By Melinda L. Lucas Even amid the lingering COVID-19 pandemic and concerns about the effect of Winter Storm Uri, hunters are still gearing up for the fall hunting season, which is happening “no matter what.”  Opening day of dove hunting in Texas is Wednesday, Sept.

By Sam Waller Season tickets for Albany Lions football games are on sale for the 2021 season. The Lions have five home games scheduled at Robert Nail Memorial Stadium, starting Sept. 17 against Haskell. That will be the first of three consecutive home dates, followed by Anson on Sept.

Photo packages that were ordered of high school football and volleyball players, as well as all levels of cheerleaders, are printed and ready for pickup at The Albany News.

By Sam Waller Registration is underway for the Albany Chamber of Commerce annual garage sale, which is scheduled for Sept. 11. “We are getting people signed up,” Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones said.

By Melinda L. Lucas In addition to upcoming youth and children’s activities signaling the start of the school year, a couple of events are being planned for local women in the next couple of weeks, one of them a single-night “encouragement” program and the other an in-depth weekly Bible study.

By Donnie A. Lucas The first weekly luncheon provided by The Feed Store to juniors and seniors was served on Tuesday to a total of 48 students. Feed Store executive director Tisha Wilkins was pleased with the number of students who attended. “We had a great turnout,” she said.

By Donnie A. Lucas Albany ISD picked up a few new students since the first day of classes on Aug. 18, reporting a total enrollment of 508 on Monday of this week. “Our enrollment is slightly more than it was last year at this time,” superintendent Jonathan Scott said.

By Melinda L. Lucas A special meeting to adopt the 2021-2022 budget and tax rate for the Albany Independent School District is set for 7:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 31, the last day that the budget can be adopted, according to state law.

By Melinda L. Lucas With the annual campaign to raise funds for local organizations starting in October, board members of the Albany Chest will meet next week to organize the 2021 fundraising drive and elect new directors. The meeting is set for Wednesday, Sept. 1 at 5:15 p.m. at The Feed Store.

By Sam Waller The burn ban enacted earlier this month by Shackelford County commissioners has not changed despite last week’s rainfall, according to county judge Robert Skelton. Commissioners enacted the 45-day ban at their Aug. 16 meeting as the August heat increased potential for wildfires.