By Kathy Thomson 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 2020 year to the city of Albany are $127,219, down by 26.

By Melinda L. Lucas Shackelford County followed the City of Albany in declaring a local “state of disaster due to a public health emergency” when county judge Robert Skelton signed documentation last Thursday, March 26.

By Donnie A. Lucas With the announcement made Tuesday that schools across Texas will remain closed until Monday, May 4, local parents and students will continue to receive assignments online or through packets of printed materials.

By Melinda L. Lucas The staff at the Old Jail Art Center say that they are “physical distancing,” not “social distancing” as they continue working to serve area residents during COVID-19 constraints. The museum is currently closed to the public, with all group gatherings cancelled or on hold.

By Melinda L. Lucas Several more Albany offices and businesses have locked their doors in the last week, including the walk-in lobby at one local bank, limiting access to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.  There are also a few more event cancellations on the growing list below.

By Donnie A. Lucas With almost three weeks of doing school work at home due to school closures prompted by the novel coronavirus outbreak, parents have mixed reactions to supervising the completion of assignments sent home by teachers during the shutdown.

By Melinda L. Lucas Shackelford County chief appraiser Clayton Snyder is officially extending the deadline to submit property renditions one full month to May 15, in light of the impact on local businesses by the coronavirus. The renditions were originally due by April 15.

By Kathy Thomson The 2020 Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association’s Buyer-Seller Banquet has been cancelled, but checks will be delivered to livestock sellers as soon as all of the pledge money is turned in, according to SCYLA president Bronco Askew.

By Melinda L. Lucas The April 11 annual community Easter egg hunt sponsored by the Albany Volunteer Fire Department has been cancelled, with plans to possibly reschedule some event later in the spring.

By Kathy Thomson At least two local groups of women have been using their sewing skills to help battle the coronavirus by sewing masks for nurses and others on the front lines of this strange new “war.”