The Albany Masonic Lodge held a special ceremony on Saturday, November 15, to honor longtime member Sammy Joe Rippey for 50 years of service in Freemasonry. Family and local lodge members gathered at the Albany Lodge to celebrate the milestone. Rippey’s wife, Barbara, was also in attendance.

Love the Lord with all your heart! Jesus tells us in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” Jesus also tells us in John 15:13, “Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends.”

Jesus and His love always forgives, and is patient, thoughtful, never gets angry and is kind even to one’s enemies. That is why Jesus laid His life down for you and me!

Albany Junior High theater students delivered a strong showing at the 2025 UIL district one-act play contest on Nov. 13 with their performance of The Book of Dog by Jiggs Burgess.

The production earned Best Performer for Parker Rose, Honorable Mention All-Star Cast for Patton Smith, and the Tech Award for sound technician Iathan Torres.

Director Nickie Leveridge, in her first year leading the junior high program alongside Kay Leigh Oliver, praised the students for their commitment and rapid growth.

Albany athlete Hunter Waddell brought home a gold medal after competing in the 2025 Special Olympics Area 14 Bowling Competition in San Angelo.

The event, held November 14-15 at Stadium Lanes in San Angelo, featured teams from across the Area 14 region, including delegations from Abilene, Brownwood and San Angelo. Athletes spent two days competing in multiple divisions.

Waddell competed as part of a four-member team called The Goats. In the championship match, he rolled a solid score of 208 to help secure the gold medal for his team.