By Melinda L. Lucas
Shackelford County commissioners voted unanimously to change IT vendors after reviewing three bids opened at a previous meeting.
Sealed bids were received from Computer Transition Services Inc. (CTSI), Tolar Systems, and Goldsmith Solutions on Feb. 24, and elected officials met individually with representatives of the companies last week.
After discussion, the commissioners opted to accept the low bid of $6,664 per month from CTSI.
By Kathy Thomson
Albany FFA members competed in the livestock and in the horse contest at Parker County/Weatherford College CDEs last Thursday, March 5.
“Weatherford is a practice contest, and I didn’t have all of our usual team members available, so we filled in with kids who were interested,” said advisor Chris Beard. “Several of them were new at it, while others had only participated on a CDE team once or twice before. It was a good chance for them to begin learning how to judge animals in CDE contests.”
By Kathy Thomson
Albany High School’s one act play (OAP) will advance to bi-district competition, and six members of the troupe won special accolades at the district contest in Stamford on Thursday, March 5.
The bi-district OAP contest will also be held in Stamford on Wednesday, March 25.
Receiving the honor of All-Star Cast was B.J.Morris for his performance as Major-General Sir Richard Hannay, the hero in The 39 Steps.
Tana Thompson, Brooks Neece, and Jackson Chapman were chosen for Honorable Mention All Star Cast.
By Kathy Thomson
Students tried out for the chance to become Albany school cheerleaders on Friday, March 6, before spring break.
“We had three judges from McMurry University, and their scores counted for 50 percent,” said cheer sponsor Lindsey Vaughn. “Albany teacher evaluations counted for 30 percent, and the student body votes made up the other 20 percent of the totals that were used to make the selections.”
According to Vaughn, Albany will not have a head cheerleader next year.
By Kathy Thomson
The Leon Bosque Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc. awarded grant money to the Albany Senior Citizens Activity Center last week.
On behalf of the Leon Bosque RC&D, Shackelford County board member John Tate presented a check for $500 to Senior Center representative Tracy Sullivan on Friday, March 6.
“There’s still so much we need,” said Sullivan, “but this money will probably go for tables and chairs.”
Sullivan said that for the most part, the interior of the building is empty.
By Kathy Thomson
For several years, various residents of the Big Country area have traveled to Uganda over spring break on a Christian mission trip, and Albany High School junior Tana Thompson planned to go again this year.
All of that changed when Thomas Aly, former youth minister at Abany’s First Baptist Church and founder of Live Missions, cancelled the trip due to concerns about COVID-19.
By Melinda L. Lucas
Incumbent commissioner Steve Riley kept his seat in Shackelford County’s precinct 1, fending off challenger Bobby Williams in Tuesday’s Republican primary election.
Riley garnered 39 percent of the 212 ballots cast in precinct 1, where there are 543 registered voters. He will not face any Democratic opposition in the general election in November.
Several other local incumbent candidates, including district attorney Joe Edd Boaz, sheriff Edward Miller, and commissioner Lanham Martin, were unopposed on the Republican primary ballot.
By Kathy Thomson
Seats on three local boards will be determined by voters on Election Day, those who cast early ballots, and those who return mail in ballots for the May 2 races, including one with a list of candidates which was revised again this week.
Incumbent Cindy Huskey will be on the ballot for Moran city council after all, said Moran city secretary Teresa King.
The City of Albany has scheduled a regular test of the emergency warning siren to take place at 12:00 noon next Wednesday, March 11, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.
The tests keep citizens familiar with the three warning sounds, and they are also used to make sure that the siren, computer, software, and radios are working correctly.
The siren should sound one of the three emergency tones at noon on that day, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable, according to local fire chief Kyle Tischler.
By Melinda L. Lucas
Albany city council members will conduct a budget hearing at 7:00 p.m. next Monday, March 9, preceding their regular monthly meeting at Albany City Hall.
The balanced budget of $2,936,850 was proposed at the Feb. 10 session and is expected to be in place before the city’s fiscal year begins on April 1, 2020.
Budget Proposal
