Freshman Sarah Beth Cotter (c) returns the ball during JV action in Eastland on Tuesday. Both local JV teams won their games against the Lady Mavs.

Beverly Rogers, captain of Team Albany, has joined other Big Country residents in the fight to end Alzheimer’s by signing up to participate in the 2018 annual Walk to End Alzheimer’s sponsored by the Alzheimer’s Association. 

The Walk in Abilene will take place on Saturday, Sept. 15 at Rose Park. 

Albany women who think that they might be pregnant will soon have another option for free pregnancy conformation, counseling, and referrals thanks to the Open Door Pregnancy and Family Resource Center’s new mobile unit.

“The Open Door mobile unit will travel fully-equipped to provide free pregnancy tests, limited free OB ultrasounds, options counseling, and referrals,” said mobile manager Margaret McKinney. “We plan to serve Albany twice a month.”

The Moran Lady Bulldogs took to the court in Aspermont on Tuesday, Aug. 21 at 5:00 p.m. Scores were not available at press time.

The varsity volleyball team lost a game in Vernon to Northside on Aug. 14, in three sets (10-25,19-25, 14-25).

The Lady Bulldogs were at the Gorman Spikefest Tournament on Wednesday, Aug. 16, and lost a 4:00 p.m. match to the host team in two sets (11-25, 13-25). Results from the rematch on Aug. 18 were not available at press time.

Dakota Fowler is the girls head coach.

Football

Members of the Moran chapter of the Future Farmers of America joined with Albany FFA, Albany FCCLA, and Shackelford County 4-H members at a pool party Aug. 20 at Webb Park to kick off the new school year.

Last month, Moran ag instructor Matthew Hise and six FFA members attended the Texas State FFA Convention in Fort Worth.

Attending were club president JT Holland, vice president Curry Pendleton, secretary Johnnie Hise, treasurer Andrew Farner, reporter Jonas Cadena, and Tyler Miller.

A city-wide garage sale that will take place in Moran from 8:00 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 1 is being organized by Michelle Taggart.

Moran residents still have time to gather and organize items they want to offer to the public and register their sale location to be included on the map so shoppers can easily find their way to inexpensive trinkets and treasures.

“We have 10 people signed up already,” said Taggart on Monday. “We do not charge for anyone to sign up, or for maps.”

The fourth annual Fort Griffin BBQ Cook-Off will take place in downtown Albany on the weekend of Sept. 28-29, and at least 15 teams have already sent in their entry fee of $150 each to join in the Battle for the Blade.

“We gave away $150 each to two teams that were registered before our first drawing on Aug. 2,” said organizer Justin Winters. “We have another drawing coming up for teams that enter early. We’ll be giving $100 cash to two pre-registered teams in the near future.”

Always...Patsy Cline, opened last weekend at the Aztec to rave reviews, and two more performances of the musical will be offered this weekend.

The final two shows will be on Friday Aug. 17 and Saturday Aug. 18, at 7:30 p.m. each night, and as of this Monday, tickets were still available.

Tickets are $20 each for reserved seating on the first three rows, or $15 for general admission. 

To purchase tickets, call Aztec Theater board member Tisha Wilkins at 325-660-7443.

The Albany Independent School District 2018-2019 school year began today, Aug. 16, with classes starting at 7:55 a.m. on both campuses.

As of press time, administrators were not ready to forecast enrollment numbers.

“We don’t have numbers yet, because our high school students are still picking up schedules,” said interim superintendent Doyleen Terrell.

Nancy Smith Elementary had 272 students registered by Monday, compared with 279 at the same time last year.