By Kathy Thomson

Docents at the Old Jail Art Center went on an overnight trip to Fredericksburg earlier this week, and the group is planning a trip to New Orleans next spring, according to Susan Waller, member of the OJAC travel committee.

“We wanted to go on a one-night trip,” said Waller. “We decided to go to Fredericksburg because everybody loves Fredericksburg; it has such fabulous museums, restaurants, and shopping.”

The recent adventure included 17 docents and guests. 

By Kathy Thomson

Members of the Albany Parent Teacher Organization have started planning for the 2019 Fall Festival, and students and parents from all grade levels are encouraged to sign up and help with the annual fundraiser. 

This year, instead of handing out the sign-up sheets to class representatives at a scheduled meeting, organizer Malarie Sutton plans to hand deliver forms to each campus.

By Kathy Thomson

Albany junior high seventh grader Kenzie Neve won the overall cattle showmanship belt buckle at the 61st annual Jones County Fair in Anson last Saturday.

Neve also placed in both of her steer classes.

She took second in Class 3, English steers and second in Class 4, English steers.

Brayden Hawkins was the cattle judge.

By Kathy Thomson

Pumpkins, train rides, games, face painting, and other opportunities to make special fall family memories will be offered at Bethel Assembly’s “The Patch” in downtown Albany at the Bank Park next Saturday, Oct. 5.

Free activities planned by Pastor Luke Spraberry and the members of Bethel Assembly include various games, face painting, pumpkin story time, a petting zoo on Saturday afternoon, a corn pit, and photo booths for fall family pictures.

By Kathy Thomson

The monthly star gazing party, Stars and Skies of Texas, will be held at Fort Griffin State Historical Site from 8:00 to 10:00 p.m. this Saturday, Sept. 28.

The event is included in the cost of admission to the old cavalry fort, and will be held in the baseball field at the campgrounds.

Other activities at the fort on Saturday will include a Guided Fort Tour from 9:00 to 10:30 a.m.

Guided Fort Tour

By Kathy Thomson

The 12th Annual Albany Kiwanis Charity/John Rose & Jim Law Memorial Golf Tournament and Fajita Fiesta will take place at the Albany Golf Course this Friday, Sept. 14.

Money raised from participants and sponsors will help fund the Albany K Charity Scholarship Fund.

The four-person scramble is $50 per golfer, with the fee to include a Fajita Fiesta meal provided by Albany Kiwanians on Friday before the start of the tournament.

Fajita Meal

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County conducted the first of two public hearings along with moving through a few other pieces of business on Monday morning, Sept. 16.

The hearing was required as part of the county’s plan to set a tax rate of 58.91 cents per $100 valuation, which is the highest option without a rollback election, even though it’s actually less than the current year’s tax rate of 61.51 cents.

The second public hearing is set for this Friday, Sept. 20 at 9:00 a.m. in the courtroom of the Shackelford County Courthouse.

By Kathy Thomson

Fall officially starts next Monday, Sept. 23, and the Albany downtown area will soon be dressed for the autumn season.

The Albany Chamber of Commerce is heading up the fall decorating project that has attracted a considerable amount of drive-by attention the last few years and is expected to do so again this fall.

“We’ll be decorating downtown for fall  on Saturday, Sept. 21, starting at 8:30 a.m.,” said Chamber manager Mary Beth Jones. “Anybody who wants to help is welcome! We will meet at the Depot.”

By Melinda L. Lucas

With very little discussion, directors of the Shackelford County Hospital District okayed the proposed budget and tax rate at meeting on Monday, Sept. 16.

A budget of $2,957,259 was approved unanimously on a motion by Janna Ledbetter, with a second by Mike Folsom.

The proposed tax rate, which is the effective rate of 18.81 cents, was adopted on a motion by Ledbetter, seconded by Folsom.

The adopted rate is more than two cents less than last year’s rate (20.97 cents) because of slightly higher valuations.

By Kathy Thomson

Shackelford County senior adults (50 and up) are invited to attend the Shackelford County Resource Center’s September senior luncheon to be held on Friday, Sept. 20 at the Youth Center beginning at 11:15 a.m.

ResourceCare will be hosting the meal this month, according to program assistant Ragan Riley.