By Sam Waller

The Albany Study Club is selling raffle tickets for a quilt to raise money for its scholarship fund.

Tickets are $5 apiece and may be purchased at the Shackelford County Library.

“The raffle money goes to raise money for scholarships for high school graduates,” Study Club member Lori Schooler said. “We’ll also take donations.”

The quilt, donated by Lana Britton, is currently on display at the library. In June, it will be included in the Study Club’s Quilt Show at the Whitney Theatre.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Educators and staff at Albany ISD will be recognized next week with daily meals and bundles of gifts in appreciation for their efforts to educate the youth of Albany.

The week-long celebration is hosted by the Albany PTO, with the help of parents and local businesses.

The National Teacher Appreciation Week is actually May 8-12, but the PTO opted to wait until next week in order not to conflict with STAAR testing at both campuses.

By Sam Waller

Students at Nancy Smith Elementary School will have a day to run and jump Tuesday, May 23, at the annual track meet and field day.

Principal John Gallagher said the events are being combined into one day this year after being held separately in 2022.

Gallagher said students should report to school as normal before being bused to the high school track at 9:00 a.m.

Gallagher said lunch will be provided at the track with students being bused to Webb Park for the rest of the day following the meal.

By Sam Waller

A co-ed Midnight Slow Pitch Softball Tournament to benefit the Albany Softball Association has been scheduled for Friday-Saturday, June 9-10.

Organizer Malarie Sutton said the event will be the organization’s main fundraiser for the year.

“We don’t have anything else planned for this year,” Sutton said. “We’ve tossed some ideas out, but I think they’ll probably be for next year.”

By Sam Waller

The Albany Junior High tennis program earned five medals, including three gold, at its district tournament played Thursday-Friday, May 4-5 at Abilene’s Rose Park Tennis Center.

“I was proud of the way our kids competed,” coach M.J. Reneau said. “Our numbers weren’t as big as they were last year, so we didn’t have as many in events. But the events we did participate in, we medaled.”

By Sam Waller

Moran High School had almost 100 percent turnout Friday, May 5 for its prom at the Moran events center.

Seniors Alyssa Allred and Tyler Waddell were crowned prom queen and king.

Moran principal Jo Hise said the event had about 50 attendees, more than Moran’s high school enrollment.

“I think the majority of the high school showed up,” she said. “We did have some guests from out of the district.”

Makeup Day

Friday, May 12 will be a class day for all students as the district makes up another day lost to weather in February.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Albany High School recently announced honor students for the 2023 senior class, with Ella Webb named valedictorian and Presley Green as salutatorian.

Six other seniors were named honor students as part of the top 25 percent of the class, which has 32 members.

Webb, the daughter of Glen and Misti Webb of Albany, has a four-year overall grade average of 97.105.

Green has a overall GPA of 96.53. She is the daughter of Jessi Green, and Jake and Brandi Green, all of Albany.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Shackelford County Youth and Livestock Association (SCYLA) announced a major fundraising effort last week of $160,000 to $200,000 to make what they term as long overdue improvements to the 50-year-old County Show Barn.

A group of board members made the announcement at a county commissioners’ meeting on April 24, seeking a financial commitment of $20,000 from the county.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A washed-up kayak on the shore of McCarty Lake south of Albany Tuesday afternoon, April 25, together with the presence of a parked pickup nearby, triggered a three-day search for 58-year-old Kurtis Ray Smith of Albany that ended with the recovery of Smith’s body from the lake on Friday morning, April 28.

Shackelford County Game Warden Jacob Mort said he was notified about the situation Tuesday evening after a deputy had checked the scene and felt that a search was in order.

By Sam Waller

The inaugural Shackelford County Horse Show will offer 4-H and FFA members a chance to display their horsemanship skills in a variety of contests.

The show, under the auspices of the Shackelford Youth and Livestock Association, is scheduled for 9:00 a.m. Saturday, May 6 at the Fikes Arena.

The event is free and open to the public. Happy Grill will be on hand to provide food service.

Shackelford County extension agent Kelsey Bell said entry deadline is May 4 (today), but most contestants are already registered.