By Melinda L. Lucas

Members of the Shackelford County Appraisal District’s board of directors passed a proposed budget of $391,745 for 2021, an increase of just 1.1 percent from the current budget, during a meeting held Aug. 14.

Snyder had given preliminary figures to participating taxing entities earlier in the summer so those board and council members could include them as they prepare for the next fiscal year, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder.

Budget Details

By Lynsi Musselman

The Old Jail Art Center was notified recently that the museum had received a Humanities Texas Relief Grant.

This summer, Humanities Texas awarded over $1.1 million to 198 Texas nonprofits that suffered financial losses as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Recipients other than the OJAC were other museums, libraries, preservation organizations, and heritage and cultural centers.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Even during unusual times like the current coronavirus pandemic, regular blood donations are needed in order to ensure the continued adequacy of the supply at area hospitals, so Hendrick Regional Blood Center’s bloodmobile is in Albany on Thursday, Aug. 20 for the regularly scheduled Kiwanis Club sponsored blood drive.

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

By Lynsi Musselman

Residents who live along or travel Highway 6 in Shackelford County have been anticipating road construction to begin for well over six months.

TxDOT public information officer Tanya Brown reported this week that the long-awaited paving project planned for Highway 6 between Albany and Eastland County will begin this October.

The $12 million project, that includes widening of Battle Creek Bridge, will hopefully be wrapped up by June 2021.

By Lynsi Musselman

Back to school is not just for academics. Church families are also getting  their back-to-school programs underway to educate the spiritual aspect of life.

First Baptist Church 

FBC youth minister Campbell Terry said JAM will kick off Wednesday, Sept. 9, but the youth group starts gathering a couple of weeks before that on Wednesday, Aug. 26.

Terry said there will be a small get-together to start the school year, with details still being finalized.

Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church

By Lynsi Musselman

Shackelford County youth between the ages of eight and 18 who are interested in participating in 4-H activities are encouraged to attend a 4-H club meeting on Monday, Aug. 24 at 6:30 p.m. at The Feed Store.

County Agent Kloey Painter, who will serve as the club manager this year, said the kick-off party will be a time to go over events and pass out T-shirts.

The event is designed to be an informal meeting and 4-H membership drive.

By Lynsi Musselman

Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar released August state sales tax revenue amounts for counties across the state of Texas, including Shackelford County.

The City of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $41,015 from the state this month. The amount is down 2.04 percent from the $41,872 payment received this time last year.

Payments to date for the 2020 year to the City of Albany are $313,393 down by 16.61 percent from the comparable time last year, when payments of $375,843 had been made.

Dona Marie Robinson 67, of Moran, Texas entered into her heavenly home Aug. 16, 2020.

A funeral service was held Wednesday, Aug. 19, at Gunsight Baptist Church. Interment followed at Johnson Ceme-tery in Moran, Texas. 

Dona was born Sept. 5, 1952 in Eastland, Texas to parents Don and Loreta (White) Reynolds. She was a graduate of Cisco High School and held a bachelors degree from Tarleton State College. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

City officials are strongly urging the use of face coverings such as masks to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus as the school year kicks off next week and larger groups of residents will be together again for the first time since March.

For the second week in a row, county judge Robert Skelton reported no new cases in the county, as well as no active cases according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

By Lynsi Musselman

Albany Independent School District is on track to have 491 students enrolled district wide for the 2020-2021 school year.

AISD director of student services Leigh Lowe said administrators are still expecting at least 14 more students at the elementary school and 23 at the secondary school to register for this school year.

The 491 figure is well below the 522 first-day-of-school count from August 2019, but is more than the 483 students who came to school on the first day in 2018.