Valentine’s Day will soon be history, but local patrons at the Old Jail Art Center still have time to celebrate their love for art this February with four events designed especially for them.  

Hearts For The Arts

Visitors at the Old Jail Art Center this week can express their love for art by leaving a paper heart beside one of their favorite pieces on display at the museum in celebration of international Hearts for the Arts week, Feb. 12-16. 

Shackelford County commissioners had a lengthy discussion during a Feb. 11 regular session about whether to pursue a contract to use Walker Sayle Unit clients to perform local projects, but eventually decided to table the issue.

The cost of providing transportation for the Breckenridge workers was the biggest concern for commissioners, although there were other questions.

Information about 15-passenger vans, cost of insurance, and options for furnishing porta-potties will be brought to the Feb. 25 session.

 Other Business

The USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS) in Texas’ Shackelford and Stephens Counties along with the Lower Clear Fork of the Brazos Soil and Water Conservation District cordially invite the public to attend their FY 2020 Local Working Group (LWG) meeting Feb. 21, at 1:00 p.m.  The meeting will be held at the INTERBANK location in Breckenridge in the front meeting room. 

Family trout-fishing day returns to Fort Griffin State Historic Site from 10:00 a.m to 2:00 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 16, with the park’s pond stocked with rainbow trout. 

“This is the third and final trout-stocking for the winter,” said Mitch Baird, Fort Griffin’s site manager. “The trout won’t live past the warmer months of the year, so we encourage folks to come out and catch their limit of five trout per day.”

A Fort Griffin staff member will provide instruction and assistance for families who attend, with everyone welcome. 

State fishing rules apply.

Multiple Shackelford County emergency units responded after 19-year-old Jordan Carley lost control of her 2002 Chevrolet pickup around 1:35 p.m. Monday in rainy conditions and ended up in the middle of a stock tank off Hwy. 180 a few miles east of Albany.

Carley managed to get out of the truck before it sank and then swam to shore. Other motorists attempted to keep her warm until she was checked out by EMS personnel.

According to sheriff Ed Miller, a rollover had occurred about a mile away a couple of hours earlier.

Albany Independent School District has scheduled a student holiday for Monday, Feb. 18, in honor of Presidents Day. 

Schools at both Albany campuses will release at the normal times on Friday, Feb. 15, and will resume classes at the normal times on Tuesday, Feb. 19, according to superintendent Jonathan Scott.

Presidents Day is not a district holiday, but is scheduled as a staff workday.

Staff can choose to “comp out” that day if they have enough staff development hours built up, according to Scott.

The outside of the new Scout Hut is basically complete, and currently work is focused on the inside of the structure, according to Ricky Lucas, who is doing most of the construction.

“The patio area is still in process, and we are considering putting up a fence on one side,” Lucas said. “We still need to do more ground leveling and haul some gravel before we put in a handicap ramp. However, it is has been too wet to haul stuff.”

Andy Haw-kins, who has been “on the run” since a warrant was issued for his arrest in July 2018, was apprehended Saturday in Moran, according to Shackelford County sheriff Ed Miller.

Chief deputy Johnny Freeman begun pursuit after Hawkins was spotted in Moran, and DPS trooper Chad Overton assisted.

Resisting arrest with a deadly weapon was added to Hawkins’ existing charges, which include attempted murder, assault family violence, evading arrest, interfering with emergency call, and unlawful restraint.

Five Albany ISD trustees met briefly Tuesday morning to formally order  the board election on May 4, 2019 and approve the election schedule.

At least one of the three seats is contested, with the filing period ending Feb. 15.

Liz Walls’ art classes sold, created, and delivered “kisses” for Valentine’s Day.

“This is an annual fundraiser that we do with the seventh and 11th grade art classes to make money for supplies,” said Walls.

Elementary classes will have Valentine’s parties today (Thursday).

Friday, Feb. 15 is the end of the fourth grading period.

Moran ISD will have classes on Presidents Day, Feb. 18. 

The next scheduled holiday is spring break, March 11-15.