Newly elected county judge Robert Skelton accepted the 2019 Texas Courthouse Stewardship Award from representatives of the Texas Historical Commission (THC) at the 2019 Real Places Heritage Tourism and Historic Preservation conference in Austin last Friday on behalf of Shackelford County.

Sharon Fleming, the director of the THC Courthouse Preservation Program, and Leslie Midgley, executive vice president and CEO of Texas Land Title Association, which sponsored the award, presented Skelton with Shackelford County’s award plaque and $1,000 check.

Veteran Fandangle performer and supporter Lanham Martin was recently elected as president of the Fort Griffin Fandangle board of directors and is already working to increase involvement both on the stage and in the stands.

Martin was one of several officers elected at a regular board meeting earlier this month.

Cody Leech is serving as vice president, Cori Bezner as treasurer, and Lauren Willen as secretary.

After an Albany fugitive was spotted in the community several times over the weekend, Shackelford County law enforcement put a notice on social media Monday to try and apprehend him.

Andrew (Andy) Haw-kins has been “on the run” since a warrant was issued for his arrest in July 2018, according to Shackelford County sheriff Ed Miller.

Charges were reportedly filed on Hawkins in May 2018 in an Albany Police Department case, and he was formally indicted by a grand jury in August, said Miller.

Lereatha Clay, chair of the Friends of the Texas Historical Commission Board of Trustees, presented the 2019 Friends Alliance Award for Stewardship to the local nonprofit Friends of Fort Griffin State Historic Site at the 2019 Real Places Heritage Tourism & Historic Preservation Conference Opening Reception in Austin on Wednesday, Jan. 16.

The first week of the month long filing period for local board elections ended yesterday, and a total of five candidates have already filed for spots on the May 4 ballot. 

There is not a fee to run for the local offices, but prospective candidates must file by 5:00 p.m. on Feb. 15 to have their names listed on the ballot.

Albany City Council

Joe Tidwell and Carolyn Waller hold the two at large city council seats that are up for election in 2019. The office of mayor, currently held by Rodney Alexander, will also be up for vote this election cycle.

With just a week left before the official deadline, a large percentage of the county-wide taxes have yet to be collected, according to figures received Tuesday from the central appraisal district (CAD) office.

Taxes assessed during 2018 are officially due next week, on Thursday, Jan. 31, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder. 

Just a little over 24 percent of the total levy had been collected by the end of the year, but a number of payments have been received since then, and Snyder expects to be very busy for the next week. 

Fifteen Albany High School students will travel to Haskell this Saturday, Jan. 26 for the annual Haskell UIL Pow Wow, an academic practice meet. 

“We have 15 students entered in 13 different contests for a total of 38 individual entries,” said Rick Davis, UIL coordinator. “Several of them are doing multiple events.”

This year the student numbers are down significantly from the 37 that competed last year, but still 50 percent greater than the 10 entered in 2017.

The members of the Albany Ministerial Alliance will not host a chili luncheon this year.

In past years, the chili lunch was prepared by members of the Ministerial Alliance, and the community was invited to the fundraising meal. The proceeds raised were donated to ResourceCare for community outreach programs.

“The last few years we have had such poor attendance at the meal that we decided to just submit a donation to ResourceCare instead,” said Alliance secretary Tisha Wilkins. “We tried to make the donation about the same amount as what we raised with the chili lunch.”

Pick-up dates for the February distribution of the commodity food program are Jan. 31 and Feb. 1.

On Thursday, Jan. 31, certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

Albany families who have been certified eligible for the February food distribution program can pick up their commodity food Friday, Feb. 1, at the rear door of the JP office (the former county jail) from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. 

Kyle Viertel, who along with his son Mackenzie is a worship leader at First Baptist Church, has invited locals of all faiths to a Worship Night at FBC from 6:45 to 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 30.

“Everyone in the community is invited,” said Viertel. “We intend to do this the last Wednesday of every month.”

Kyle and Mackenzie Viertel are members of the FBC Praise Band and lead the youth worship on Wednesday nights, typically playing three or four songs.