Members of First Baptist Church and other volunteers plan to start working on a local mission project at 7:00 a.m. this Saturday, Sept. 8. 

The home owned by Tricia and J.R. Reyes was not insured when it caught fire and burned down two months ago. The Reyes have used donated funds to help purchase a much smaller, unfinished, storage building that will be converted into a small, one-bedroom home with the help of the FBC mission team.

“This week we hope to level the building and put in the electricity,” said organizer Lori Schooler. 

Christian recording artist Miriam Webster, who performed during worship services at First Christian Church and First Baptist Church back on May 13, will return to join parishioners at the two local churches again this Sunday, Sept. 9.

“She enjoyed visiting in Albany and she has an open invitation to come back,” said First Christian Church member Don Fitzgibbons, who first met Webster on a tour of the Holy Land led by Messianic Rabbi Jason Sobel. “When she contacted us and said that she had an open date on her calendar and asked if she could come visit, we said, ‘Of course’.”

Amy Folsom (c) snips the ceremonial banner during a formal ribbon cutting at the new Stitch Niche business at the corner of Baird and Rose Streets. Several local Chamber of Commerce representatives were on hand for the event held on Friday, Aug. 24.

Parents of boys and girls at Nancy Smith Elementary only have one more day to sign their children up to participate in the Albany NFL Flag Football league before tomorrow’s registration deadline.

Registration

The forms were sent home with students, and parents need to fill out the registration form and return it to the front desk of NSES by Friday, Sept. 7 along with the participation fee of $60 per child. 

“The fee covers insurance, shorts, jerseys, belts, field maintenance, refs, and trophies,” said league organizer Anthony Ceder.

Pick-up dates for the September distribution of the commodity food program are Sept. 6 and Sept. 7.

Thursday, Sept. 6, 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 September food distribution program can pick up their commodity food Friday, Sept. 7, at the rear door of the Justice of the Peace office (former county jail) from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. 

Albany sisters Lexie and Molly Lee both graduated from Texas Tech University during ceremonies held in Lubbock last month.

Lexie earned a bachelor of science from Tech’s College of Agriculture with an agribusiness and applied economics degree, as well as a bachelor of arts in general business from Rawls College of Business.

Molly graduated Magna Cum Laude with a BS in human sciences with concentrations in Addictive Disorders & Recovery Studies and Human Development & Family Studies.

Pickup trucks were parked in front of every door of the Hereford Motel last Saturday night, most of them undoubtedly owned by some of the many dove hunters that flocked to Shackelford County for the opening weekend of dove season, normally the best bird hunting time of the year. 

The hunters were here, right on schedule, and provided their typical boost to the local economy, according to business owners.

“It was great, and we were busy,” said Prairie Star owner Treca Edington. “There were a lot of folks in town. We were very pleased!”

The annual “Dollars for Bob’s Scholarships” fundraising drive gets underway in a couple of weeks.

Sponsored by the Albany Ex-Students Association, the campaign traditionally starts the week of Robert Nail’s birth date, Sept. 13. This is the 51st anniversary of the first scholarship.

Although the annual goal is always set at a minimum of $1,000, fundraising efforts will hopefully bring more in donations.

With interest rates continuing to be low, and the awards made only from the earnings, contributions are more important now than ever, according to Lucas.

Eight members of the Houston Grand Opera Studio sing the Star Spangled Banner to open the 2018 football season at Nail Stadium last Friday night. The group was in town for an annual retreat at Stasney’s Cook Ranch.

By Donnie A. Lucas

For just the second time in 11 years, the Lions lost a home game at Robert Nail Stadium, falling Friday to the Colorado City Wolves in the season opener for both teams.

The visiting Wolves posted a 32-13 win over the Lions with the help of four Albany turnovers, but coach Denney Faith said he saw bright spots in the game and reminded his team that there is still a long season that lies ahead.

“You never want to start a season with a loss, but we saw some good things,” Faith said.