The Fort Griffin Fandangle opened its 87th season this past weekend to strong attendance, welcoming more than 1,500 guests over the course of its first two shows.
An estimated 600 people filled the stands Friday night for opening night, followed by a crowd of approximately 900 on Saturday. Strong statewide marketing efforts and continued outreach to first-time guests played a key role in the turnout.
Main Street was lined with spectators on Saturday, June 21, as the annual Fort Griffin Fandangle Parade brought a colorful display of floats, riders, and music through downtown Albany. With 45 total entries, this year’s parade was one of the largest in recent memory.
Parade co-chairs John Ayers, Cori Bezner, and Claire Ware coordinated the event and kept everything running smoothly.
Visitors and locals alike will be able to enjoy a variety of activities offered in Albany this weekend prior to the final two performances of the Fort Griffin Fandangle.
Free events will be offered on Friday and Saturday including a quilt show, tracker organ concert, calliope concert, viewing the Picket House, longhorns on the courthouse square, exhibits and crafts kits at the Old Jail Art Center, plus several other activities.
The Albany ISD board of trustees approved a series of pay increases during its regular meeting June 23, addressing administrative raises, support staff adjustments, and new legal requirements affecting board procedures.
Two Albany FCCLA teams will leave Saturday, July 5, to attend the National Leadership Conference in Orlando, Florida, where they will compete in the Level 3 Instructional Video Design event. The group will return home on July 10.
Only the top 20 video projects in the nation were selected to compete at the national level, and both Albany teams earned a spot after months of hard work. The teams will present their videos, give a five-minute oral presentation, and answer questions from a panel of judges during their scheduled competition times on Sunday, July 6.
Albany water customers should receive a “2024 Annual Drinking Water Quality Report” in the next few days showing that locally treated water meets or exceeds all federal drinking water requirements.
“All the numbers looked good,” Albany water superintendent Michael Graham said. “There were no violations, which there really haven’t been in several years, except a very minor reporting problem in 2022. We haven’t had any actual treatment violations in a very long time, so our water quality continues to be very good.”
The Shackelford County Commissioners Court met Monday, June 23, addressing a range of routine matters and approving several action items, including the 2025–2026 employee health plan and the removal of bee colonies from a county facility. Due to ongoing air conditioning problems at the Shackelford County Courthouse, the meeting was held at First Christian Church.
Moran ISD will welcome a new principal and counselor for the 2025–26 school year.
Ryan McElroy, formerly of Hondo ISD, has been named principal. His wife, Destaney McElroy, will serve as the new school counselor and will also teach some classes. Additional details will be shared once the couple arrives on campus.
As Independence Day approaches, Shackelford County officials are reminding residents to take extra precautions when using fireworks – especially inside city limits and along county roads, where they remain strictly prohibited.
While the spring of 2025 has been notably wet, conditions can shift quickly in Texas weather.
Shackelford County Judge John Viertel said that although the Keetch-Byram Drought Index, maintained by the Texas A&M Forest Service, still shows the county in a safe condition, there are always reasons for concern.
There will be no issue of The Albany News next week, as the paper pauses publication for its annual July 4th break.
The paper publishes 50 issues per year, taking planned breaks for Independence Day and Christmas. Publication will resume with the July 10 edition.
The Albany News office will also be closed for the holiday week, from Sunday, June 30 through Friday, July 4. Regular office hours will resume on Monday, July 7.
For immediate assistance during the closure, text (325) 238-6128 or email news@thealbanynews.net.
