By Kathy Thomson
Members of the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association are hoping to meet sometime before April 15 for a general meeting to evaluate the 2020 show, consider any proposed rule changes, and address any concerns that have been brought to the attention of the Association, but like many activities, it is currently on hold due to coronavirus concerns.
The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $41,174 from the state this March. The amount is down 40.94 percent from the $69,720 payment received in March of 2019.
Payments to date for the city of Albany are $127,219, down by 26.31 percent from the comparable time last year.
The city of Moran will receive a net payment of $1,794 this period, for a 43.88 percent increase from the $1,247 received in March 2019.
Payments to date for Moran are $5,582, up by 25.16 percent from the comparable time in 2019.
By Kathy Thomson
The spread of SARS-CoV-2, the novel coronavirus which causes the disease COVID-19, has quickly upended everyday life around the world, with quarantines, school closures, event cancellations, working from home, and empty spaces on store shelves becoming the new normal for many.
Everyone across America has been asked to do their part to try and “blunt the curve” (slow down the rate of new infections) so that health care professionals and hospitals are not overwhelmed beyond capacity.
Guidelines
By Donnie A. Lucas
Albany school officials have announced that all school facilities, including the weight room, gyms and the “green room” have been closed to both students and the public through March 31.
Working off of recommendations from the Texas Education Agency, UIL, and CDC guidelines, the closure is part of the attempt to stem the spread of coronavirus.
By Kathy Thomson
Three local youth made the sale at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo before the event closed early due to the coronavirus pandemic.
“The Houston stock show did the best that they could getting all of the lambs and goats shown in one day,” said Tammy Clark, who was at the show with her children. “It was very chaotic and surreal to be there during the shutdown. And since we’ve been home, it has just been more unbelievable.”
By Kathy Thomson
The Moran Independent School District, like other districts in the Big Country area, extended spring break due to concerns about COVID-19.
As of press time on Wednesday, MISD had decided on another extension and hopes to resume classes on April 3.
By Kathy Thomson
The city of Moran plans to replace almost twenty-five hundred feet of eight inch sewer lines running along Fisher Avenue and Grand Avenue using local money and HUD Community Development Block Grant funds administered by the Texas Department of Agriculture.
The grant was applied for last year, according to city secretary Teresa King.
“We’ve got the money,” she said. “We’re just finishing out the paperwork.”
By Donnie A. Lucas
Teachers and administrators were scrambling earlier this week to prepare alternative forms of instruction after local schools shut down due to the Coronavirus.
While the schools are closed for the next two weeks, students still need to keep up with instruction that they are missing during the time classrooms are closed to students.
Teachers are still working between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. daily to change the delivery methods of their curriculum.
Secondary System
By Melinda L. Lucas
Financial figures for both the upcoming year and last year were significant topics during the Albany city council’s meeting on Monday, when a $2.94 million budget was adopted for fiscal year 2020-2021, and the audit was approved for 2019-2020.
The required public hearing time was allowed at the beginning of the meeting, but no one from the public had any comments.
Before the vote, city manager Billy Holson pointed out that the proposed budget included three to five percent salary increases in every department.
By Melinda L. Lucas
With a March 17 reser-vation deadline quickly approaching, local residents are being encouraged to secure their places at the Old Jail Art Center’s upcoming 40th anniversary celebration on Saturday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m.
With a theme of “Piano Bar & Supper Club,” the event will feature musical entertainment by Santa Fe’s Piano Man Doug Montgomery and New York City tenor John Tiranno, a meal catered by Perini Ranch, and several valuable auction items.
