This holiday season, TxDOT is focusing on the issue of impaired driving by encouraging people to save a life by making a plan to get home safely before the holiday festivities begin. 

The Plan While You Can impaired driving campaign encourages drivers statewide to plan for a sober ride before enjoying festivities where drinking may occur. 

The campaign will run through Jan. 1, 2019 and coincides with an enforcement period in which DWI patrols will be at increased capacity looking for drunk drivers on Texas roadways. 

Monte McIntire of Gunsight was recognized by the Texas State Soil and Water Conservation Board for his 30 years of service as a board member for the Lower Clear Fork of the Brazos Soil and Water Conservation District. 

McIntire did not attend the state-wide Soil and Water Conservation District meeting in Fort Worth in October, when the plaque was originally presented, so fellow local board member John Tate picked it up for him, and presented the award to McIntire at the local district monthly meeting on Nov. 30.

Licensed hunters ages 16 years and younger have opportunities this winter and spring to sharpen their skills and bring home some whitetail and turkey trophies, and adult hunters still have time to harvest wild game. 

The regular season for dove continues until Jan. 14, duck season until Jan. 27, goose can be harvested until Feb. 3, and quail season continues until Feb. 24.

The regular season for deer and turkey ends Sunday, Jan. 6, but a special late deer season runs from Jan. 7 to Jan. 20, 2019, and is open to all legal hunters. 

June Tait and Emma Hart were both recognized by their respective universities for their achievements during the 2018 fall semester.

June Tait was named to the University of North Texas President’s List. 

A speech pathology major, she is the daughter of Mary and Joey Boland of Albany and Randy and Rachel Tait of Breckenridge.

Emma Hart was named to the Dean’s Honor Roll at Midwestern State University.

She is the daughter of Mary and Joey Boland of Albany and Scott Hart of Abilene, and is a theatre major at MSU.

Christmas is less than a week away and, as they have for the past few years, volunteers from Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church will make sure that no one in Albany misses out on the chance to enjoy a holiday meal on Christmas Day.

“We will deliver a holiday dinner of turkey, brisket, mashed potatoes and gravy, roll, corn, green beans, and dessert to each of the seniors that get Vittles by Vehicle on Dec. 25th,” said Tamara Trail, one of the organizers of the holiday feast. “This will be in addition to the normal VBV Monday, Wednesday, and Friday meals next week.”

Christmas is less than a week away and, as they have for the past few years, volunteers from Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church will make sure that no one in Albany misses out on the chance to enjoy a holiday meal on Christmas Day.

“We will deliver a holiday dinner of turkey, brisket, mashed potatoes and gravy, roll, corn, green beans, and dessert to each of the seniors that get Vittles by Vehicle on Dec. 25th,” said Tamara Trail, one of the organizers of the holiday feast. “This will be in addition to the normal VBV Monday, Wednesday, and Friday meals next week.”

Royce Duane Donaldson, 49, of Moran was taken into custody last Friday, Dec. 14 after he was indicted on separate charges by a local grand jury and by a federal grand jury in Abilene.

Donaldson was originally arrested last summer after the death of 52-year-old George Henry Mark, although the only charge at that time was “felon in possession of a firearm.”

Last Wednesday’s Shackelford County grand jury charged Donaldson with first degree murder. He appeared before Justice of the Peace James Breeden on Sunday and a $500,000 bond was set.

A community blood drive will take place in Albany on Thursday, Dec. 20, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club. The Hendrick Regional Blood Center bloodmobile will be parked at First Baptist Church from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. 

“We want to remind the community of the importance of having an adequate supply of blood at all times,” said Frances Baker, donor recruiter. “It is vital to have enough blood available to meet patient needs at 17 area hospitals. At this time we are in need of all blood types.” 

Only 11 days remain in the Albany Chest 2018 campaign and donations to the drive were still $9,733 short of the $42,000 goal as of Wednesday, Dec. 19. 

The current total is $32,267, according to board treasurer Paige Adair at First National Bank.

Donations, which were stagnant over Thanksgiving picked up again in December. But at the current donation rate of $2,500 a week, the drive will not reach the targeted amount.

Shackelford County Hospital District directors discussed the replacement of aging servers at the clinic, but opted to wait another month so they could hear some options from the district’s IT consultant. 

At the board’s Dec. 17 session, administrator Jera Fairley presented a bid from Tolar for two refurbished servers to replace the current eight-year-old units at a cost of $17,073, but Janna Ledbetter asked for the cost of new equipment.

A Tolar representative will attend the January meeting to answer questions.