By Sandy Morris
Easter will be celebrated on Sunday, April 4 this year, and local churches are announcing special services and activities.
Community Easter Service
The Ministerial Alliance continues to work on plans for the Easter Community Service.
This year’s Easter event is called AWAKEN and will be held at the Aztec Theater at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, March 28.
Alliance members have planned for the event to include out-of-town speakers and a worship team.
By Sandy Morris
Local FFA and 4-H youth are kicking off various spring activities and competitions, as well as continuing to compete in livestock shows around the state.
4-H News
Shackelford County Extension Agent and 4-H sponsor Kloey Painter said 4-H members have several opportunities to participate in upcoming practices and clinics.
Archery Practice
The club has started archery practice every Tuesday at 5:00 p.m. at the Shackelford County Show Barn.
By Sandy Morris
The ResourceCare Community Health Center will hold a Murder Mystery Dinner fundraising event at 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, April 22.
A “Roaring 20s Murder Mystery Dinner” will be performed by the Albany Mainstreet Playhouse Traveling Troupe with attendees encouraged to wear “Roaring 20s” attire.
Troupe members include Sandy Abel, Lorna Ayers, Jacob Cleveland, Jeff Davis, Pam Davis, Wade Jones, Ragan Riley, and Cali Rose.
By Sandy Morris
Several Albany FFA members have been participating at the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, with more competition being held this week both in Houston and Austin.
Those results will be published over the next two weeks.
Carli Edgar won light weight Grand Champion Duroc at the show and will participate in the barrow sale at NRG Stadium later in the spring on Friday, May 21.
Laithe Leech won fourth place with his Hampshire and Tatum Grady won 11th place with her Duroc.
By Donnie A. Lucas
Strong pitching performances led the Lion baseball team to a sweeping 3-0 record in the Windthorst tournament last week and gave coach David Fairchild his 400th career win.
Albany will open district next Tuesday, March 23, hosting Stamford at 5:00 p.m. The Lions will travel to Haskell on Friday, March 26 as the race for the district title continues.
Fairchild was recognized by fans and players after the third win of the tourney over Peaster, 8-5, including the unveiling of a banner, signs, and a plaque noting the milestone.
By Donnie A. Lucas
The Lady Lions opened district with a pair of decisive wins during the last week over Gorman and Baird.
The team is open this weekend, but will be back in action on Tuesday, March 23 in Cross Plains. The first pitch is set for 5:00 p.m.
Albany started district at home on March 9 with a 18-1 victory over Gorman, followed this week with a 17-2 win over Baird on Monday.
“We began district with two wins, and that is good,” coach Jimmy Fuentes said. “However, we weren’t as consistent as I would have liked us to be.”
By Sandy Morris
Albany High School senior Wesley Estridge continued his winning streak by topping out his weight division at the Texas High School Powerlifting Association’s Region 6 Division 3 championship in Alvord last week, earning a trip to the state meet.
Estridge weighed in on Thursday, March 11 and competed on Friday, March 12, finishing in first place in the super heavy weight division.
Estridge’s lift totals for the meet were 500 pounds in dead lift, 420 pounds in bench press, and 700 pounds in squat for a total of 1,620 pounds.
By Donnie A. Lucas
Albany tracksters competed against mostly larger schools, along with windy West Texas conditions last Saturday at the Pied Piper Relays in Hamlin.
The local track teams will be on the road to Eastland on Thursday (today) for the next meet, then head back to Breckenridge on March 25 in preparation for the district meet in Albany on March 31.
The Albany boys placed in all three relays in Hamlin over the weekend, while the girls finished sixth in the 800 meter relay.
By Sandy Morris
The recent lifting of mask restrictions has changed the location of the junior high district track meet which eliminates the concession stand planned by the Albany Athletic Booster Club.
All junior high school track teams in the district will now compete at Hamlin on Saturday, March 27 instead of being divided between two communities.
The Athletic Boosters will still host the concession stand for the high school district track meet on Wednesday, March 31.
By Melinda L. Lucas
Members of the Albany High School tennis team were on local courts March 9, hosting players from Cisco and Breckenridge in a tri-meet to prepare for next month’s district tournament.
Local players will host Anson and Rotan on Monday, March 22. Those results will be reported next week.
“These practice meets are beneficial for us because we can get several short matches in within a short amount of time,” said coach Sara Wilson. “The kids can then go on to their next activity.”
