ResourceCare’s 18th annual Summer Day Camp began on Monday, and if camper numbers on the first couple of days are any indication, overall participation may exceed last year’s record numbers.

There were 186 attendees on the first day of camp this year, Monday, July 9, including about 50 workers and 136 campers, according to organizer Ragan Riley, and on Tuesday, July 10, they served lunch to 187 people, including the staff and volunteers, added program director Mindy Ary.

“We are averaging around 130 campers a day,” said Ary.

Members of the Albany Volunteer Fire Department will be on hand to unload donations of water, Gatorade, and Powerade at their upcoming water/Gatorade drive, set for Monday, July 16.

The water/Gatorade drive is scheduled to take place at the firehouse at 609 Railroad Street next Monday from 5:00 to 6:20 p.m., followed by the regular VFD meeting at 6:30 p.m.

An emergency management proposal and a report on the nearly complete Courthouse repair project were among the most discussed items on the Shackelford County commissioners court agenda for a Monday morning, July 9 meeting.

The elected officials also opted to leave the county-wide burn ban active, especially in light of recent lightning strikes and area wildfires.

Emergency Management

Jones County emergency management coordinator Buddy Pope asked the commissioners to consider joining with other surrounding counties to form a regional coalition.

Albany volunteer firemen were called to the scene of a truck trailer fire on Saturday around noon near the east city limits.

According to AVFD chief Kyle Tischler, an equipment hauler was moving a large track hoe from New Mexico to Houston when he noticed that his trailer brakes had become overheated and caught on fire.

The driver was able to unload the equipment before the fire spread with only slight damage to the track hoe. 

He also disconnected the truck from the trailer and drove the rig away from the fire.

The Old Jail Art Center will host three Region 14 teacher workshops for Continuing Professional Education credits during the month of July. 

A fourth workshop, Project Archeology: Investigating Shelter, was planned for this Friday, July 13, but has been cancelled. 

The Art of Reading workshop is scheduled to take place from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 20.

Workers at Resource Care Community Health Center have organized a new fundraiser and sponsorships and tickets for CareFest 2018 are currently available.

Gates at Happy Wife Happy Life will open for CareFest 2018 at 11:00 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 11, the music will begin at 1:00 p.m., and the party will end at 1:00 a.m., early Sunday morning.

“We’ve limited it to a maximum of 1,000 people this year, since this is our first time to hold the event,” said organizer Ragan Riley. “Ticket sales are discounted until the end of July. Prices will increase on Aug. 1.”

The fourth annual Fort Griffin BBQ Cook-Off will take place in downtown Albany on the weekend of Sept. 28-29. Entry fee for the cook-off is $150 per team.

“I signed my team up today,” said Albany Chamber of Commerce president Ramby Anderson on Tuesday. “I’m excited about it, and so is my family!”

Anderson’s “Second Ham Smoke” team joined “Undercooked & Overserved,” “bbq_ye5epl,” and “Llano it’s GOOD BBQ,” as early entries in the contest.

Albany schools will start the first six weeks of the fall semester in five weeks, and it’s time for parents and school staff members to begin preparations for the upcoming school year, making sure that children are properly enrolled, and the school is ready for the starting day of the fall semester. 

Classes at the Albany Independent School District will begin on Thursday, Aug. 16, one day earlier than last year. 

New and ongoing recipients of Albany ISD Education Foundation scholarships need to provide proof of enrollment in order to receive their benefit for the fall 2018 semester.

“As far as I know, we don’t currently have a specific deadline date set this year,” said secondary campus principal Edward Morales. “But in the past, the students have sent their proof of enrollment to us as soon as possible, so we could release their scholarship funds to them.”

Children from pre-K to sixth grade are invited to grab their megaphones, lace up their cleats, tune up their instruments and come “gear up for life’s big game” at the Albany Ministerial Alliance supported Community Vacation Bible School Game On! taking place next week, July 16-20, at Friendship Baptist Church.

The theme verse for this year is 2 Peter 1:3. His divine power has given us everything required for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness.