By Kathy Thomson

Participants still have a little over a week to sort through unused items in garages, closets, and storage buildings, gather up things that are just taking up valuable space, and get them ready to sell to new owners during the Albany Chamber of Commerce annual garage sale on Saturday, Sept. 14.

The event is traditionally held on the second Saturday in September, and along with garage sales at various locations around Albany, many downtown merchants also have sales taking place on that day.

By Melinda L. Lucas

A 2020 budget of  $387,522 was approved by unanimous vote of the board of directors for the  Shackelford County Appraisal District (CAD) early last Friday morning, Aug. 30 at the CAD office.

The figure is $14,461 more than the current budget of $373,061.

Following the required public hearing, with no one other than board members in attendance, Bob Skelton voiced the motion to approve the budget as proposed, with a second from Lanham Martin.

The motion passed without opposition.

Representatives of the Chamber of Commerce gather for a ceremonial ribbon cutting at Albany Paint & Body after the business officially joined the Chamber recently. The shop is located on Hwy. 283 just north of the county show barn.

Pick-up dates for the September distribution of commodity foods are Sept. 5 and Sept. 6.

Thursday, Sept. 5, eligible families in Moran should pick up their monthly commodity food at the Moran City Hall between 9:00 a.m. and 12:00 noon.

Albany families who have been certified for the September food distribution can pick up their commodities Friday, Sept. 6, at the rear door of the JP office from 9:00 to 11:00 a.m. 

The City of Albany will test the emergency warning siren at 12:00 noon next Wednesday, Sept. 11, as it does the second Wednesday of every month, depending on the weather.

The tests keep citizens familiar with the three warning sounds, and they are also used to make sure that the siren, computer, software, and radios are working correctly.

The siren should sound one of the three emergency tones at noon on that day, but the siren is not tested if the weather is questionable, according to local fire chief Kyle Tischler. 

By Kathy Thomson

With the fall stock show season already underway, Shackelford County 4-H, Albany FFA, and Moran FFA students have a workday scheduled this Saturday, Sept. 7, starting at 8:00 a.m. to prepare the local show barn for upcoming events.

The Shackelford County Youth and Livestock show barn, located at 8470 US Highway 283 North, just outside of the Albany city limits, needs to be ready to welcome visitors and around 100 show pigs prospects at the facility’s first event of the year next weekend. 

The Hendrick Regional Blood Center bloodmobile will be at First Baptist Church on Thursday, Sept. 12 from 1:00 p.m. until 6:00 p.m. 

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

Blood center employees urge community members to donate blood to help ensure that patients in the hospitals they serve have a supply of blood ready and waiting before an emergency occurs.

Donors will receive a T-shirt. Those with questions can call 325-670-2880. 

Students in the early pre-K group at Stepping Stones Christian School take a break from their studies on their first day of class Tuesday, Sept. 3 in favor of a little outside time. The local private school accepts preschool children from three to five years of age.

By Kathy Thomson

Area churches will once again host the successful and popular after-game fellowships following each of the Albany Lions’ home football games for 2019.

The first “Fifth Quarter” event of the season will be held Friday, Sept. 6 at The Feed Store and will be hosted by Matthews Memorial Presbyterian Church and Trinity Lutheran Church.

Chick-fil-A nuggets, chips, water, and cookies will be served at tomorrow’s event, according to MMPC pastor’s assistant Sandy Ingalls.

By Kathy Thomson

Shackelford County has had its share of wildfires in the last week, with local volunteers called out to fight several good-sized pasture fires, including two in the same night.

Last week, the Texas A&M Forest Service (TFS) cautioned all Texans to use caution outdoors because of the “exceptional” drought conditions. 

Shackelford County, along with most of the Big Country, remains under a burn bun.