By Melinda L. Lucas

After holding the required public hearing prior to their 9:00 a.m. session, Shackelford County commissioners adopted the proposed budget and tax rate at a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

There was no one from the general public to voice any opposition or comment on the proposals. 

Elected officials also acted on a number of other routine items in a fairly long agenda on Monday morning.

Budget Okayed

A $4,401,613 deficit budget proposed at the Aug. 14 session was approved unanimously without discussion. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

The annual citywide garage sale is set for Saturday, Sept. 11, with about 20 local individuals signed up as of Tuesday.

A few more local residents may have signed up for the event, which is sponsored by the Albany Chamber of Commerce, after the press deadline.

On Saturday, shoppers can pick up maps showing locations of participants.

“The maps are free, and I will hand them out at the Depot from 7:00 a.m. until 10:00 a.m.,” Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones said. “After that, you can pick up copies at the door.”

Members of the Shackelford County community are invited to join the Albany Masonic Lodge and the local Brookshire’s Grocery Store in honoring the first responders of Shackelford County at the 3rd Annual First Responder Appreciation Breakfast on Saturday, Sept. 11 at 8:00 a.m. 

Peace officers, dispatchers, jailers, firefighters, and emergency medical personnel from across the county will gather at the First Christian Church’s Fellowship Hall for the event. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

Directors of the Albany Chest met on Wednesday, Sept. 1, to organize the 2021 fundraising drive, elect four board members, and vote on officers.

The deadline for organizations to turn in funding requests was set for Friday, Oct. 1, and the board’s next meeting will be held at The Feed Store on Wednesday, Oct. 6 at 5:15 p.m. to evaluate the applications and decide on the fundraising target for the 2021 Chest drive.

By Sam Waller

Shackelford County 4-H will host a come-and-go kickoff party and organizational meeting next Monday, Sept. 13 at 6:00 p.m. at the Feed Store.

Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell said the meeting will offer an overview of programs available to 4-Hers in the coming year.

“We’ll have each of our project leaders giving information about what the year will look like in each of those areas,” Bell said. “This is just to come and learn and will be very casual.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

Board members of the Shackelford County Appraisal District (SCAD) will meet on Friday, Sept. 10 at 7:30 a.m. to make a final decision about the proposed SCAD budget for 2022. A copy of the budget can be viewed at the SCAD office at 132 Hill St., where the meeting will be held.   

The $397,937 proposed figure approved by the SCAD board is $6,192 more, about 1.58 percent, than the current adopted budget of $391,745.

By Sam Waller

Myleigh Leveridge of Albany placed first in Class 7 with her Hereford heifer Saturday at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in Abilene.

The 9-month-old unbred heifer advanced to the championship judging, but did not place.

“In this division, they only have a grand and a reserve champion,” Nickie Leveridge, Myleigh’s mother, said. “She could not compete with some of the bigger cows.”

Heifers were divided into classes based on their date of birth.

The calf was bred by Leveridge’s grandfather, Mike Leveridge.

By Sam Waller

Registration for General Education Development  (GED) classes will be held at 5:30 p.m. Monday, Sept. 13  at the Shackelford County Library.

Instructor Kenzie Fairchild said registrants will need to bring an acceptable form of identification such as drivers license and Social Security card. The classes are open to students age 17 or older. Students who are 17 must have parental consent to register.

Monday’s session will include some instruction and last until 8:30 p.m.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The 35th annual First Impressions Invitational Pig Sale is set for this weekend at the county show barn, with 110 pigs from 14 consignors from eight states to be sold on Sunday.

Proceeds from the sale benefit the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association for capital improvements or to help fund the county stock show held in January.

“We are looking for up to 300 buyers this year,” organizer Mike Parsons said. “We have looked at all these pigs and are expecting a very competitive sale.”

By Sam Waller

Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church will begin its Mothers Day Out childcare program Friday at MMPC.

Mothers Day Out director Brandi Lehew said the program is open to children ages 1 to 5 who haven’t started school yet.

“We have a monthly curriculum that we follow,” Lehew said. “We learn Bible stories and music. We’ll have arts and crafts and take field trips.”

The program runs Mondays and Fridays through May 23, the Monday of the last week of the school year.

“We follow the Albany ISD school calendar,” Lehew said.