By Kathy Thomson

Almost 200 local Republicans and Democrats participated in the first week of early voting in the Texas primaries, around 100 less than at the comparable time during the last presidential election race in 2016.

Election Day is next Tuesday, March 3. 

Four years ago, there were several contested local races in addition to the national and statewide contests, while in 2020 the only Shackelford County office with more than one candidate on the primary ballot is for the Republican nominee for County Commissioner Precinct 1. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County elected officials are combing through three IT bids opened Monday, Feb. 24, with plans to meet with each vendor separately in the next couple of weeks before making a decision.

Sealed bids were received from Computer Transition Services Inc., Tolar Systems, and Goldsmith Solutions, the current vendor.

Consultation meetings  with representatives of the companies have already been posted for March 5-6, with plans to vote at the next regular meeting on Monday, March 9, according to county judge Robert Skelton.

The Hendrick Regional Blood Center bloodmobile will be at Albany High School next Monday, March 3 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., then at First Baptist Church on Thursday, March 5 from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. 

While the AHS location is primarily for students, anyone can donate blood at either event, depending on which is more convenient.

Hendrick Regional Blood Center supplies all of the blood and blood products used for patient care at 17 area hospitals.

By Melinda L. Lucas

Almost 93 percent of the 2019 tax levy had been collected with the required Jan. 31 postmark deadline, according to chief appraiser Clayton Snyder at the Shackelford County Central Appraisal District (CAD) office, with eligible payments coming in for another week or so at the beginning of February.

Official CAD reports show that 8,754,165 of the $9,444,036, or 92.68 percent, had come in as of Feb. 3, when the latest reports were finalized.

By Kathy Thomson

County winners at the San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo last week included several family members, two of whom claimed second place ribbons in back-to-back swine classes on Monday, Feb. 17.

Callan Edgar’s Duroc barrow was selected as runner up in class 37 and Tatum Grady took second place in class 38, also with a Duroc barrow. 

Carli Edgar was seventh with a dark cross barrow in Class 58.  

Tye Edgar was 10th in class 100.

By Kathy Thomson

The National Weather Service (NWS), with the help of local organizations, conducts SkyWarn classes each spring all over the nation, including two scheduled in area towns over the next few days.

This Saturday, Feb. 29, a SkyWarn class will meet in Hart Auditorium in the Onstead-Packer building at Abilene Christian University from 9:00-11:30 a.m. 

A SkyWarn class will also be offered on Monday, March 2, in Breckenridge.

By Kathy Thomson

Students at the Moran Independent School District are celebrating national FFA week, Feb. 22-29 with different themes each day.

“Monday was camo day, and Tuesday was dress as a farmer,” said administrative assistant Jeanne TenCate. “This Wednesday was ‘bring a stuffed farm animal to school’.”

Thursday’s theme was dress like a cowboy. 

On Friday, Feb. 28, students are encouraged to wear the FFA colors, blue and gold. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

Three new exhibitions, including one that cele-brates the Old Jail Art Center’s 40 years of collecting, will be open to the public starting next Tuesday, Feb. 25.

OJAC members can attend a preview reception this Saturday, Feb. 22 from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m.

The three collections will be featured at the Old Jail’s 40th anniversary gala next month on March 28.

Permanent Collection

By Kathy Thomson

There are new faces in the Fandangle office starting this month, with Jamie Parsons taking over as office manager and Scarlett Yates heading up the marketing for the 2020 season. 

Fandangle board president Branch Bartee said this week that directors met several times in January in order to determine how best to fill the vacant office positions, announcing their decision in time for Parsons and Yates to both start working during the fist week in February.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A one-year contract extension was approved for Nancy Smith Elementary School principal John Gallagher, along with similar offers for district business manager Angelyn Faith and director of student services Leigh Lowe, following a closed session at the end of Monday’s regular school board meeting.

Three percent raises, although approved in the separate contract motions by Joe Tidwell, Ginny Ivy, and Kelly Head, are contingent on the 2020-2021 budget.