By Donnie A. Lucas

The summer conditioning and limited sport-specific training for junior high and high school aged girls started this week and will continue through June and again for two weeks in mid-July.

The conditioning and football specific training for boys will start on Monday and continue for six consecutive weeks.

Both programs will meet daily on Monday through Thursday for six weeks, which is regulated by UIL rules.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Local students have had the opportunity to attend three separate sports camps over the last two weeks, with a couple more slated for later in July.

The annual basketball camp and a new tennis camp were both held this week, with the all-sports camp held the week before.

There is about a six-week break before the remaining volleyball camp and cheerleading camp in July.

Volleyball Camp

Coach M.J. Reneau is hosting a three-day volleyball camp on July 19-21 at the high school.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany’s 7on7 summer football team won two out of three games in Archer City last Saturday, and local players will have one more shot to qualify for the state tournament.

Thanks to a last-minute withdrawal by the Junction team, the Albany 7on7 team will play in the final qualifying tournament of the season on Friday at McMurry University in Abilene.

By Sandy Morris

The Moran ISD board of trustees recently approved the hiring of Dr. John Denson as the new superintendent to replace Danny Freeman who is retiring at the end of June.

Dr. Denson comes to MISD from Union Hill ISD in Gilmer, Texas and said he is glad to return to West Texas. 

“I feel like I’m coming back home,” said Denson. “I went to junior college at Weatherford and earned my bachelor’s degree at Tarleton.”

By Sandy Morris

Hendrick Regional Blood Center (formerly Meek Blood Center) will park its bloodmobile at First Baptist Church at the usual time from 1:00 until 6:00 p.m. Thursday, June 10.

COVID-19 antibody testing is offered at no charge for donors 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. The next one is scheduled Aug. 5.

By Sandy Morris

Moran Independent School District retiring superintendent Danny Freeman, school board president Sug Roller and board vice president Alice Branham presented diplomas to six seniors at commencement exercises on Friday, May 28 at the MISD gymnasium.

Graduates included valedictorian Dariann Hawley, salutatorian Corey Miller, Aspen Box, Corley Hendricks, Sondra O’Keefe, and Tiffany Wade.

Tianay Bralley from Cisco College presented Cisco scholarships and Freeman presented local scholarships.

By Sandy Morris

The annual summer reading program at the Shackelford County Library, sponsored by the Albany Study Club, kicked off on Monday, June 7 after a year’s absence due to COVID concerns.

According to organizer Janna Ledbetter, story hour will be held from 10:00 to 11:00 a.m. every Monday during the month of June.

“All stories will have a western theme,” said Ledbetter. “The children will also have the opportunity to play games and make crafts related to each week’s title.”

Shirley Mae Welch Caldwell, was born June 23, 1935, to Vernon Wade (“V.W.”) and Mable Karr Welch in Blairstown, Missouri where VW was Superintendent of Schools. When she was nine, Shirley and her family moved to Adrian, Missouri with younger sister Ada Ruth, who survives her. 

By Sandy Morris

Dozens of local scholarships were presented to members of the Albany High School Class of 2021 during commencement exercises held last Friday, May 28.

There were well over 100 separate awards for the class of 35, with some scholarships split among more than one recipient, amounting to more than $120,000.

The awards were given by about 40 local churches, clubs, organizations, foundations and individuals. 

The 2021 commencement ceremony was held in the Albany High School gymnasium before a crowd of friends and relatives.

By Sandy Morris

The Albany Dance Theatre Company will present “Once Upon A Time” this Saturday, June 5 at 7:00 p.m. in the Albany High School auditorium. 

The performance is free to the public and will include 120 dancers from Albany and five surrounding communities. 

“This year, we will feature seniors Hannah Snyder, Blanton Belcher, Sidney Bartee, Landree Connally, Torie Fuentes, and Addie Beth Denton,” said owner and co-director Betsy Black Parsons. “They will be performing as a group to ‘I Danced with Cinderella’.”