By Melinda L. Lucas

Representatives of local organizations and boards that award scholarships to Albany High School graduates are asked to contact Ann Riley at the AHS office by Monday, March 21 if at all possible.

The office will be closed next week for spring break and will reopen for regular hours on Monday, March 21.

Riley asked that anyone who can’t contact her this week send an email during spring break so she will be able to organize the information when she returns to the office.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Several members of the newly reinstated Albany FCCLA Chapter competed at the Regional Leadership Conference in Waco last week, with all 10 high school and junior high students who attended earning one of the top three places to advance to the state conference in April.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A 4.5-hour meeting of the Shackelford County Hospital District’s board of directors on March 1 was conducted mostly in closed session, but there were a few action items during the evening.

Another meeting on Tuesday of this week was also behind closed doors, as the directors reviewed several applications for the district administrator’s position, which has been vacant since last June. No action was taken at the end of the March 8 session.

Employees Talk

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany city manager Billy Holson reported last week that city employees, along with workers contracted from Raydon Construction, had located the source of a major leak at the municipal water plant after a search that lasted several days.

“A line that supplies all the water to run the plant was leaking underneath the foundation, and the blueprints that we have weren’t accurate in showing us where the line was,” said Holson. “It took us a while to find the source after water started coming through the floor in several places.”

By Donnie A. Lucas

A morning house fire on Kenshalo Street in northeast Albany last Friday completely destroyed the home of a local family and took most of their possessions.

The fire started in the attic and was reported about 9:00 a.m.

“When we arrived, smoke was pouring out of the attic,” Albany VFD Captain Jeff Hill said. “We tried to make entry several different ways, but the smoke prevented us, along lack of trained personnel on the scene.”

Hill said that only four volunteers were able to respond to the call.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Shackelford County Hospital District is the lone entity that drew a contested race among the six county governing bodies, allowing the other five to cancel their May 7 elections.

Seven candidates signed up for three available two-year hospital board terms, including incumbent Myra Hise along with Jason Price, Mary Beth Jones, Kayla Herron, Rochelle Stewart, Kraymer Harbold, and Elizabeth Roysdon.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Just in time for spring sports and other warm weather outdoor activities, Daylight Saving Time (DST) returns this Sunday, March 13, at 2:00 a.m.

Most of the United States officially begins DST every year on the second Sunday in March, and changes back to standard time on the first Sunday in November.

Local residents are reminded to set any manual clocks forward one hour before they go to bed on Saturday night.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A number of vehicles in Albany and the surrounding area have been broken into over the last couple of weeks, with money and personal items taken, according to Shackelford County sheriff Ed Miller.

One vehicle was reported stolen from a local resident on Friday morning, March 4 and was recovered in Abilene the next day.

“One subject was taken into custody and placed into the Taylor County Jail in relation to the stolen vehicle,” the sheriff said.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Another live concert sponsored by Albany Live is set for Saturday at the Aztec Theater when Paul Cauthen comes to town as part of the singer/songwriter series.

Tickets are still available online for the fourth show in the series at the website: www.albanylive.org.

According to board member and organizer Trey Davis, about 200 tickets of the 286 available seats were taken at press time on Tuesday.

Doors at the Aztec will open at 6:30 p.m., with the show scheduled to start at 7:30 p.m.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Families are invited to celebrate the beginning of Spring Break and a traditional Greek holiday this Saturday, March 12 at the Old Jail Art Center.

Even though the weather is expected to be cooler again this weekend, the OJAC will host games and crafts in the Stasney Center.

“Helidonismata Family Festival: A Greek Celebration of Spring,” geared toward children of all ages, will begin at 12:00 noon and end at 3:00 p.m., with docents, junior docents, and other volunteers helping with activities.