By Kathy Thomson

The city of Albany will receive a sales tax allotment of $37,868 from the state this September. The amount is down 15.76 percent from the $44,955 payment received in September of 2018.

Payments to date for the 2019 year to the city of Albany are $413,711, up by 6.42 percent from the comparable time last year, when payments of $388,741 had been made.

The city of Moran will receive a net payment of $1,493 this period for a 23.30 percent increase from the $1,211 received in September 2018.

By Melinda L. Lucas

The first Third Thursday Studio of the year will kick off the fall season Thursday, Sept. 19 at the Old Jail Art Center.

Participants can spend a couple of hours with Tamberley Thomas and leave with a framed fall-themed painting.

The event will be held in the Stasney Center from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m.

On the third Thursday of each month during the school year, the adult-only classes allow participants to try different art media.

A blood drive is scheduled to take place in Albany this afternoon, Sept. 12, 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. 

Blood drives in Albany have been sponsored by the Kiwanis Club for over 20 years.

The blood center depends on volunteer blood donors to supply 100 percent of the blood that is used for patient care at 17 area hospitals. 

By Melinda L. Lucas

Shackelford County commissioners confirmed times for upcoming public hearings and meetings, along with discussing repairs to a Precinct 2 bridge and title insurance for Precinct 4 voting site.

The elected officials will already need to meet for two required public hearings and then one special session to vote on the budget and tax rate before the end of the month. They opted to move the regular fourth Monday meeting time to coincide with the Friday, Sept. 20 hearing and avoid conflicting with a jury trial on Sept. 23.

By Kathy Thomson

Representatives of the Lee’s Legion Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) will be at the three local school campuses next week to help students celebrate the anniversary of the signing of the United States Constitution, according to Lisa Echols, chairman of Lee’s Legion’s constitution week committee and vice chairman Carolyn Vick Kennedy.

By Kathy Thomson

Three Shackelford County youth exhibitors placed well at the West Texas Fair and Rodeo in Abilene last weekend with goats and heifers, and several other local students are entered in events this week.

Gracie Price took blue ribbons with both of her Maine Anjou heifers, Myleigh Leveridge was second with a Hereford heifer, and Brayden Sullivan claimed second in goat showmanship along with placing third and fourth in market goats.

By Kathy Thomson

Directors of the Albany Chest met on Wednesday, Sept. 4, to organize the 2019 fundraising drive, elect four board members, and vote on officers for the upcoming year.

The deadline for organizations to turn in funding requests was set for Friday, Oct. 4, and the board’s next meeting will be held at The Feed Store on Wednesday, Oct. 9 at 5:15 p.m. to evaluate applications and decide on a fundraising target for the 2019 Chest drive.

Last year, a goal of $42,000 was set, with $42,157 raised.

Board Elections

By Kathy Thomson

This weekend, Saturday and Sunday, Sept. 14 and 15, the Shackelford County Youth and Livestock show barn will host the 33rd Annual First Impressions Invitational Pig Sale, and organizers are expecting 17 consignors from four states to bring 100 pigs for the competition and sale. 

“We are limiting the sale to 100 pigs this year,” said organizer Mike Parsons. “A couple of the consignors will probably come in late on Friday, but we expect most of them to arrive on Saturday, and we’ll have the auction on Sunday.”

By Kathy Thomson

Members of the City of Moran Volunteer Fire Department raised some much-needed funds last weekend when they held a Fill the Boot fundraiser.

“The VFD was able to collect $575,” said member Michelle Taggart. “People in and out of the community were very generous!”

Most of the funds will be used to cover recent repairs on the fire truck’s brakes. 

By Kathy Thomson

Monday, Sept. 16, is a fifth day optional/required school day at Moran Independent School District.

“Please remember that only students with excellent attendance, behavior, citizenship, and classroom performance are permitted to take these optional days off,” said superintendent Danny Freeman. “If you have not been contacted directly by your child’s teacher, then please send your student to school.”