A quorum of Shackelford County Hospital District directors okayed the proposed budget and tax rate at an abbreviated meeting on Monday, Sept. 17.

Three of the board members waited several minutes until a fourth could arrive in order to be able to take action, then they opted to defer other agenda items until next month so the director could leave to take care of sick family members.

A budget of $2,972,476 was approved unanimously on a motion by Jo Ann Estridge, with a second by Janna Ledbetter.

State Senator Charles Perry and State Representative Mike Lang will host a joint Town Hall meeting for Shackelford County residents next Wednesday, Sept. 26 at the Aztec Theater in downtown Albany.

The hour-long forum from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. will include a question-and-answer time along with a brief address from each elected official about the his legislative agenda, the state budget, and how the legislative process works.

The event is open to the public.

Albany High School senior Madison Wilkins and Moran High School senior Khloe New were named Lions Club co-sweethearts for 2018-19.

“We were looking for young ladies that showed a lot of willingness to work in the community, were good moral citizens, and did well in their class,” said Lions Club president Robert Skelton. “We had several good candidates to choose from.”

Madison Wilkins

Madison Wilkins has attended Albany schools her entire academic career. 

Shackelford County senior adults (50 and up) are invited to attend the Shackelford County Resource Center’s September senior luncheon to be held on Friday, Sept. 21 at the Youth Center beginning at 11:00 a.m.

“The meal time is a little earlier,” said program assistant Ragan Riley. “We changed it to 11:00 a.m. in order to try and accommodate more seniors and volunteers.”

ResourceCare will host the first senior luncheon of the new school year, and the menu for Friday includes BBQ (sliced beef and sausage), potato salad, coleslaw, baked beans, and cobbler for desert.

Jaime Limas, district executive of the western part of the Texas Trails Council of the Boy Scouts will host a Cub Scout meeting at the Nancy Smith Elementary School cafeteria at 6:00 p.m. tonight, Sept. 20.

Boys and girls from kindergarten through fifth grade who are interested in joining the Cub Scouts are encouraged to attend.

“They will need a parent or guardian along with them to fill out paperwork, pay dues, and sign the forms,” Limas said. 

The Albany Ministerial Alliance has decided to try combining “Trunk or Treat” with the PTO Fall Fest at Nancy Smith Elementary School next month, with both events scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 27. The majority of voting members at the meeting decided to “see how it works, and adjust as needed for 2019.”

Proposed Schedule

Trunk or Treat will be set up between NSES and the bus barn, and take place from 5:00 to 6:30 p.m. on Saturday, Oct. 27.

As it is scheduled now, the NSES cafeteria will begin serving at 5:00 p.m., and Fall Fest booths will open at 5:30 p.m.

The 28th annual See You at the Pole is set for Wednesday, Sept. 26, with separate events planned for local elementary and secondary students.

The 2018 theme is “Broken.” 

Ephesians 3:14, I fall on my knees before the Father, is the scripture selected for 2018.

See You at the Pole, a student-initiated, student-organized, and student-led event, is a global movement of prayer where students meet at the school flagpole before school to lift up their friends, families, teachers, school, and nation to God. 

Campbell Terry was recently hired to be the youth minister at First Baptist Church and he began his new duties on Sunday, Sept. 2.

When asked how he ended up as the new youth minister at FBC, Terry did not hesitate with his answer.

“This job?” Terry said. “It was God!” 

Jeff Turner, pastor at FBC, has known Terry for several years, ever since Turner was the youth pastor in Odessa and Terry was one of the high school students in his congregation.

Former Albany youth minister Thomas Aly with Live Missions will host an informational meeting this Sunday, Sept. 23, at 3:00 p.m. at The Feed Store, for anyone who is interested in finding out more about the non-profit’s upcoming Uganda mission trips.

Aly has a trip planned for March 5 through March 15, 2019 and another trip in the works for July 9 to July 20.

“If you’re at all interested, mark your calendars and come join us,” Aly said. “Go and like our Live Missions page to stay updated.”

McMurry University inducted former Albany resident Rory Peacock and seven others into its Athletics Hall of Honor on Sept. 8 in a ceremony held in the Garrison Campus Center Mabee Room. 

“The induction cere-mony was a great experience that I was able to share with former teammates, coaches, friends, and family members,” said Peacock. “Getting to share the stage with some of the best to walk the halls at McMurry, including Coach Barbara Crousen and Coach Grant Teaff, was truly humbling.”