More than 100 Shackelford County youth showcased their livestock projects last week as the 2026 Shackelford County Livestock Show concluded with a solid premium sale and add-on contributions still coming in.

What began as a crowded local leaderboard ended with a single winner after the final whistle of the College Football Playoff National Championship Game.Five participants finished the bracket challenge tied after the first round, quarterfinals and semifinal games.

Albany ISD will decide next month whether to call a $26 million school bond election, following months of work by the district’s Long Range Facility Planning Committee, which members say has revealed that the district’s facilities are no longer safe, functional, or financially sustainable.

The 2026 Shackelford County Livestock Show is set for Thursday-Saturday, Jan. 15-17, at the county show barn.

Closet Angels Ministry, a longtime Albany outreach effort that has quietly met some of the community’s most basic needs for the past 15 years, is beginning a new chapter as leaders seek a temporary home and launch a campaign to purchase a permanent facility.

Shackelford County Commissioners Court met Monday, Jan. 12, approving new traffic restrictions in the Hamby area and continuing discussion on safety concerns at a busy highway intersection.

When Gary and Emily Hughes lost their son Kolby in October, they began looking for a way to honor his memory in a meaningful way. The local couple decided that effort should focus on supporting the Albany Volunteer Fire Department, where Gary Hughes now serves as a volunteer.

Albany senior Tristan Howe was named the 2025 Big Country Blitz Class 2A Division II Defensive MVP after a dominant season in the trenches for the Lions.

The 2025-2026 general deer season officially closed Sunday, January 4, and local game warden Jake Mort says Shackelford County hunters wrapped up an above-average year in both numbers and quality.“Across the board, I think it was an above-average season,” Mort said.

The Albany Mainstreet Playhouse will bring back a familiar favorite next month with its production of God’s Favorite, a comedy by Neil Simon inspired by the biblical story of Job, with performances scheduled for February 6, 7 and 8.