Albany High School students were the top journalism team and came close to winning the overall title at the Stamford Cotton Classic Academic Invitational on Saturday, Feb. 23.

Sophomores Sidney Bartee and Tristan Edgar both earned Division 1 ratings at the UIL Region 6 East Zone Band Solo and Ensemble competition held at Abilene High on Saturday, Feb. 23. Bartee played Etude by Concone on the tuba, and Edgar performed Andante and Bourree by Handel on the alto saxophone.

Ash Wednesday is next week, and at least two Albany churches will have special services that evening. Trinity Lutheran Church will hold a service at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, March 6.  Jesus of Nazareth Catholic Church has Mass scheduled for 5:45 p.m. on Ash Wednesday.

Membership letters for the Fort Griffin Fandangle Association will be mailed out tomorrow, March 1, according to marketing director Rebecca Bridges.

The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $50,966 from the state this February. The amount is down 15.20 percent from the $60,108 payment received in February of 2018. Payments to date for the 2019 year to the city of Albany are $102,929, down by 0.

The National Weather Service (NWS) encourages all residents, businesses and schools across West Central Texas to practice a tornado drill on Wednesday, March 6 at 10:00 a.m. or at a time that is more convenient.

The Lion basketball team played even for three of four quarters against Sundown Friday, but couldn’t make up for a 10-point spread in the second that signaled the end of the season with a 53-41 loss in the Region I area playoff at Colorado City.

Patsy Jenkins, 84, died Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019, at an Abilene care facility. Funeral services were Tuesday, Feb. 26, at the First Baptist Church in Albany. Burial was Tuesday at the Terrace Cemetery in Post, Texas. Services were under the direction of Bailey-Howard Funeral Home in Clyde.

Sixteen Albany students are travelling to Stamford for an academic invitational practice meet this Saturday, Feb. 23, and according to UIL coordinator Rick Davis, they could bring home several ribbons even though scheduling conflicts limited the number of students who could participate.

The Methodist Women’s group invites everyone in the community to enjoy lunch at First United Methodist’s annual fundraising Mexican pile-on dinner this coming Sunday, Feb. 24. The meal consists of seasoned ground beef, tortilla chips, lettuce, tomatoes, cheese, onions, and additional trimmings.