Albany ISD officials took their message directly to the community last week, with 58 residents attending the first town hall meeting on the proposed $26 million school bond held March 25 at the high school auditorium.

The meeting provided the clearest picture yet of both the condition of the district’s current facilities and the growing urgency behind the proposal to construct a new consolidated Pre-K through 12 campus.

Superintendent Daryl Stuard opened the meeting by pointing to a gap between the community’s support for students and the environment they are learning in.

Oncor will host a public meeting in Albany today regarding the proposed Dinosaur–Longshore 765-kilovolt transmission line, following concerns raised by Shackelford County landowners, local officials and recent reporting on the project.

The Technical Conference and Informational Meeting is scheduled for Thursday, April 2 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Albany Junior/Senior High School.

Local concerns prompt April 2 event, but intervention window already closed

Oncor has announced a new public meeting in Albany regarding the proposed Dinosaur–Longshore 765-kilovolt transmission line, following concerns raised by Shackelford County landowners, local officials and recent reporting on the project.

When a devastating accident happened along Albany’s Main Street in March of 2000, it made headlines and left a lasting impression on the community.

At the time, The Albany News covered the details, the chaos, the injuries, and the immediate aftermath. But like many small-town stories, once the sirens faded and the headlines moved on, there was never a full follow-up.

What happened after?

Twenty-six years later, that question finally has an answer.

Construction of the new Vero fiber internet system in Albany began a little over a month ago and is expected to continue for about two more months, according to city employee Brian Holson.

Vero representatives said service will be activated in stages as construction progresses, rather than all at once across the community. Construction is being completed in “zones,” each serving roughly 300 to 400 homes, allowing service to begin in each area as it is finished. The first zone is expected to go live in early April, with additional zones coming online over the following two months.

County had about 30 days of awareness, compared to 306 days in southern counties

Shackelford County commissioners moved quickly last week to oppose a proposed high-voltage transmission line that could cross portions of the county, adopting a formal resolution during a specially called meeting on Friday after local landowners Mark Moon and Robert Montgomery warned commissioners at the March 9 regular meeting that they are entering the regulatory process months later than other affected areas.

Albany received much-needed rainfall overnight and early Saturday morning, March 7, with some areas reporting up to four inches of rain.

The steady rainfall brought relief to dry pastures and fields across the area after several months of limited precipitation. The system also brought noticeably cooler temperatures, a change from the warmer-than-usual conditions that had lingered through the end of winter.

On the morning of March 10, 2026, a coordinated law enforcement operation led by Shackelford County Sheriff’s Office Corporal Jason Price was carried out in Moran, Texas, to execute a search warrant and an arrest warrant related to an investigation involving multiple burglaries in which firearms had been stolen.

Albany ISD trustees received a detailed update Monday night, March 9, on the district’s efforts to implement the state’s Teacher Incentive Allotment program, a system that could significantly increase pay for highly effective teachers while allowing them to remain in the classroom.

Leigh Lowe presented the report, explaining that the Teacher Incentive Allotment, commonly known as TIA, is a state program that provides additional funding to school districts when teachers earn performance-based designations.

Architect Jeff Garnett, who moved to Albany with his family in August 2025, recently earned two honors at the 2025 American Institute of Architects Fort Worth Design Awards. Garnett received a Design Award of Merit for the Elk Edge Retreat and a Studio Award for a concept project known as the Animal Sanctuary.