Several members of First Baptist Church recently returned from mission trips in early July. A group of 13 church members departed Sunday, June 30 for an annual trip to Del Rio, while the mother-son duo of Brandi and Landon Balliew joined a group from Abilene’s Pioneer Drive Baptist Church to spend July 1-7 in Guatemala.

The two new band directors for the Ragin’ Red Band have been preparing this week for summer rehearsals that will start on Monday, July 22 with the percussion and front ensemble or pit sections. Full band rehearsals will start the following week on Monday, July 29 to prepare for the 2024 marching season.

Albanyresidentsshould again note that there is a new time for the next blood drive, which is set for 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Both teams of local FCCLA students who advanced to the National Leadership Conference in Seattle placed in the top 10 in the nation and made it to the stage for the awards program in separate events. The two groups of students advanced to the conference after placing in the top 15 teams across the nation in a pair of video online contests.

East parking lot of Courthouse to be closed during work With a short agenda and only one action item on the July 8 agenda, ShackelfordCountycommissioners welcomed several guests to discuss arequestfromtheAlamo Letter Society to place a plaqueintheShackelford County Courthouse or on the grounds. The goal of theAlamo Letter Society is to place bronze plaques of the famous Alamo “Victory or Death” letter by Col.

Albany FFA had to dodge Hurricane Beryl, but the chapter brought home numerous awards from the 96th Texas FFA State Convention. The convention was held Monday-Friday, July 8-12 in Houston.

Albany’s Alli McDaniel has long desired to become a doctor, aspiring to become a surgeon. McDaniel got a look at what it will take to achieve that goal last month when she attended the Congress ofFutureMedicalLeaders, held June 26-28 at the University of Massachusetts in Lowell, Massachusetts.

ShackelfordCounty4-H member Madailein Beard placed second in the Senior Horse Division of the District 7 record book contest. Judging was conducted earlier this month in San Angelo with results announced last week.

The 86th anniversary version of the Ft. Griffin Fandangle is now history.

readers and advertisers are reminded that no newspaper will be published, either in print or online, during the week of July 8. “We will not have a July 11 issue,” said News editor MelindaLucas.“Hopefully, that won’t be an inconvenience.” Albany print and all online subscribers should get their papers a day earlier this week, with the July 4 issue distributed Wednesday because of the holiday.