paper win the “Gold Star Award” and receive a Print Newspaper Distinguished Merit Award for the fourth year in a row.

AHS senior activities kick into high gear

Albany High School seniors will be very busy during the next two weeks, with several activities planned during the time leading up to graduation.

Pictures should have already been turned in to class parent Tisha Wilkins for the senior slide show, including one baby picture, one elementary or junior high photo, and one senior picture from each senior. 

“If for some reason they have not yet been turned in, they need to be turned in to me as soon as possible,” said Wilkins.

Albany News

Parents celebrate teachers

Educators at Albany ISD were provided snacks, meals, and gifts during Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10, courtesy of the Albany Parent Teacher Organization, parents of local students, Brookshire’s, and the Albany Masons. 

“I think that it’s important to recognize the work the teachers do all year,” said PTO president Ginny Ivy. “We want to show our appreciation for all that they do for us and the students.”

The PTO arranged for Prairie Star to provide breakfast to school staff members on Tuesday. 

Final plans made for Class of 2019 Project Graduation party

High school graduation is only two weeks away, and seniors and their parents are making plans for the celebration, including the traditional Project Graduation party.

Project Graduation is an all-night drug-free and alcohol-free party following commencement exercises and has been an annual tradition in Albany since 1988.

The project was started by the efforts of the Albany Drug and Alcohol Task Force, and several people, especially Ann Jones, were instrumental in organizing the local event.

Albany News

Local volunteers attend fire school

Six members of the Albany Volunteer Fire Department spent all of last weekend at the 46th annual Wichita Falls Fire School training in fire fighting, fire company operations, fire hydraulics, search and rescue in a structure fire, ropes and knots, and lpg fires.  

“These men and women were working their tails off to learn and to make themselves better firefighters in order to protect you and yours,” said fire chief Kyle Tischler.

Old Jail earns Wilder Award

The Old Jail Art Museum won the Mitchell A. Wilder Award for excellence in publication and media design in the Marketing Materials, Supplementary Materials, and Posters category at the 40th annual meeting of the Texas Association of Museums.

OJAC executive director Patrick Kelly was in attendance at the conference, and he accepted the Gold Citation certificate from TAM president Chris Dyer at the awards ceremony on Friday, April 5, in the Philanthropy Theater of El Paso’s historic Plaza Theatre.