By Kathy Thomson

Twenty-nineteen started off cold, with temperatures unwilling to climb above freezing until Jan. 3, but the year ended on a warm note, with unusually mild temperatures the final month and a half.

During the course of the year, the weather was typical for this part of West Texas.

A late freeze surprised early blooming trees in March. 

A gully washer grabbed headlines in April, another storm relocated Polo on the Prairie in May, and a lightning strike started a house fire in July. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

Over a dozen volunteers gathered on Christmas Day to prepare about 100 lunches for local residents during the Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church’s 11th annual Christmas Feast.

Several Christmas meals were served to local residents who came to the church’s fellowship hall, but most were boxed and delivered by church members to the people on the Vittles by Vehicle list.

Take-out plates were provided for other members of the community who called in requests.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Students and staff of Albany Junior-Senior High School and Nancy Smith Elementary School will be back in class on Tuesday, Jan. 7 to start the second semester and the fourth sixth weeks of the 2019-2020 school year. 

Teachers return for a staff development day at 8:30 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 6. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

The board of trustees at the Old Jail Art Center has asked potential donors to consider contributing now, during the museum’s current ongoing Annual Appeal, to double the effect of their generosity.

“The Charles E. Jacobs Foundation recognizes the importance and successes of the OJAC and will match contributions to the Annual Appeal dollar-for-dollar up to $25,000,” said executive director Patrick Kelly. 

The OJAC is continuing its mission of providing art for all, according to Kelly.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany High School junior Carli Edgar brought home a Reserve Grand Champion banner after  showing her middleweight Hampshire pig at the Lone- Star Classic in Abilene before Christmas.

Edgar’s 130-pound market hog, which was also reserve in the Hamp division, was brought to the championship ring after the Hampshire champion was named by the judge as overall Grand Champion.

The Lone- Star  Classic is a jackpot show that draws hundreds of entries from around the state.

By Melinda L. Lucas

As is typical, property tax payments at the Shackelford County Appraisal District accelerated just before the end of the year, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder.

“We are still busy processing and posting the many payments that were mailed in to us at the end of 2019, as well as the electronic transactions through the district’s website,” said Snyder on Monday. “Unfortunately, there is not an accurate way to estimate the collection rate until we finish processing December payments, and close out the month in our collection system.”

By Kathy Thomson

Pick-up dates for the January distribution of the commodity food program are Jan. 9 and 10.

On Thursday, Jan. 9, certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m.

Albany families who have been certified eligible for the January food distribution program can pick up their commodity food Friday, Jan. 10 at the rear door of the JP office (the former county jail) from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

Parents and students alike are reminded of the importance of school attendance due to the Texas Compulsory Attendance Law which mandates that students attend a minimum number of minutes each semester to receive credit for courses taken.

By Melinda L. Lucas

With the help of a “generous” donor and multiple other contributions, the Christmas meal needs of 109 Albany and Moran families were met when the Albany Ministerial Alliance distributed its annual Christmas food baskets on Sunday, Dec. 22.

Alliance secretary Tisha Wilkins said this week that the organization had originally planned for only 60 deliveries because that’s how many applications they had been given on the deadline day.

However, another 49 forms were discovered and turned in on Dec. 17, leaving only a few days to prepare.

During September, on the late Robert Nail’s birth date, and on through the Albany High School homecoming week, support was sought during the annual fundraising drive for “Dollars for Bob’s Scholarships.” 

However, the fundraising effort continues all through the year, and members of the Albany Ex-Students Association are asking Albany graduates and others to rememeber the fund in their end-of-year giving.