By Jillian Lucas

A team of 12 from First Baptist Church is set to head to Del Rio Sunday morning, June 27, to help with a construction project.

The group has traveled to this same area roughly half a dozen times to help work on various buildings and churches in several surrounding locations, according to team member Kyle Viertel.

“We will actually be staying at a mission site that we helped work on several years ago,” said Viertel. “This was a house that was donated to be used to help provide  housing for mission groups.” 

By Sidney Bartee

The First Baptist Church of Albany is offering multiple summer programs for students, including a large group of youth that will be gone next week for a five-day camp.

Latham Springs

On Monday, June 28, 47 students leave to go to Latham Springs teen camp in Aquila, Texas.

Participants will go on a charter bus and spend the week in study groups, worship, and outdoor activities.

By Jillian Lucas

Parents who need to pre-register their children for Head Start or pre-kindergarten for the 2021-2022 school year are encouraged to start the process.

New and returning Head Start families need to pick up applications at the Nancy Smith Elementary School office and return the forms as quickly as possible.

By Sidney Bartee

The annual summer reading program held at the Shackelford County Library will be ending Monday, June 28.

The final Story Hour of 2021 begins at 10:00 a.m. and ends at 11:00 a.m.

The program has been meeting every Monday throughout the month of June.

Children hear a story, play games, and make crafts related to each story. 

Pre-K children must be accompanied by an adult. Older children may be dropped off but must be picked up promptly at the end of the hour. 

By Sandy Morris

The Old Jail Art Center  will offer virtual student summer workshops each week during the month of August for first through sixth graders.

Camp videos will be posted each morning at 10:00 a.m. and will include step-by-step crafts and activities led by OJAC educators. 

Camp kits including supplies and materials for each day will be mailed to the address provided by the registrant. Kits will include a special password for access to each week’s camp videos. 

By Sidney Bartee

The Old Jail Art Center is hosting a Family Festival “Critter Corral” this Saturday afternoon, with everyone invited to attend the free event and encouraged to visit the other exhibits on display at the museum.

The museum is located one block east of the Courthouse and does not charge admission.

The come-and-go family festival will start at 12:00 p.m. and end at 3:00 p.m.

Museum staff and volunteers will help participants with free crafts, games, refreshments, and music. 

By Jillian Lucas

ResourceCare Summer Day Camp is less than one month away, and sponsorships are still needed to help provide a successful event.

Ragan Riley, one of the camp directors, explained that funding is down this year.

“We still need sponsors and monetary donations,” Riley said. “Other items we could use are spray- on sunscreen and bottled water for those wanting to help with other types of contributions.”

Riley clarified that the food provided at Day Camp is funded through the Summer Food Program grant.

By Jillian Lucas

Pets of all shapes, colors, and sizes are welcome at the annual Fandangle Pet Parade Saturday, June 26  beginning at 10:00 a.m.

The parade will take place at the Bank Park with prizes awarded for Best Dressed, Most Creative, Most Unique Pet, and Best Fandangle Costume.

Pet owners are encouraged to dress pets up in their best wild west attire; however, costumes are not required for entry.

By Sidney Bartee

Special activities continue in Albany throughout Friday and Saturday before the final two performances of the 2021 Fandangle. 

Free activities offered on both June 25 and 26 include a quilt show, tracker organ concert, calliope concert, car museum, movie, longhorns on the Courthouse Square, and exhibits at the Old Jail Art Center. 

The annual Fandangle Pet Parade on Saturday is also free, as is a Family Festival and Critter Corral at the Old Jail Art Center on Saturday. 

Robert Nail Movie

By Melinda L. Lucas

The hiring of several new staff members and acceptance of one resignation came toward the end of the June 21 meeting of the Albany ISD school board.

The trustees also went over the preliminary EOC and STAAR results for 2021 and talked about the spending plan for a federal grant application.

Personnel Changes

Supt. Jonathan Scott reported that he had already offered contracts to three teachers, based on the authority given him by the board at the May meeting.