Albany’s well-known “Home of the Hereford” sign was knocked down early Saturday morning after a vehicle struck the structure, according to local authorities.The crash occurred in the early morning hours, with Texas Department of Public Safety troopers responding to the scene.

In the only contested local race, Shackelford County Judge John Viertel was reelected with 396 votes, or 60.64%, to challenger Raleigh Breeden’s 257 votes (39.36%) in Tuesday’s Republican Primary election. Viertel will begin his second term in January 2027.

Routine maintenance work on the U.S. Highway 180 bridge over Hubbard Creek Reservoir began Wednesday, March 4, according to the Texas Department of Transportation.TxDOT officials said the project includes work on and underneath the bridge. Crews are working daily from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

The Albany News is preparing to release its Spring/Summer Visitor Guide at the end of this month, continuing the fresh look introduced with last fall’s complete redesign.

Last week marked 100 years since a moment that forever changed the course of Shackelford County history.On Feb. 18, 1926, an oil well drilled on the Cook Ranch five miles northwest  of Albany erupted with a gusher that would soon become known around the world.

What began as a routine Shackelford County Commissioners Court meeting Monday morning quickly shifted into an extended and increasingly uneasy discussion about the Frontier data center projects and their growing effects on residents, infrastructure, and public safety.

The Aztec Sessions concert series will continue this week as Texas country favorites Micky & The Motorcars take the stage at the Aztec Theater on Friday, Feb. 27.Doors will open at 7 p.m., with the show beginning at 8 p.m.

Local ranchers and businesses came together this week to support livestock producers in Oklahoma whose grazing land has been destroyed by widespread wildfires across the region.

The Albany Lions will face a challenging road in the 2026 football season, as the official schedule released this week features a strong non-district lineup and a district that coaches say may be among the toughest in Class 2A.The Lions will open preseason play with scrimmages at Henrietta on Aug.

Construction activity continues to expand at the Frontier data center project in Shackelford County, bringing both economic activity and growing pains to the area.