By Melinda L. Lucas
City council members acknowledged the work of Albany mayor Rodney Alexander, who died suddenly earlier this month, during their meeting on Monday, Jan. 13, commenting on his service to the community and the time he spent to make improvements for his fellow citizens.
Council members intend to declare a day in Alexander’s honor but weren’t able to make an official decision this week because that item wasn’t on the agenda.
By Kathy Thomson
One of the biggest annual events in the county, the local stock show, takes place next week, and final preparations are underway.
“We had our finance committee meeting on Monday, Jan. 13, and it looked pretty good,” said Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association president Bronco Askew. “The next big deal is the barn clean-up on Saturday.”
Barn Clean-Up Day
The stock show barn clean up day is scheduled for this Saturday, Jan. 18 from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
By Melinda L. Lucas
Shackelford County’s IT consultant, Sam Goldsmith, presented a technology update for the elected officials and also answered questions about billing charges and other issues during a Monday morning meeting on Jan. 13.
Goldsmith first reviewed upcoming projects, including the possible change from AT&T to an alternate provider for faster and less expensive internet service.
Gwendolyn Turner (above) scrapes her dad’s pickup windshield after local residents woke up to several inches of snow Saturday morning.
By Kathy Thomson
Shackelford County senior adults (60 and up) are invited to attend the Shackelford County Resource Center’s January senior luncheon to be held on Friday, Jan. 17 at the Youth Center beginning at 11:15 a.m.
Bethel Assembly will be hosting the meal this month, according to program assistant Ragan Riley.
The menu for the January luncheon is barbecue beef and sausage, potato salad, cole slaw, and beans, with a “Happy New Year” theme.
By Kathy Thomson
Several local 4-H students will compete at the district 4-H Food Challenge in San Angelo next Wednesday, Jan. 22.
“I will be taking three teams to the competition,” said Shackelford County agent Kloey Painter. “They will have 40 minutes to cook, prepare their dish, and prepare a presentation for the judges. They have been practicing for several months.”
The junior team members are Charli Trail, Hattie Braly, and Tara Cauble.
One intermediate aged team is made up of Mimi Ivy, Sidney Russell, and Landon Kreitler.
The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $37,143 from the state this January. The amount is down 28.52 percent from the $51,963 payment received in January of 2019.
The city of Moran will receive a net payment of $1,444 this period for a 2.09 percent decrease from the $1,475 received in January 2019.
Cities, counties, transit systems and special purpose taxing districts will receive $763.8 million in local sales tax allocations for January, four percent more than in January 2019. These allocations are based on sales made in November.
The deadline to signup boys and girls for Little Dribblers basketball is next Wednesday, Jan. 22, and parents of children who are interested in playing this year need to turn in their paperwork soon.
The league is open to local youth from eight years of age (as of Jan. 1) to those currently in fourth grade.
Parents should complete, sign, and return the registration form along with the $30 entry fee to either the elementary office or to organizer Clint Chapman by Wednesday, Jan. 22.
By Kathy Thomson
School holidays, stock shows, cheer tryouts, and basketball games are all scheduled to take place over the next few weeks.
Friday, Jan. 17 is an optional/required fifth day for Moran students.
On Monday, Jan. 20 the Moran Independent School District will be closed in observance of Martin Luther King Day.
Another optional/required fifth day will take place on Friday, Feb. 14, followed by a school holiday for Presidents’ Day on Monday Feb. 17.
SCYLA Stock Show
By Melinda L. Lucas
Rodney Alexander, Albany’s mayor for the past five years, suffered what is believed to be a brain aneurysm last week and died less than 24 hours later in a Dallas hospital.
Alexander, 51, collapsed at his home late Monday night, Dec. 30 and was transported by ambulance to Abilene, then care-flighted to UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas.
According to his son, Cody Alexander, the family opted not to request an autopsy, but doctors thought that an aneurysm was probably the cause of death.
