The 13th annual Albany Classic Car Show is set to take place on Saturday, April 20, and everyone is invited to come downtown and enjoy the various body styles and polished chrome that reflect memories of yesterdays. 

Members of Shifters Car Club will once again serve as hosts for the show, and they are hopeful that a lot of cars will come as long as the weather is cooperative this year.

Local business owners will have to come up with more money if they don’t file renditions by mid-April, according to Shackelford County chief appraiser Clayton Snyder.

Taxpayers have until Monday, April 15 to file personal property renditions.

Anyone who in the past has paid taxes on personal property in Shackelford County should have received a rendition form and reminder letter earlier this year.

Albany is hosting the District 8-2A high school track meet today, and as of press time, volunteers were still needed to help run the concession stand.

Athletes, coaches, and fans from seven area schools will be here today.

“About 250 athletes are expected to compete, and with these teams will come lots of parents, families, and visitors,” said Athletic Booster Club secretary Tisha Wilkins. “This meet lasts all day, so there are several time slots that need volunteers. We need everyone’s help, even if your child doesn’t participate in track.”

Addison Asher qualified for regional in four journalism events at the University Interscholastic League District 8 Academic Spring Meet held at Hawley High School on Tuesday, March 26, and eight of her peers, including Sidney Bartee who earned first place in Science and also won the Top Biology award, will also advance to regional.

“I am very pleased and proud of our students,” said UIL coordinator Rick Davis. “They did great! We have five students who advanced and/or placed in multiple contests!”

A Monday morning special meeting scheduled for Shackelford County elected officials to travel to Abilene in order to look at a seven-passenger van was spent instead at the Courthouse planning a strategy for a vehicle purchase.

The commissioners hope to find inexpensive transportation for a work crew from the Walker--Sayle Unit in Breckenridge.

Judge Robert Skelton explained that the deal on the van that he had found “fell through” last week.

The City of Albany will test the emergency warning siren at 12:00 noon next Wednesday, April 10, 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. 

SEVERE WEATHER

The local spring turkey hunting season looks promising, according to Stasney’s Cook Ranch wildlife manager Billy Hill.

“There are not quite as many birds as we’ve had the last two years, but there are still an adequate number,” Hill said. “The first morning (of the season) we got three. It should be a good spring.”

Hill added that they do not plan to harvest as many birds as normal on the Stasney.

“We want to make sure to leave enough birds so the population can rebuild,” said the wildlife manager.

Season Dates

Albany High 2018 graduate Reyna Garcia got her first hit as a college softball player just a couple of weeks ago, and it was one that she will probably always remember.

It was not Garcia’s first time at the plate as a member of the War Hawks. The freshman had struck out a couple of times earlier this season and had scored a run back in February after taking four balls from an Austin College pitcher. 

But the hit during the March 15 game with Concordia was special.

“My first hit was for a home run!” Garcia said. “Everyone on my team was really excited.”

Afternoon golf scrambles will start next week on Wednesday, April 3 at the Albany Municipal Golf Course, according to Albany Golf Club representative James Waters. 

“We will start next week, weather permitting,” said Waters, who encouraged participants to be at the course and signed up prior to 5:30 p.m.

Entry fees are $10 for club members and $15 for non-members. 

Reports from concerned citizens to local law enforcement about suspicious people roaming in neighborhoods or on property where they might not belong have risen in recent months, and Shackelford County Sheriff Edward Miller said that quite a few incidents could be prevented if everyone would lock down and password protect their internet WiFi access.

“We are getting a lot of calls about prowlers and loiterers in alleys, streets, and yards,” said Miller. “Many of these encounters turn out to be people with a handheld device or laptop looking for internet access.”