By Donnie A. Lucas

The fundraising goal for improvements at the Shackelford County Show Barn has basically been met and work is underway at the facility.

The Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association announced in early May a fundraising effort to raise $200,000 or more to make overdue updates to the 50-year-old structure, but the goal was raised to $300,000 due to the scope of work.

Mike Parsons, who is heading up the fundraising drive, said this week that collections totaled $277,000, with the remainder pledged but not received.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Shackelford County chief appraiser Clayton Snyder reported this week that the Appraisal Review Board upheld values set for the Hackberry Wind Farm during recent protest hearings held at the appraisal district office.

The company filed a lawsuit after the review board upheld values in 2022. The wind farm paid just under half of the 2022 taxes as required by state law, but filed a lawsuit disputing the almost $430,000 still owed for last year.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Registration for all Albany ISD students will open online beginning Wednesday, Aug. 2, with in-person registration also available at the high school campus for all grades on Aug. 2-3.

The district is once again using the Ascender Parent Portal for registration, with a link available on the district website. Parents are instructed to access the “Parents Sources” tab, then look for the Ascender Parent Portal.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Ticket prices for the upcoming CareFest on Aug. 26 will increase next Tuesday, Aug. 1 with only general admission tickets still available.

The fifth annual event will feature headliners Pat Green and Kevin Fowler, along with five other notable artists at the Happy Wife, Happy Life Weddings and Event venue just west of Albany.

“There are only general admission tickets left, which will be going up from $50 to $60 per ticket on Aug. 1,” said co-organizer Ragan Riley. “Prices will also go up for parking and cooler passes from $15 to $20.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

The deadline to register for this year’s annual summer camps for kids at the Old Jail Art Center has officially passed, but there are still a few openings, and OJAC education director Erin Whitmore said that late registration will be accepted on Thursday (today) if those places aren’t already filled.

A session for older kids – Re-Create! – will kick things off Wednesday, Aug. 2, with activities planned for grades 4-6.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners took final action to proceed with removal of equipment on the county communications tower that is either unused or that the county is no longer being compensated for.

After legal counsel John Montgomery looked over the notice of removal, county judge John Viertel recommended action at Monday’s meeting.

“I have sent communication in three different fashions to WesTex Connect with no response, and I feel like they must be using a different tower,” said Viertel. “We will set a date to clean the tower up.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Kraymer Harbold resigned from his seat on the board of the Shackelford County Hospital District at a July 17 meeting, stating that he feels he can serve the community more efficiently as a part-time paramedic, which he is not allowed to do as a board member.

Harbold, who was appointed to a vacant seat in January and later filed for the unexpired term, is a full-time paramedic and firefighter in another community.

By Sam Waller

Spots are still available for the Albany Masonic Lodge Scholarship Tournament. The three-person scramble will be held Saturday, July 29 at Albany Golf Course.

The field is limited to the first 18 paid teams. All proceeds benefit the Albany Masonic Lodge Wisdom Foundation, which awards college scholarships to high school graduates.

Mason John Tate said the lodge presented $6,000 in scholarships to Albany graduates last May, up from $5,000 presented in 2021 and 2022, which was up from $4,000 in 2020.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The Albany City Pool will close for the summer after Sunday, July 30, with normal pool hours until then, according to manager Meg Walser.

Hours are 12:30 to 5:30 pm. through Saturday and 2:00 to 5:00 p.m. Sunday.

The main factor in closing before school starts is availability of lifeguards, most of whom are high school students who will be involved in preseason sports practice next week.

There is just not enough staff to stay open in August, said Walser.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Athletic Booster Club has met its $50,000 fundraising goal to purchase and erect monuments honoring Albany’s three state champion football teams.

Former Booster Club officer Amanda Tabor said an anonymous donation put the fund over the top.

Albany ISD superintendent Jonathan Scott said the work to place the six-foot by six-foot granite monuments outside the entrance to Robert Nail Memorial Stadium will begin soon.

“Our goal is to have the monuments installed by the end of September,” he said, “hopefully sooner.”