Tuba players (l-r) Lathin Brownlee, Marcus Valfre, and Joe Angel Alcaraz help get the crowd going during a close Lion season opener against Lubbock Trinity Christian last Friday.

By Melinda L. LucasAlbany ISD students and staff get a day off for the first holiday of the 2023-2024 school year on Monday, Sept. 4 in observance of Labor Day.Classes will resume as scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 5 at the normal time of 7:55 a.m. for Nancy Smith Elementary and 8:00 a.m. at Albany...

By Donnie A. LucasDirectors of the Shackelford County Appraisal District (SCAD) have set a public hearing for the proposed 2024 budget on Thursday, Sept. 14 at 7:30 a.m.Following the hearing, the board of directors is expected to adopt the 2024 budget for next year, which tallies $468,469 in...

The Albany Chest board will meet at 5:15 p.m. Sept. 13 to organize the 2023 fund-raising campaign, nominate and elect new directors, and choose officers for the upcoming year.Application forms are available at First Financial Bank, First National Bank, and The Albany News.

By Sam WallerAbout 10 openings – all afternoon tee times – remain for the Albany Golf Club’s annual Labor Day Golf Tournament as of Tuesday, Aug. 29.The two-person scramble is scheduled for Saturday-Sunday, Sept. 2-3 at Albany Golf Course.Entry fee is $200 per team and includes one mulligan per...

By Sam WallerMoran ISD superintendent Dr. John Denson was selected recently to receive the Honorary American FFA Degree.“I’m very honored to be nominated for it and to receive it,” Denson said.The award is given to those who advance agricultural education and FFA through outstanding personal...

By Donnie A. LucasTicket holders for the fifth annual CareFest concert set for Saturday will get an extra dose of stage time from headliners Pat Green and Kevin Fowler after another country artist had to pull out of the event late last week.Seven performers were originally slated to take the stage;...

By Donnie A. LucasAlbany ISD has registered just under 500 students for the 2023-24 school year, showing a small decrease in enrollment for the first time in several years.As of Monday, Aug. 21, the district is reporting a total of 493 students, compared to 502 students at the same point last...

By Melinda L. LucasAlbany’s city council met in special session on Monday night, Aug. 21 to propose a tax rate, electing to go with the “No New Revenue” (NNR) rate of 56.39 cents.The NNR rate is calculated to produce the same amount of taxes if applied to the same properties taxed the previous...

By Melinda L. LucasA special meeting to adopt the 2023-2024 budget and tax rate for the Albany Independent School District is set for 8:00 a.m. on Thursday, Aug. 31, the last day that the budget can be approved according to state law.Expenditures for the upcoming school year are projected to be...