With opening night now just a week away, preparations for the 88th annual Fort Griffin Fandangle are entering the final stretch as organizers finalize schedules and continue encouraging participation in the annual parade.

This year’s performances are scheduled for June 19-20 and June 26-27 at the Prairie Theater. Gates will open at 7 p.m. each evening, followed by a calliope concert by Louann George at 7:30 p.m. Show time is 8:30 p.m.

The Shackelford County Library’s summer Story Hour continues with upcoming Tuesday programs featuring live animals from the Abilene Zoo and hands-on crafts led by the Old Jail Art Center, as the weekly series moves through the remainder of June.

This week’s Story Hour session on June 9 included a leopard tortoise, rough plated lizard, tenrec and Swainson’s hawk, along with a coordinating animal journal craft for participating children.

Four Albany men will hit the road today as Team Grease Worms begins another journey in support of Camp Able during the 2026 Buffalo Run Adventure Challenge.

Returning team members Robert Snyder, Craig Winters and Matt Birkla are adding a fourth member this year, Blake Estridge, as they join dozens of teams from across Texas for the annual fundraiser, which combines a road trip, scavenger hunt and fundraising campaign into one weekend adventure.

Tickets are selling steadily for the 88th annual Fort Griffin Fandangle as rehearsals continue ahead of opening night later this month.

This year’s performances are scheduled for June 19-20 and June 26-27 at the Prairie Theater. With opening night less than three weeks away, cast members and volunteers have already been rehearsing for more than a month, with practices now taking place almost every night of the week.

The Shackelford County Library’s annual summer story hour continues every Tuesday through the end of June, offering children a fun and educational opportunity to explore the world of animals through stories, crafts, and live demonstrations.

Also underway is the library’s Summer Reading Program, with free pizza available for those who complete the reading goals for their age group, with ages all the way through high school. The program ends July 31.

Former Albany Lion Luke Ivy continued his successful collegiate track and field career earlier last month, recording a personal best score and helping Rice University score team points at the 2026 American Athletic Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships held May 14-16 in Denton.

Ivy, a 2022 graduate of Albany High School, placed seventh in the decathlon with a personal best total of 6,428 points, earning points for the Rice men’s track and field team.

Beverly Elaine Swartz-Roberts

Beverly Elaine Swartz-Roberts passed away on Saturday, May 23,2026 at the age of 68 after fighting the battle with cancer.  Beverly was born November 19, 1957, in Rock Springs, Wyoming.  She was a long-time resident of Albany, Texas where she met the love of her life on November 9, 2000.

One of her favorite hobbies was to crochet and if you did not know who “Betty Boop” was, well you would after spending some time with her.