By Sandy Morris

Pick-up dates for the March distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, March 4 and Friday, March 5.

Certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 and 11:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 4. 

Albany families who have been certified as eligible for the February food distribution program may pick up their food on Friday, March 5, from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. at the rear door of the JP office. 

By Sandy Morris

Local FFA and 4-H youth braved the winter weather and participated in the recent San Angelo and San Antonio stock shows, with the San Antonio show still going on this week.

San Antonio Show

Albany FFA sponsor and ag instructor Chris Beard said eight exhibitors showed gilts Feb. 10 to Feb. 12 during the first week of the San Antonio Livestock Show.

Carter Carrion earned seventh place with his Duroc gilt.

By Sandy Morris

Project Graduation organizers for the senior class will hold a ‘To Go’ lunch beginning at 11:30 a.m. on Sunday, Feb. 28 at The Feed Store. 

The menu will include chicken spaghetti, salad, bread stick, and dessert for a donation.

Each senior has been assigned a food item to donate before the luncheon. 

Seniors can help by promoting the lunch on social media and helping deliver meals to cars. Parents can help inside by making up the to-go boxes. 

By Sandy Morris

The Ministerial Alliance continues to work on plans for the Easter Community Service. 

This year’s Easter event is called AWAKEN and will be held at the Aztec on Sunday, March 28.

Alliance members are planning for the event to include out of town speakers and a worship team. 

Specific times and other final details will be announced for the Easter service, which traditionally takes place on Palm Sunday evening. 

Easter in 2021 is Sunday, April 4. Palm Sunday is March 28.

By Sandy Morris

Local and area high school students who were unable to attend the Worship Night at the Feed Store on Wednesday, Feb. 24, will have another opportunity to hear featured speaker Riley Israel.

The area Fellowship of Christian Athletes has teamed up with Power1 Ministries and will host a youth rally at the Breckenridge High School gym at 7:00 p.m. on Monday, March 1.

Growing up, Israel was very involved in all sports, playing baseball, football, and basketball, but baseball was his first love. 

By Sandy Morris

The Albany Band Boosters will hold a garage sale and bake sale at Friendship Baptist Church from 8:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. on Saturday, Feb. 27.

All money raised will go towards junior high and high school band trips, as well as improvements to the elementary band hall.

Band Booster member Kelli Kreitler said donations of items for the garage sale are welcome from the public. 

By Sandy Morris

Albany High School UIL students are making up for lost time due to last week’s winter weather and school closure and working to submit their entries to the Holliday High School virtual academic meet. 

Originally, all entries were to be received last week but the wide-spread frigid weather pushed back the submission deadline to midnight on Thursday, Feb. 25. 

AHS academic director Rick Davis said that sponsors were working with schedules to get all entries submitted. 

By Sandy Morris

The cast and crew of Albany High School’s One Act Play will give a public performance of The Love of Oranges at 6:00 p.m. on Monday, March 1 at the Albany High School auditorium. 

By Sandy Morris

The Old Jail Art Center  will open two new exhibitions to the public starting Saturday, Feb. 27 and running through Saturday, May 22.

No public opening is planned because of COVID precautions and limited hours of operation. 

The public is invited to visit the OJAC and view the new exhibitions from 12:30 to 4:30 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday. 

Penumbra

By Melinda L. Lucas

Close to 93 percent of the 2020 tax levy had been collected as of Jan. 31, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder at the Shackelford County Central Appraisal District (CAD) office, with eligible payments coming in for another week or so at the beginning of February.

Official CAD reports show that $8,515,099 of the $9,193,065 total levy, or 92.63 percent, had come in as of last week.