By Donnie A. Lucas

For the first time since last summer, there were no new cases of COVID-19 cases reported from the three local testing sites in Albany.

A total of 11 tests were administered with no positive results during March 14-18. There were just three positive cases the prior week of the 17 tests conducted.

According to the weekly report issued by county judge Bob Skelton, the hospitalized cases in Trauma Service Area D which includes Abilene and Brownwood hospitals dropped to just four patients, including two in ICU at the time of the report on Monday.

By Sam Waller

The Albany community garden has been tilled and is ready for planting, according to Ramby Anderson, who has helped coordinate the project for several years.

The garden, which began five years ago, is located behind King & Robertson Insurance on Main Street and is open to the public. Anderson said he would like to get more youth involved in the project.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Albany High School band will compete in the UIL Region 2 East Zone Concert and Sight Reading contest in Abilene next Tuesday.

The contest will be held at Wylie High School, with the Albany band taking the stage at 10:15 a.m. for the concert portion of the contest.

The band will then move to another hall for sight reading at about 10:40 a.m.

“We will perform three prepared numbers for the concert portion, then move to the band hall to sight read a piece they give us,” director William Vaughan said.

By Sam Waller

Callan Edgar and Kenzie Neve both came away with second place results last week at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo as local exhibitors began wrapping up the winter show season.

Edgar finished second with her crossbreed barrow. Neve finished second with her middleweight Shorthorn steer, the second year in a row she has placed second at Houston.

Also exhibiting swine at Houston were Tye Edgar, Paige Price, Colter Edgar, Tatum Grady, and Ryan Turner.

Others showing steers at Houston were Hattie Braly, Kam Browning, and Gracie Price.

By Sam Waller

While the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Show closed out in late January, the final payoff is still two weeks away.

Statements were mailed recently by the Shackelford County Youth & Livestock Association, and donors and bidders are asked to respond as quickly as possible.

Checks for animals sold at this year’s show will be distributed Friday, April 8. Before receiving their payout, exhibitors have a checklist of tasks to complete.

Checks will be handed out from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m. at the Albany Visitors Center parking lot.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Albany High School seniors will be able to begin applying for local scholarships this week.

According to Ann Riley at the AHS office, the scholarship list will be uploaded to the district’s website and distributed to local ­seniors by Friday, March 25, informing students of the requirements for specific scholarships.

“Some scholarships have a form the student needs to fill out; others require a letter,” Riley said.

The seniors must then turn in their application letters by Wednesday, April 13, Riley stated.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions won the small-school boys division team title Saturday, March 19 at the Possum Kingdom Relays in Graham.

Both the boys and girls teams will be in Breckenridge this Saturday for the Buckaroo Relays, which will replace a March 24 meet at Olney

At Graham, the Lions topped the field of more than 20 schools with 109 points, easily outdistancing Ovilla Christian. Albany won five events, including the 1600 relay.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Lions baseball team tuned up for District 8-2A competition with a 5-2 victory over Merkel on Wednesday, March 16, in Albany’s lone outing over spring break.

“We had another good outing and had a pretty day,” Lions coach David Fairchild said. “It was a little windy, but we had good pitching, put the ball in play, and were able to scratch some runs.”

The Lions (6-2 overall) opened district play Tuesday, March 22, with a close 18-15 win at Stamford. Details weren’t available at press time and will be reported next week.

By Sam Waller

Weather continued to interfere with the Albany Lions golf schedule this week, with the Baird tournament scheduled for Monday at Shady Oaks Golf Course pushed back to Thursday, March 24 (today).

The Lions will play Wednesday, March 30 at Haskell, making up their season-opening outing from Feb. 24, when play was stopped after one hole because of cold temperatures.

By Sam Waller

Albany athletes had one last opportunity to prepare for district tennis competition this week after taking a week off for spring break.

Albany visited Snyder for a dual match Thursday, March 24 (today) in its final outing before the District 10-2A tournament.

“We’re just trying to get some practice in,” coach M.J. Reneau said. “We’ve had bad weather, and we’re hoping it will get better so we can prepare and get our lineup set for district.”