July 12, 1950 - September 12, 2025
Kathy Hobbs, 75, of Albany, Texas, passed away September 12th, 2025 at Hendrick Medical Center surrounded by her loving family.
A celebration of life will be held at 11 am Friday September 19th, at Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church, 211 South Jacobs Street in Albany Texas. A reception will follow the service in the church fellowship hall.
By Melinda L. Lucas
Three weeks after the Albany City Council declined to adopt a “Sanctuary City for the Unborn” ordinance, the city is facing renewed attention because of a sweeping public records request filed by Tammy Fogle, a non-resident who, along with Mark Lee Dickson of Longview, has played a large role to try to get the ordinance passed locally.
Shackelford County commissioners adopted a balanced budget for the 2026 fiscal year during their regular meeting Monday morning, approving the plan by unanimous vote.
The adopted budget totals $5,126,554 and includes funding for an additional deputy clerk in the elections office. County Judge John Viertel and all four commissioners—Steve Riley (Pct. 1), Ace Reames (Pct. 2), Lanham Martin (Pct. 3), and Cody Jordan (Pct. 4)—voted in favor.
A towering steel cowboy sculpture created in Albany will soon take its place along U.S. Highway 180 in Breckenridge, welcoming travelers into town with a bold display of local pride.
The 36-foot-tall sculpture of a cowboy on a bucking horse was built by Albany-based sculptor Joe Barrington. Though crafted in Shackelford County, the statue is not staying local— it was commissioned by a private Breckenridge citizen and will be installed just outside that city as a new visual landmark.
