By Kathy Thomson For several years, various residents of the Big Country area have traveled to Uganda over spring break on a Christian mission trip, and Albany High School junior Tana Thompson planned to go again this year.

By Melinda L. Lucas Incumbent commissioner Steve Riley kept his seat in Shackelford County’s precinct 1, fending off challenger Bobby Williams in Tuesday’s Republican primary election. Riley garnered 39 percent of the 212 ballots cast in precinct 1, where there are 543 registered voters.

By Kathy Thomson Seats on three local boards will be determined by voters on Election Day, those who cast early ballots, and those who return mail in  ballots for the May 2 races, including one with a list of candidates which was revised again this week.

The City of Albany has scheduled a regular test of the emergency warning siren to take place at 12:00 noon next Wednesday, March 11, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.

By Melinda L. Lucas Albany city council members will conduct a budget hearing at 7:00 p.m. next Monday, March 9, preceding their regular monthly meeting at Albany City Hall. The balanced budget of $2,936,850 was proposed at the Feb.

By Kathy Thomson Fandangle season is fast approaching, with memberships coming in, practices starting in just over a week, a date set for the membership sampler, and tickets to the summer shows already on sale to the general public. Ticket Sales

Albany ISD students, faculty, and staff are scheduled to dismiss for the spring break holiday at 12:00 noon this Friday, March 6. Prior to the break, cheerleader try-outs will be held Friday morning, with local sixth graders bused over to the Albany High School gym for the competition.

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 23. The office will be closed next week for spring break, but will be open again for regular hours on Monday, March 16.

A blood drive is scheduled to take place in Albany Thursday afternoon, March 5. Hendrick Regional Blood Center (formerly Meek Blood Center) will park its bloodmobile at First Baptist Church from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

By Kathy Thomson School schedules typically get crowded once the weather warms up, with spring sports, spring break, exams, UIL meets, and other activities filling the calendar, and that seems to be the case in Moran.