By Donnie A. Lucas

Teachers and administrators were scrambling earlier this week to prepare alternative forms of instruction after local schools shut down due to the Coronavirus.

While the schools are closed for the next two weeks, students still need to keep up with instruction that they are missing during the time classrooms are closed to students.

Teachers are still working between the hours of 9:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. daily to change the delivery methods of their curriculum.

Secondary System

By Melinda L. Lucas

Financial figures for both the upcoming year and last year were significant topics during the Albany city council’s meeting on Monday, when a $2.94 million budget was adopted for fiscal year 2020-2021, and the audit was approved for 2019-2020.

The required public hearing time was allowed at the beginning of the meeting, but no one from the public had any comments.

Before the vote, city manager Billy Holson pointed out that the proposed budget included three to five percent salary increases in every department.

By Melinda L. Lucas

With a March 17 reser-vation deadline quickly approaching, local residents are being encouraged to secure their places at the Old Jail Art Center’s upcoming 40th anniversary celebration on Saturday, March 28 at 7:00 p.m. 

With a theme of “Piano Bar & Supper Club,” the event will feature musical entertainment by Santa Fe’s Piano Man Doug Montgomery and New York City tenor John Tiranno, a meal catered by Perini Ranch, and several valuable auction items.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners voted unanimously to change IT vendors after reviewing three bids opened at a previous meeting.

Sealed bids were received from Computer Transition Services Inc. (CTSI), Tolar Systems, and Goldsmith Solutions on Feb. 24, and elected officials met individually with representatives of the companies last week.

After discussion, the commissioners opted to accept the low bid of $6,664 per month from CTSI.

By Kathy Thomson

Albany FFA members competed in the livestock and in the horse contest at Parker County/Weatherford College CDEs last Thursday, March 5. 

“Weatherford is a practice contest, and I didn’t have all of our usual team members available, so we filled in with kids who were interested,” said advisor Chris Beard. “Several of them were new at it, while others had only participated on a CDE team once or twice before. It was a good chance for them to begin learning how to judge animals in CDE contests.”

By Kathy Thomson

Albany High School’s one act play (OAP) will advance to bi-district competition, and six members of the troupe won special accolades at the district contest in Stamford on Thursday, March 5.

The bi-district OAP contest will also be held in Stamford on Wednesday, March 25.

Receiving the honor of All-Star Cast was B.J.Morris for his performance as Major-General Sir Richard Hannay, the hero in The 39 Steps.

Tana Thompson, Brooks Neece, and Jackson Chapman were chosen for Honorable Mention All Star Cast. 

By Kathy Thomson

Students tried out for the chance to become Albany school cheerleaders on Friday, March 6, before spring break.

“We had three judges from McMurry University, and their scores counted for 50 percent,” said cheer sponsor Lindsey Vaughn. “Albany teacher evaluations counted for 30 percent, and the student body votes made up the other 20 percent of the totals that were used to make the selections.” 

According to Vaughn, Albany will not have a head cheerleader next year.

By Kathy Thomson

The Leon Bosque Resource Conservation and Development Council Inc. awarded grant money to the Albany Senior Citizens Activity Center last week.

On behalf of the Leon Bosque RC&D, Shackelford County board member John Tate presented a check for $500 to Senior Center representative Tracy Sullivan on Friday, March 6.

“There’s still so much we need,” said Sullivan, “but this money will probably go for tables and chairs.”

Sullivan said that for the most part, the interior of the building is empty.

By Kathy Thomson

For several years, various residents of the Big Country area have traveled to Uganda over spring break on a Christian mission trip, and Albany High School junior Tana Thompson planned to go again this year.

All of that changed when Thomas Aly, former youth minister at Abany’s First Baptist Church and founder of Live Missions, cancelled the trip due to concerns about COVID-19.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Incumbent commissioner Steve Riley kept his seat in Shackelford County’s precinct 1, fending off challenger Bobby Williams in Tuesday’s Republican primary election.

Riley garnered 39 percent of the 212 ballots cast in precinct 1, where there are 543 registered voters. He will not face any Democratic opposition in the general election in November.

Several other local incumbent candidates, including district attorney Joe Edd Boaz, sheriff Edward Miller, and commissioner Lanham Martin, were unopposed on the Republican primary ballot.