By Kathy Thomson

With the fall stock show season already underway, Shackelford County 4-H, Albany FFA, and Moran FFA students have a workday scheduled this Saturday, Sept. 7, starting at 8:00 a.m. to prepare the local show barn for upcoming events.

The Shackelford County Youth and Livestock show barn, located at 8470 US Highway 283 North, just outside of the Albany city limits, needs to be ready to welcome visitors and around 100 show pigs prospects at the facility’s first event of the year next weekend. 

The Hendrick Regional Blood Center bloodmobile will be at First Baptist Church on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. 

Hendrick Regional Blood Center supplies all of the blood and blood products used for patient care at 17 area hospitals.

Blood center employees urge community members to donate blood to help ensure that patients in the hospitals they serve have a supply of blood ready and waiting before an emergency occurs.

Donors will receive a T-shirt. Those with questions can call 325-670-2880. 

Students in the early pre-K group at Stepping Stones Christian School take a break from their studies on their first day of class Tuesday, Sept. 3 in favor of a little outside time. The local private school accepts preschool children from three to five years of age.

By Kathy Thomson

Area churches will once again host the successful and popular after-game fellowships following each of the Albany Lions’ home football games for 2019.

The first “Fifth Quarter” event of the season will be held Friday, Sept. 6 at The Feed Store and will be hosted by Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church and Trinity Lutheran Church.

Chick-fil-A nuggets, chips, water, and cookies will be served at tomorrow’s event, according to MMPC pastor’s assistant Sandy Ingalls.

By Kathy Thomson

Shackelford County has had its share of wildfires in the last week, with local volunteers called out to fight several good-sized pasture fires, including two in the same night.

Last week, the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) cautioned all Texans to use caution outdoors because of the “exceptional” drought conditions. 

Shackelford County, along with most of the Big Country, remains under a burn bun.

Citizens in Moran have several events that will take place over the next two weeks, including a commodity distribution, city-wide garage sale, fireman’s Fill the Boot fundraiser, and a children’s paint party.

Commodities are available Sept. 5 at Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon for those who are certified.

The city-wide garage sale takes place this Saturday, Sept. 7.

Participation is free, and sale sites should be turned in to organizer Michelle Taggart at 325-513-5398 before 10:00 a.m. on Sept. 6.

By Kathy Thomson

Only a handful of slots remained available for the Albany Golf Club’s annual Labor Day tournament as of Monday, and those who still want to enter should call as soon as possible to see if any tee times are still open.

“We only have four afternoon spots left,” club president Randy Walker said Monday afternoon. “All of the morning tee times have been taken, and all of the rental golf carts have been claimed.”

The event is held at the Albany Golf Course. 

By Kathy Thomson

Moran residents still have a week to contact organizer Michelle Taggart and sign up to include their location in the annual Moran city-wide garage sale.

The sale will start at 8:00 a.m. on Saturday, Sept. 7, but participating sites should be turned in to Taggart by 10:00 a.m. next Friday, Sept. 6. 

“This will give me time to get maps and lists printed,” she said. “If you are interested in getting on the list, please let me know. As always, there is no cost to join.”

To register a sale, contact Taggart at 325-513-5398.

By Kathy Thomson

Moran Independent School District earned a rating of “C” from the Texas Education Agency, with an overall score of 79 out of 100.

Because Moran is a small district, 2019 is the first year that it was awarded a letter grade instead of the previously used “Met Standard” or “Improvement Required” categories.

Moran’s Accountability Ratings this year were Overall “C” (79), Student Achievement “C” (78), School Progress “B” (80), and Closing the Gaps “C” (76). 

By Kathy Thomson

With the annual campaign to raise funds for local organizations starting in October, board members of the Albany Chest will meet soon to organize the 2019 fundraising drive and elect new directors.

The meeting is set for Wednesday, Sept. 4 at 5:15 p.m. at The Feed Store.

“We will be accepting nominations for positions on the board,” said chairman Amy Kelly. 

Four of the 12 director positions come up for election each year, and Chest by-laws allow directors to serve two terms before they cycle off.