Children are invited to dress up in costumes late Saturday afternoon and head to the elementary school for the Ministerial Alliance sponsored Trunk or Treat, taking place between the school and the bus barn, from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. on Oct. 27.

Members of various churches of the Alliance along with other volunteers from the community decorate their vehicles and bring games and/or treats to share with attendees, offering a safe place for the tykes to go trick or treating. 

Games of skill and chance, homemade cakes and assorted other scrumptious desserts, freshly prepared chili and beans, prizes, and children and adults dressed up as characters from video games, heroes, mermaids, animals, and clowns are all expected to be on hand for the annual Parent-Teacher Organization’s Fall Fest held at the Nancy Smith Elementary School campus on Saturday, Oct. 27.

Shackelford County commissioners met for about 30 minutes Monday morning, okaying several budget adjustments so county treasurer Tammy Brown could begin to close out the fiscal year, which ended Sept. 30.

She stated that there were only a couple of areas that couldn’t be adjusted within that department’s budget.

Not enough was budgeted for utilities at the county library, Brown said, with the overage taken from the non-departmental budget.

Early voting for the Nov. 6 general election is underway in Shackelford County and continues through Nov. 2, with 110 people casting their ballots in person on Monday, another 95 voting Tuesday, and 71 mail-in ballots returned by Tuesday, according to election clerk Cheri Hawkins.

Early in-person voting takes place on the first floor of the Shackelford County Courthouse from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Monday through Thursday, and from 8:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon and 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. on Friday. 

Youth from Beltway East will be involved in a somewhat unusual Halloween pastime next Wednesday, Oct. 31.

“The students will be reverse trick or treating,” said organizer Lorna Ayers. “They will give bags of treats to homes, and will offer a prayer of blessing to each household they go to.”

Ayers explained that the youth group’s goal is to bless the community.

All 4-H and FFA youth who plan to exhibit lambs and goats this show season need to get them validated on Monday, Oct. 29.

Validation will be done at the Albany High ag farm during school hours on Monday, and at the Shackelford County Show Barn from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. on the evening of Oct. 29.

Swine exhibitors who still need to purchase pig tags must turn in their orders to FFA advisor Chris Beard by Oct. 31.

Pig validation tags are $18 each.

“If you need tags, please let me know ASAP,” said Beard.

Next Wednesday, Oct. 31 is Science Day at Nancy Smith Elementary School, and pre-K through sixth grades will take turns spending part of the day in the lab with science teacher Leslie Neve.

“The sixth grade leadership team will assist during the day,” she said. “Each class will have a demonstration similar to a magician street show, with some audience participation.” 

The series of demonstrations will show some fun and unusual things that can be explained by science.

Join friends and fellow Albany Lion fans in the parking lot of the Old Jail Art Center Friday, Oct. 26, from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m. for the museum’s annual taco tailgate party. 

“Meet in the museum parking lot at 6:00 p.m. for tacos and tunes before the Albany home game,” said the museum’s membership and development coordinator Susan Montgomery. “Bring the whole family to have a great time before the Albany football game. Activities will include a raffle, piñata, and fun crafts for the kids!”

The biographical crime film Bonnie and Clyde, will be shown at the Aztec Theater this Saturday, Oct. 27, as part of the Aztec Reel Deal movie series for season ticket holders, or for $6 per ticket, including free water and popcorn, for those that prefer to pick and choose which movies to attend.

The Arthur Penn directed movie stars Warren Beatty and Faye Dunaway as the gangster duo Clyde Barrow and Bonnie Parker.

Quail hunting season begins across the entire state of Texas this Saturday, Oct. 27, and although bird numbers are down significantly compared to the last two years, hunters are still expected to come to Shackelford County and flush out an enjoyable hunting experience.  

“Quail numbers are down, but there are definitely some birds around,” said game warden Jacob Mort. “If I were to put it on a scale of one to 10, I’d put it at a three about now.”