By Sam Waller

The First Baptist Church youth group is planning a bake sale Saturday, April 23, at the Bank Park.

The sale will begin at 9:00 a.m. and last until all items are sold.

FBC youth minister Eduardo San Lucas said purchases will be made by donation with no set prices for items.

“We’ll take whatever people want to give out of their hearts and out of their pockets,” San Lucas said. “We’ll have cakes and cookies and items like that.”

Proceeds will help fund attendance at summer camp for FBC youth.

Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) members will gather Monday evening for a happy hour in the Buffalo Room at the Ice House in Abilene with drinks and table fare courtesy of sponsors Shiner Beer and First Financial Trust.

According to association member Tamara Trail, the event coincides with the return of TWA’s coveted QuailMasters program, a series of intensive, hands-on training sessions designed to expose participants to the best quail habitat in the state of Texas and make them “masters” of the art and science of quail management.

By Sam Waller

Albany FFA was recognized with the Golden Horizon and National Chapter awards on Wednesday, April 13, at the Big Country District and Area 4 FFA contests at Tarleton State University in Stephenville.

By Donnie A. Lucas

No new cases of ­COVID-19 were recorded at the three Albany testing sites last week, marking the second time recently that no new positive test results were reported.

No new cases were documented for the week of March 28 through April 1 for the first time in several months.

Only four tests were administered during the period of April 11-15, according to a report issued by county judge Bob Skelton.

Only one positive case was reported locally the prior week out of five tests administered.

By Sam Waller

The Shackelford Youth Livestock Association added three new board members at its meeting last week in addition to reelecting all officers.

Association president Bronco Askew said Charlie Price, Lee Burton, and Chris Edgar were added to the board at the meeting held April 12 at the high school ag classroom.

“There are several things we’ve been needing to do at the show barn, and we just have to do them gradually,” said Askew.

The SCYLA also announced its memorial scholarship recipients and recognized this year’s Top Hand winner.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Tickets are on sale for the Radney Foster concert set for Friday, April 29 at the Aztec Theater, with seats still available.

The performance is sponsored by Albany Live, a nonprofit organized last year to bring live musical events to Albany. Foster’s show is the fourth in an ongoing singer/songwriter series that will continue monthly through July.

“We have sold about half of our tickets, so there are plenty available,” Trey ­Davis said Monday. “People can still buy tickets on the website, and any that are left will be sold at the door.”

By Donnie A. Lucas

In-person early voting for the May 7 constitutional amendment election and the Shackelford County Hospital District trustee election begins on Monday, April 25.

Next Tuesday, April 26, is also the deadline for requests for mail ballots to be received in the clerk’s office.

In-person early voting will continue through Tuesday, May 3 at the county courthouse.

Applications to request a ballot by mail can be found on the Shackelford County website at www.shackelfordcounty.org.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Anyone who would like to add a veteran’s name to the Shackelford County veterans memorial marker is asked to contact Mary Kay O’Connor at 325-660-2498 by Monday, May 5.

O’Connor hopes to have any new names engraved on the marker in time for Memorial Day on May 30.

Proof of military service is required.

The cost of engraving each name is currently $95, but there may be funding available if money is preventing someone from adding a name to the marker, according to O’Connor.

By Melinda L. Lucas

After meeting in closed session, Albany ISD trustees hired a new IT director and renewed all staff contracts at the end of the regular meeting on Monday, April 18.

Matthew Howard was hired on a 6-0 vote to fill the vacancy left when Dan Key resigned several weeks ago as the district’s technology director. He was the top finalist of the 10 applicants and is expected to start full-time in June.

Howard has been IT director for Winters ISD since 2018.

Contract Renewals

By Donnie A. Lucas

Thanks in part to perfect spring weather, spectators and vintage car and truck owners came out in droves to downtown Albany last Saturday for the 15th annual Albany Classic Car Show.

Organizer Robert Snyder reported that 90 vehicles were entered in the show, up considerably over the numbers from the last couple of years that were held down by COVID-19 and the weather.