By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners topped off a month of budget workshops and regular sessions by meeting for the fourth Monday in a row on Aug. 30, working through about 30 minutes of agenda items before talking behind closed doors about renewal of a lease for property that the county tower sits on.

There was no action on the “real estate” agenda item when the elected officials returned to open session.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A current Albany senior and two 2021 graduates have been named to the 2020-2021 All-State Journalism Staff, which is awarded by the Interscholastic League Press Conference.

Current senior Ty Everitt, a co-editor of the student newspaper The Lions Roar, along with recent graduates Tana Thompson and Hannah Trail, tallied the points required to earn a position on the statewide honorary staff that is recognized by the journalism branch of the University Interscholastic League.

By Sam Waller

Shackelford County 4-H will conduct its kickoff party and organizational meeting for the coming year at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, Sept. 13 at the Feed Store.

The meeting will be one of the first official functions for new extension agent Kelsey Bell, who took over the position earlier this month.

“It’s just kind of a come-and-learn event, and then we’ll take it from there,” Bell said.

Bell said food will be provided at the meeting.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany ISD students and staff get a day off for the first holiday of the 2021-2022 school year on Monday, Sept. 6 in observance of Labor Day.

Classes will resume on Tuesday, Sept. 7 at the normal time of 7:55 a.m. for Nancy Smith Elementary and 8:00 a.m. at Albany Junior/Senior High School.

Classes started at both campuses on Aug. 18, with the end of the first six-week grading period ending on Friday, Sept. 24.

By Sam Waller

Nancy Smith Elementary School is restarting its mentoring program after being forced to drop it last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The goal of the program is to increase confidence and self-esteem and to help children make positive choices through one-on-one support, friendship, and fun.

By Sam Waller

Closet Angels and Neighbors in Need will be closed for at least a couple of weeks, as well as not accepting donations, because of illness and a shortage of volunteer help.

Lori Reames, director of Closet Angels, said neither organization has set a date for reopening.

“We’re not committing until we see how it goes ,” she said. “We’re taking it one week at a time.”

Reames said the situation is even tougher for Neighbors in Need, where program coordinator Clara Miller is expected to be out through September.

Several Albany churches and organizations have begun youth services for students, with children’s ministries set to start up in the next week.

The Albany Church of Christ had its first children’s activities on Wednesday, Sept. 1.

The Youth in Action kids, junior high and high school, will meet from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m.

Classes for ages up to sixth grade will have classes from 6:15 to 7:00 p.m.

Friendship Baptist

The annual “Dollars for Bob’s Scholarships” fundraising drive gets underway later this month.

Sponsored by the Albany Ex-Students Association, the campaign traditionally starts the week of Robert Nail’s birth date, Sept. 13. This is the 54th 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.

Although there was a little improvement in interest rates for awhile, they have dipped again, and there is not a lot of interest revenue. 

By Sam Waller

The Moran Bulldogs took their lumps last Friday in the opening football game, losing 58-6 at Benjamin.

The Bulldogs were hampered by four turnovers, all of which led to scores for Benjamin.

“Our youth showed,” said Moran coach John Hughes, who started three freshmen. “We did a lot of things to ourselves that we shouldn’t have, and Benjamin took advantage. Not taking anything away from Benjamin, but I think we killed ourselves because of our inexperience.”

The Bulldogs finished with 52 total yards. Connor Hail had 54 yards rushing.

By Sam Waller

Students, teachers and staff at Moran have settled into a new way of doing things through the first two weeks of the new school year.

Principal Jo Hise said the school district is employing block scheduling in the upper grades this year.

“The first week went well,” Hise said. “The kids, teachers, and staff seem to be adjusting to our new schedule really well. I’m very pleased with that.”