By Melinda L. Lucas 

The two longest discussions at Monday’s city council session came during the citizens forum portion of the meeting, and although there was no action taken on either subject, council members expressed solid viewpoints on wearing face masks and also about the possibility of selling the youth center building to ResourceCare.

The council will meet again on Tuesday, Aug. 18 at 10:00 a.m. They expect to propose a tax rate at that meeting.

Face Mask Feelings 

By Lynsi Musselman

Albany Golf Club will host a Labor Day Golf Tournament on Sept. 5 and 6.

The tournament is a two-person scramble format with an entry fee of $160 per team.

The entry fee includes one mulligan per person each day and a meal on Saturday night.

There is a morning tee time on Saturday at 8:30 a.m. and another later in the day at 1:30 p.m.

Teams will be flighted after Saturday’s rounds.

By Lynsi Musselman

Across the state of Texas, exhibitors are getting ready for stock show season 2020.

Albany High School agriculture teacher Chris Beard said entry deadlines are coming up for all the major fall stock shows including the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in Abilene that will be Sept. 10-19, where Albany students will exhibit steers, heifers, goats, lambs, and pigs.

The junior livestock show entry deadline for Abilene is today, Aug. 13.

By Lynsi Musselman

The 2020-2021 school year is underway for Moran ISD teachers and administrators.

Staff development days started on Monday and will continue through Friday, Aug. 14, and again next week, Aug. 17-21.

MISD superintendent Danny Freeman said that school personnel are getting training, preparing lesson plans, and getting classrooms ready for students to arrive on Monday, Aug. 24.

By Donnie A. Lucas

With only one new positive case of the COVID-19 coronavirus reported over the last week, local officials are pleased that the county infection rate has again slowed.

According to a report on Tuesday from the Texas Department of State Health Services, only one new positive case was reported last week, bringing the total number of confirmed to 17 since the pandemic reached the area in March.

The total number of tests administered to county residents was reported as a total of 104.

By Lynsi Musselman

Families and students are anxiously awaiting the first day of school, while staff and administrators are preparing to welcome students back to school either in person or in a virtual classroom.

Registration

Whether they plan to attend physically or remotely, students at both campuses need to be registered for the 2020-2021 school year using the new online -ASCENDER system.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Six more benches have been placed in Albany’s downtown block this week as part of a local graduate’s “Roots and Rest” project, and there are plans to add more in the future.

Seth Hale, a 2020 Albany High School senior, has been working on the venture for over a year, following his selection in May 2019 as one of 10 Ford Leadership Scholars through the Texas FFA.

The City of Albany will test the emergency warning siren at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, Aug. 12, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.

The tests keep citizens familiar with the three warning sounds, and they are also used to make sure that the siren, computer, software, and radios are working correctly.

The siren should sound one of the three emergency tones at noon on that day, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable, according to local fire chief Kyle Tischler. 

SEVERE WEATHER

Bios of new staff members, along with faculty assignments and school supply lists, are included in the special back-to-school section in this week’s issue.

There are also articles about precautions being taken in light of the pandemic, a new registration program, and vaccination requirements.

See Section C for details.

By Lynsi Musselman

Old Jail Art Center’s virtual camps started this week, with another workshop scheduled for next week.

OJAC education director Erin Whitmore said the Cultural Connections Camp had a great enrollment with several campers from out-of-town and around the state.

There are three spots available for the Things on Strings and Tonkawa Camp next week.