A blood drive is scheduled to take place in Albany this afternoon, March 14, and Hendrick Regional Blood Center (formerly Meek Blood Center) will park its bloodmobile at First Baptist Church from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m.

Randall Palmore started playing the steel guitar almost 30 years ago and the acoustic guitar a decade or so before that, and this spring his musical skills are being acknowledged by his peers, who have selected him to be inducted into the Cowtown Society of Western Music’s “Heroes of Western Swing”...

Financial figures for both the upcoming year and last year were significant topics during the Albany city council’s meeting on Monday, when a $3.29 million budget was adopted for fiscal year 2019-2020, and the audit was approved for 2017-2018.

“Leo” the Southern Ocean Carbon and Climate Observations and Modeling (SOCCOM) float adopted by Albany Junior and Senior High School last year has resumed sending data after being trapped beneath ice in the Southern (Antarctic) Ocean for several months.

Albany ISD students, faculty, and staff are scheduled to dismiss for the spring break holiday at noon on Friday, March 8. Prior to the break, cheerleader try-outs will be held Friday morning, with the sixth graders bused over to the Albany High School gym for the competition.

T-shirts, sweatshirts, and coffee cups, all sporting the Fellowship of Christian Athletes logo, are available in a wide assortment of colors from FCA Big Country East area representative Paul Johnston. “I’m selling the stuff to get kids to camp,” said Johnston.

Thomas Aly, CEO and founder of Live Missions and former Albany First Baptist Church youth minister, has once again organized a spring break mission trip to Uganda, and six local residents are among the group traveling to Africa.

Even though the mercury dipped down into the mid-teens for several days earlier this week, county residents were not reporting any serious problems associated with weather as of press time.

Shackelford County voters who wish to vote by mail ballot for either Albany city council members or for trustees for AISD can submit applications from now until April 23.

Fort Griffin State Historic Site will hold a Stars and Skies party this Saturday, March 9, at 7:00 p.m. “Join us next week for our first star party of the spring season,” said event specialist Eric Abercrombie. “We are hoping for great temperatures and clear skies!