By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany ISD staff and students will be off both Friday, April 2 and Monday, April 5 for a four-day Easter weekend.

Younger students at Nancy Smith Elementary School had Easter activities planned on campus this week. Albany Head Start and Pre-K classes will hunt today at Webb City Park. Third graders went to Safety City on Wednesday.

Students will be released at regular times Thursday, April 14 (today).

School will resume at the usual time on both campuses on Tuesday morning, April 19.

By Sam Waller

Local churches will conduct Easter services Sunday, April 17 with other Holy Week services in advance.

Trinity Lutheran Church will have a Maundy Thursday service at 6:30 p.m. Thursday, April 14 (tonight), and a Good Friday service at 6:30 p.m. Friday, April 15. On Easter Sunday, a sunrise service will be held at 7:00 a.m. at the Lutheran Cemetery. Breakfast will be served at the church at 9:30 a.m. with Easter worship service at 10:30 a.m. An Easter egg hunt for children will he held after services.

By Sam Waller

Moran’s Johnnie Hise and Hannah Rogers were recognized last week by two coaches associations for their academic achievements with inclusion on academic all-state girls basketball teams.

Both Rogers and Hise were selected to the Texas Six-Man Coaches Association team, while Hise was also named to the Texas Girls Coaches Association honor team.

For the Texas Six-Man Coaches team, students must have a 90 average or above in each core classes and be either a junior or senior in good standing, and the school must be an association member.

By Sam Waller

Father Prakash Dias took a rather convoluted path to his post as priest at Albany’s Jesus of Nazareth Catholic Church and Breckenridge’s Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church.

A visit home to his native India turned into a nearly year-long ordeal to return to work.

Dias, a native of Honavar, Karwar, Karnataka, India, originally planned a 30-day visit, leaving in late April last year. He finally returned to the United States on Feb. 10 after nine months and 10 days.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Only one positive case of COVID-19 was recorded at the three Albany testing sites over the last two weeks.

A total of 13 tests were administered during the period, according to a report issued by county judge Bob Skelton.

The number of hospitalized cases in Trauma Service Area D which includes Abilene and Brownwood hospitals dropped to just two patients, including one in ICU at the time of the report on Tuesday.

By Melinda L. Lucas

In only six weeks, the senior class of Albany High school will walk across the stage and receive their diplomas.

After the ceremony, the graduates will enjoy the tradition of Project Graduation, which is the alcohol and drug-free event that concludes a student’s experience at AHS.

The 45 members of this year’s graduating class will be staying in town and celebrating in a progressive style by enjoying all the fun facilities Albany has to offer the youth.

By Sam Waller

The Albany FFA chapter competed in the Big Country District and Area 4 contests Wednesday, April 13, at Tarleton State University in Stephenville.

Local students prepared for the event by competing in several practice meets over the last three weeks, attending contests at Weatherford, Sweetwater and San Angelo.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Representatives of local organizations and boards that award scholarships to Albany High School graduates are asked to collect applications from Ann Riley at the AHS office on Wednesday, April 20.

The original schedule was to hand those out on Friday, April 15, but the school offices will be closed both Friday and Monday for a long Easter weekend.

Riley said seniors were required to turn in their application letters by Wednesday, April 13.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners heard a report from Clifford Teinert about the historic bridge at Fort Griffin, the object of vandalism over the last few years.

The bridge, which spans the Clear Fork of the Brazos, touches the Collins Creek Ranch on the south side, and is in Throckmorton County on the north. It has been closed to vehicle traffic for a number of years, but is a popular foot bridge and location for photos.

By Sam Waller

The Albany High School tennis team advanced three of six entries to state at the Region II-2A tournament, which concluded Tuesday, April 11 at Richland Tennis Center in North Richland Hills.

Sarah Cotter, last year’s girls singles state runner­up, returned to state by defeating teammate Sidney Russell in the final. Luke Marshall won the boys singles title to advance.