By Kathy Thomson Tomorrow, April 10, is the deadline for local youth livestock exhibitors to clean out their pens at the FFA barn from this year’s show animals and also the deadline to purchase ear tags for some of next year’s livestock shows.

By Lynsi Musselman Rapidly changing world events are having a significant impact on the local level.   Several events are being cancelled that were postponed just a few weeks ago.  The Albany Chamber of Commerce has decided to cancel all Chamber events until further notice.

By Kathy Thomson Holy Week, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter church services are too important to be stopped by a virus, and local pastors have plans to reach not only their own members but anyone willing to listen, to tell them how Christ’s death and resurrection purchased salvation for...

William R. (Bill) Hicks of Windsor, Illinois, formerly of Albany, Texas, passed away peacefully on Jan. 16, 2020. He was 94 years old.  He was born in Mt. Vernon, Illinois on Dec. 3, 1925. He served in the U.S. Army and earned a Purple Heart for his heroic services. 

By Kathy Thomson The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $41,174 from the state this March. The amount is down 40.94 percent from the $69,720 payment received in March of 2019. Payments to date for the 2020 year to the city of Albany are $127,219, down by 26.

By Melinda L. Lucas Shackelford County followed the City of Albany in declaring a local “state of disaster due to a public health emergency” when county judge Robert Skelton signed documentation last Thursday, March 26.

By Donnie A. Lucas With the announcement made Tuesday that schools across Texas will remain closed until Monday, May 4, local parents and students will continue to receive assignments online or through packets of printed materials.

By Melinda L. Lucas The staff at the Old Jail Art Center say that they are “physical distancing,” not “social distancing” as they continue working to serve area residents during COVID-19 constraints. The museum is currently closed to the public, with all group gatherings cancelled or on hold.

By Melinda L. Lucas Several more Albany offices and businesses have locked their doors in the last week, including the walk-in lobby at one local bank, limiting access to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic.  There are also a few more event cancellations on the growing list below.

By Kathy Thomson Social distancing, team sports cancelled, and the reality of the “new norm” continuing for at least one more month has most parents trying to figure out how to keep their children from going stir crazy and looking for ways to make the best of a stressful situation.