In two months, high school seniors will march across the stage, receive their diplomas, and walk into the next chapter of their lives, one that will no longer include seeing all of the same classmates, many of whom they’ve known since kindergarten and have gone to school with every day.

The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $69,720 from the state this March. The amount is up 92.72 percent from the $36,175 payment received in March of 2018. Payments to date for the 2019 year to the city of Albany are $172,649, up by 23.

Moran ISD cheerleader tryouts took place shortly before spring break, and members of the high school and junior high cheer teams for the upcoming school year have been announced. Cheer sponsor for the 2019-2020 school year is elementary teacher Alyson Orsak.

By Donnie A. Lucas Albany tracksters faced a large field of athletes, many from much larger districts, at the Hamlin Piper Relays last Saturday to bring home a few medals and valuable experience.

Shackelford County Hospital District directors learned that a new ambulance approved at the February meeting will cost about $10,000 less than expected.

I hope all of you had a nice spring break last week. At least we got a few days of pretty weather. I know all the parents were glad to see the sunshine. I took a short trip to Aledo to visit my closest grandchildren – Alex, Henry, Ben, and Anna.  Henry and Ben both had birthdays.

Winners from Abilene, Anson, Stamford, and Wylie were announced by the Old Jail Art Center’s Junior Docents at the opening reception of the museum’s 14th annual Student Art Show, “Talking Back 2019,” on Saturday, March 9.

According to the calendar, spring arrived yesterday, March 20, and Tommy Sullivan spent part of this week getting the Albany Community Garden ready for planting.

Fandangle practices began this week, and the next scheduled rehearsal will be at 7:30 p.m. on Monday, March 25, at the Aztec Theater. “I want to invite new people to Albany to experience Fandangle and invite Fandangle veterans to return,” said artistic director Lorna Ayers.

Albany school board members discussed some budget fears that may become hard realities over the next few years unless state legislators make major changes in school funding. Trustees talked at length about what they will soon face.