Goodnight Steakhouse owner Jason Harlow (r) and chef Terry Chandler (r) hand Mike Bean a donation check for $6,168 for Ben Richey Boys Ranch. The contribution amount is the total from the dollar bills that were taken down from the walls and ceilings at the Beehive.

By Sam Waller

Moran Independent School District is gearing up for the start of another school year with faculty and staff going through in-service this week.

Classes start Monday, Aug. 7. Principal Jo Hise said students must have enrollment packets filled out and turned in before then. The last chance to pick up packets is 5:00 p.m. Friday, Aug. 4 before the start of the Meet the Teachers program.

Four days of in-service training started Tuesday, Aug. 1, with First Financial Bank providing breakfast for school personnel.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Chamber of Commerce is making plans for its annual community garage sale with registration to start later this month.

“We know the garage sale will be in September; we just don’t have an exact date nailed down yet,” Chamber manager Brandi Lehew said. “Plans are being made, and we will have a date soon. People should go ahead and start getting ready and gathering stuff for this year’s garage sale. It’ll be here soon.”

By Sam Waller

Albany’s Closet Angels ministry will hold its annual Back To School Bash from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8.

Closet Angels director Lori Reames said the event is open to students of Shackelford County schools and their families.

The ministry will be closed Monday, Aug. 7, in preparation for the sale.

Reames said names for door prizes will be drawn at 6:00 p.m. Customers are asked to enter through the front door and fill out an entry form to be entered for the drawing.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Summer band camp for members of the Ragin’ Red Lion Band will switch from sectionals to full band rehearsals starting Monday, Aug. 7.

Director Will Vaughan announced last week that the band is working on a show entitled “Our World” written by Luke McMillan.

The entire band will meet from 5:00 p.m. until 8:30 p.m. on Monday through Thursday next week, with the exception of a 4:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. practice on Wednesday to allow students to participate in church youth group meetings.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Meet the Teacher will be held at both Nancy Smith Elementary and the junior/senior high campus on Tuesday, Aug. 15.

Students entering K-6 will be able to find out their teachers for the coming school year from 5:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Students and parents are urged to meet with teachers at the secondary campus at 6:00 p.m. for an orientation meeting for all grade levels in the high school auditorium.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany ISD teachers and support staff will start the school year on Wednesday, Aug. 9 with staff meetings and training.

Both elementary and secondary teachers and staff will meet at 8:00 a.m. at the Feed Store for breakfast, followed by a “Welcome Back” message from 8:30 a.m. until 9:00 a.m. and a district meeting until 11:00 a.m. The break for lunch will start at 11:00 a.m.

Campus meetings will be held in the afternoon on both campuses from 12:30 p.m. until 3:00 p.m.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Raises were give to returning teachers who are above the state minimum step 20 salary schedule and increases in several stipends were approved during an AISD school board on Monday, Aug. 17.

Trustees also reviewed the preliminary budget and looked at where the state seems to be heading concerning school funding.

“We just received notice that a deal has been made between the Governor, House, and the Senate on the Property Tax Relief bill,” said AISD superintendent Jonathan Scott.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The fundraising goal for improvements at the Shackelford County Show Barn has basically been met and work is underway at the facility.

The Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association announced in early May a fundraising effort to raise $200,000 or more to make overdue updates to the 50-year-old structure, but the goal was raised to $300,000 due to the scope of work.

Mike Parsons, who is heading up the fundraising drive, said this week that collections totaled $277,000, with the remainder pledged but not received.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Shackelford County chief appraiser Clayton Snyder reported this week that the Appraisal Review Board upheld values set for the Hackberry Wind Farm during recent protest hearings held at the appraisal district office.

The company filed a lawsuit after the review board upheld values in 2022. The wind farm paid just under half of the 2022 taxes as required by state law, but filed a lawsuit disputing the almost $430,000 still owed for last year.