By Sam Waller

The Moran Lady Bulldogs opened their volleyball season Tuesday with a 3-1 victory on the road against Loraine.

Moran pulled away to win 25-20, 19-25, 25-20, 25-16.

“We played pretty well for the first game of the season,” Lady Bulldogs coach Joe Hise said. “We got up and stayed mentally strong through the third and fourth sets.”

Hise lauded the team’s mental approach in closing out the match after splitting the first two sets.

“They stayed up and were loud,” she said. “They stayed mentally high and were very scrappy.” 

By Sam Waller

The faculty and staff of the Moran Independent School District got a jumpstart on in-service training by participating in team-building activities at Tarleton State University in Stephenville.

“We got off to an awesome start,” Moran superintendent Dr. John Denson said. “We participated in activities on (Tarleton’s) Challenge Course and kind of came together as a team to start the year.”

Denson said the purpose of the exercise was to help staff members get to know each other better and learn to support one another.

By Sidney Bartee

Citizens of Moran will hold their annual garage sale on Saturday, Sept. 4, beginning at 7:00 a.m.

The deadline for community members to register a sale is 12:00 noon on Thursday, Sept. 2.

According to community volunteer Michelle Taggart, there is no cost for Moran residents to sign up.

“After community members sign up, I will put numbered signs in their yards, and then pick them up after the sale is over,” Taggart said. 

Maps and lists will be available on the day of the sale at the Moran Community Center.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A Shackelford County man was arrested just outside of Cisco after a high speed chase last Thursday, Aug. 5 and is currently being held in the Shackelford County Law Enforcement Center on a $500,000 bond.

Jerry Lee McGough, 50, of Moran was charged with aggravated sexual assault of a child, as well as with felony evading with a motor vehicle.

According to county sheriff Ed Miller, his office, along with the Texas Ran­gers had been investigating McGough for about a week, and a warrant was issued for his arrest on Wednesday, Aug. 4.

To address long-standing care problems in long-term facilities that were exacerbated by COVID, the Texas Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program needs volunteers to serve as advocates for individuals living in nursing and assisted living facilities. 

Ombudsmen educate residents, families, and facility staff and protect the health, safety, welfare, and rights of residents. Services are free and confidential.

By Donnie A. Lucas

After going weeks, even months, without a single positive COVID-19 case, eight positive cases have been reported locally by one of the two local clinics.

The Shackelford County Hospital District Clinic has administered 25 tests since July 19, with eight positive results.

Results from the Resource Care Clinic in Albany showed that eight tests were given, but there were no positive cases.

Both local clinics offer testing for the coronavirus, and both have vaccines available to administer.

By Sidney Bartee

An Albany blood drive is set for today, Aug. 5.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center will park the bloodmobile at First Baptist Church at the usual time from 1:00 to 6:00 p.m.

The blood center offers COVID-19 antibody testing at no charge to those who successfully donate.

The blood center depends on volunteer blood donors to supply 100 percent of the blood that is used for patient care at 17 area hospitals.

The Kiwanis Club blood drives are scheduled roughly every eight weeks throughout the year.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Online registration is continuing for both school campuses this week with a number of students still not signed up to the upcoming school year.

At the end of the first of two in-person registration sessions held Monday and Tuesday, almost 70 percent of secondary students had registered, while the elementary numbers were just over half.

“It seems to be going well at our campus,” secondary principal Glen Hill said on Tuesday. “We have had several new students come in and things were really busy on Monday.”

By Donnie A. Lucas

All the gold will definitely not be in California come Oct. 9.

A big chunk of it will be at the Friends of Fort Griffin Gala at Collins Creek Ranch when Larry, Steve & Rudy: The Gatlin Brothers present a special performance as the highlight of the annual fundraising event that benefits the historical site.

Susan Waller, event coordinator for the Friends of Fort Griffin, confirmed that the Gatlins have been booked for the Oct. 9 event.

By Sidney Bartee

The City of Albany will test the emergency warning siren at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, Aug. 11, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.

The tests keep citizens familiar with the three warning sounds, and they are also used to make sure that the siren, computer, software, and radios are working correctly.

The siren should sound one of the three emergency tones at noon on that day, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable, according to local fire chief Travis Gardenhire.