Readers of The Albany News saw the lengthy 23-page legal notice published in last week’s February 26 edition outlining Oncor’s proposal to construct a new 765-kilovolt transmission line stretching across Central and West Texas.

While the notice includes Shackelford County among the areas studied, the regulatory process requires Oncor to submit a geographically diverse set of potential routes for consideration by the Public Utility Commission of Texas. Shackelford County is included among the full list of proposed routes submitted to the commission.

Albany’s well-known “Home of the Hereford” sign was knocked down early Saturday morning after a vehicle struck the structure, according to local authorities.

The crash occurred in the early morning hours, with Texas Department of Public Safety troopers responding to the scene.

A driver, identified through Shackelford County Jail records as Robert Wayne Leisher, was arrested at the scene on a charge of driving while intoxicated. Officials indicated the intoxication was believed to involve a substance other than alcohol.

In the only contested local race, Shackelford County Judge John Viertel was reelected with 396 votes, or 60.64%, to challenger Raleigh Breeden’s 257 votes (39.36%) in Tuesday’s Republican Primary election. Viertel will begin his second term in January 2027.

County voters turned out in modest numbers for Tuesday’s midterm primaries. Of the county’s 2,445 registered voters, 721 (29.5%) cast ballots – 669 on the Republican side and 52 on the Democratic ballot – with well over half of those cast during the early voting period.

Routine maintenance work on the U.S. Highway 180 bridge over Hubbard Creek Reservoir began Wednesday, March 4, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.

TxDOT officials said the project includes work on and underneath the bridge. Crews are working daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m., weather permitting. The maintenance is expected to take approximately two weeks to complete.

During the project, motorists should expect periodic single-lane closures to allow crews to safely complete the work.

The Albany News is preparing to release its Spring/Summer Visitor Guide at the end of this month, continuing the fresh look introduced with last fall’s complete redesign.

The updated format, which shifted the guide to more of a magazine-style publication, was well received by readers and local businesses alike. With a clean layout, expanded features and a strong focus on highlighting Albany’s shops, restaurants, events and attractions, the redesigned guide quickly became a go-to resource for both residents and visitors.

Last week marked 100 years since a moment that forever changed the course of Shackelford County history.

On Feb. 18, 1926, an oil well drilled on the Cook Ranch five miles northwest  of Albany erupted with a gusher that would soon become known around the world. What followed was not only an economic transformation that reshaped Albany and the surrounding region, but a legacy that would extend far beyond oil production — one that continues to impact lives today.

What began as a routine Shackelford County Commissioners Court meeting Monday morning quickly shifted into an extended and increasingly uneasy discussion about the Frontier data center projects and their growing effects on residents, infrastructure, and public safety.

The Aztec Sessions concert series will continue this week as Texas country favorites Micky & The Motorcars take the stage at the Aztec Theater on Friday, Feb. 27.

Doors will open at 7 p.m., with the show beginning at 8 p.m.

Formed in 2002 by brothers Micky and Gary Braun, the band has become a longtime fixture in the Texas country and Red Dirt music scene. Originally from Idaho, the group later relocated to Austin, where they built a strong following through years of touring and recording.

Local ranchers and businesses came together this week to support livestock producers in Oklahoma whose grazing land has been destroyed by widespread wildfires across the region.

The fires, which began earlier this month in the Oklahoma Panhandle, have burned more than 300,000 acres and prompted evacuations, emergency declarations, and damage to ranchland across several counties. The largest blaze, known as the Ranger Road Fire, alone scorched more than 280,000 acres across Beaver and Harper counties.

The Albany Lions will face a challenging road in the 2026 football season, as the official schedule released this week features a strong non-district lineup and a district that coaches say may be among the toughest in Class 2A.

The Lions will open preseason play with scrimmages at Henrietta on Aug. 14 and at home against Early on Aug. 20 before beginning regular-season action later in August. The non-district schedule includes home games against Hawley, Anson and Coleman, along with road trips to DeLeon and Coleman.