By Melinda L. Lucas

The presidential race plus local board elections delayed from May due to COVID brought out large numbers of county voters for the 2020 General Election, with a large percentage voting early and absentee.

A total of 1,635 voters cast ballots, representing 70.87 percent of the 2,307 registered voters in the county. This compares with 1,521 voters in the presential election in 2016.

By Sandy Morris

Earlier in the year, the -COVID-19 pandemic basically gave Albany ISD students an extended spring break that ran through the end of the school year. 

Then, at the beginning of this school year, the Texas Education Agency allowed school districts to offer remote online learning to students who needed to be in quarantine or whose parents were not comfortable sending their children back to school. 

Albany ISD began the school year offering remote online learning to any student whose parents requested this option. 

By Sandy Morris

Recent cooler temperatures and a pleasant forecast for the upcoming weekend have hunters hopeful for a good opening weekend of deer and turkey season. 

Deer and turkey season officially opens Saturday, Nov. 7, and quail season opened Oct. 26

According to Shackelford County game warden Jacob Mort, the recent cold snap has gotten the deer moving.

“We are seeing a lot of movement with the bucks fighting and chasing the does,” Mort said. 

Regulations

By Sandy Morris

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas at the Albany Chamber of Commerce. 

Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones said this week that Albany Bucks tickets, parade float entries, and memorial ornament sales all begin on Tuesday, Nov. 10.

Albany Bucks

Shoppers can start earning tickets for Albany Bucks by shopping at any downtown or locally owned merchant. Every $10 spent in a local, non-chain business earns the shopper one ticket. 

Tickets also can be purchased at the Chamber for $5 each. 

By Sandy Morris

Local FFA and 4-H members are already hard at work preparing for the upcoming stock show season.

Members have a number of upcoming events and due dates in the next several weeks, as well as fundraisers and dues to pay.

FFA Fundraisers

Members of the Albany FFA completed their first fundraiser selling a total of 373 items, according to Chris Beard, Albany ag science instructor. Beard said the goal is to sell 1,000 items and the next sale due date is Friday, Nov. 13. 

By Sandy Morris

Early voting for the Nov. 3 election will wrap up in Texas and Shackelford County on Friday, Oct. 30, with the General Election Day set for next Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Shackelford County and District Clerk Cheri Hawkins said in-person early voting will continue to be held o n the first floor of the courthouse until Thursday, Oct. 29, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and through the lunch hour. Then on Friday, Oct. 30, residents have from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. to early vote at the courthouse. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

Some county residents went without electricity for several hours on Tuesday, and school classes in both Albany and Moran were cancelled because of an early winter storm that dropped enough snow and freezing rain to cause multiple problems.

Tuesday’s electrical outage, thought to be mostly an issue with a circuit breaker at the sub-station, was repaired during the night, but some customers were still without power on Wednesday morning.

By Sandy Morris

Despite the cancellation of the annual Fall Fest due to COVID-19 precautions, local merchants and the Chamber of Commerce are working together to provide an afternoon of fun and food on Saturday, Oct. 31.

Trick or treaters will be able to visit merchants in the downtown block for candy and treats from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Merchants will be set up in front of their respective stores in the downtown area. 

Other groups may set up at the Bank Park. 

By Sandy Morris

Pick-up dates for the November distribution of the commodity food program will be Thursday, Nov. 5 and Friday, Nov. 6.

Certified eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. on Nov. 5. 

Albany families who have been certified as eligible for the November food distribution program may pick up their food the following day from 9:00 a.m. to 11:00 a.m. at the rear door of the JP office. 

It’s time to fall back! Daylight Savings Time comes to an end on Sunday, Nov. 2 at 2:00 a.m. Clocks should be set back an hour at that time.

Most of the United States reverts to standard time on the first Sunday in November. In the U.S., each time zone switches at a different time.

A new law to extend DST to the first Sunday in November took effect in 2007, with the purpose of providing trick-or-treaters more light and therefore more safety from traffic accidents.