By Melinda L. Lucas

After holding the required public hearing prior to their 9:00 a.m. session, Shackelford County commissioners adopted the proposed budget and tax rate at a meeting on Tuesday, Sept. 7.

There was no one from the general public to voice any opposition or comment on the proposals. 

Elected officials also acted on a number of other routine items in a fairly long agenda on Monday morning.

Budget Okayed

A $4,401,613 deficit budget proposed at the Aug. 14 session was approved unanimously without discussion. 

By Donnie A. Lucas

The number of new COVID-19 cases held fairly steady last week at the Shackelford County Hospital Clinic, with 26 positive results out of the 57 tests given through Friday, Sept. 3.

The clinic was closed Monday for Labor Day, but reported 18 more tests administered on Tuesday with eight additional positives.

County Judge Bob Skelton issued a report on Tuesday, Sept. 7 with the hospital clinic’s numbers, but was not able to obtain the number of tests or results for ResourceCare’s medical clinic in Albany.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Opening week of dove season including Labor Day weekend typically brings droves of hunters to town, but initial reports indicated few hunters because of a lack of local birds.

According to local game warden Jake Mort, it has been an usually slow start to the season.

“It has been extremely slow since the season opened last week on Sept. 1,” Mort said. “The average kill has been just three to five birds per hunter, so those who are hunting are having a hard time filling their limits.”

By Donnie A. Lucas

An investigative report involving an alleged wastewater violation by a local refining facility has been released by the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality, with a separate investigation on air quality and pollution still pending.

 The final investigation report concerning wastewater disposal at Texas Renewable Group, LLC, was sent to the named complaint, Darla Cotter, by the TCEQ on Aug. 19.

By Sam Waller

Students, teachers and staff at Moran have settled into a new way of doing things through the first two weeks of the new school year.

Principal Jo Hise said the school district is employing block scheduling in the upper grades this year.

“The first week went well,” Hise said. “The kids, teachers, and staff seem to be adjusting to our new schedule really well. I’m very pleased with that.”

By Sam Waller

Moran’s city-wide garage sale is scheduled for Saturday.

Sale organizer Michelle Taggart said the event will begin at 7:00 a.m. with no set time to finish.

Maps will be available at the Moran Community Center.

“I’m still taking names for the sale,” Taggart said. “The deadline to sign up is noon Thursday (today).

To register, Taggart said, contact Teresa King at Moran City Hall.

“They can get ahold of her, and she’ll let me know,” Taggart said.

By Donnie A. Lucas

After-game fellowships following varsity football games will start on Sept. 17 following the Albany’s first home game of the season on Sept. 17.

The varsity Lions will play on the road for three Fridays starting this week before opening at home against Haskell on Sept. 12.

 The traditional “Fifth Quarter” fellowships will come with some changes this year, according to Tisha Wilkins, executive director of The Feed Store, which coordinates the events.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Team and individual pictures of the junior high football teams will be taken today (Thursday) starting at 3:15 p.m.

Those packages, along  with Lady Cubs volleyball, will be ready for pickup in the next couple of weeks.

By Sam Waller

The Albany Golf Club’s annual Labor Day tournament will have a full field for Saturday’s first round.

The two-person scramble will tee off at 8:30 a.m. Saturday with an afternoon group starting at 1:30 p.m.

“We’re ready to go – still full,” tournament organizer James Waters  said. “I’ve had a cancellation or two, but I had people on standby, so we’re still full and still have a couple on the standby list.”

After Saturday’s round, the field will be flighted and tee times assigned for Sunday.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The City of Albany will test the emergency warning siren at 12:00 noon on Wednesday, Sept. 9, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.

The tests keep citizens familiar with the three warning sounds, and they are also used to make sure that the siren, computer, software, and radios are working correctly.

The siren should sound one of the three emergency tones at noon on that day, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable, according to local fire chief Travis Gardenhire.