By Melinda L. Lucas

A large crowd attended a book signing of Heavy Date Over Germany: The Life and Times of B-17 Tail Gunner Ray Perry on Tuesday, Dec. 17 at the Shackelford County Library, including the subject’s son, former Texas governor Rick Perry, who wrote the foreword.

Old Jail Art Center staff member and retired history teacher Jewellee Jordan Kuenstler edited the book, using the late World War II veteran’s letters, photos, and mementos to tell his story of 35 combat missions as a tail gunner.

The Albany Chamber of Commerce will meet as usual this week on Dec. 20 at the Icehouse.

The weekly luncheon has been cancelled for the holidays on Dec. 27.

On Friday, Jan. 3, the 12:00 noon meetings move to the Beehive for the first two months of 2020.

For information about the lunches or other activities, call Mary Beth Jones at 325-762-2525.

The Chamber office will be closed for the holidays on Dec. 25 and Jan. 1.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The varsity Lady Lions won two out of three games at the Breckenridge Tournament last weekend, beating both Dublin and TLCA before falling to the hosting Lady Bucs in the third round.

Albany hosted Guthie on Tuesday, picking up a 43-37 win to improve to 11-4 for the season. Details of the game will be reported in the next issue of the News.

The Lady Lions will travel to Throckmorton on Friday for a 2:00 p.m. game before starting the Christmas holiday.

By Donnie A. Lucas

Last week was very busy for boys basketball, with the varsity playing in the Hico tournament and the two JV teams entered in the Jacksboro tournament.

All three high school boys teams will travel to Comanche on Friday for games starting 4:00 p.m. Following the a mandatory five-day break for Christmas, the varsity Lions will host a six-team tournament set for Jan. 3-4, including Winters, Hico, Jayton, San Saba, Wellington, and Albany. Games will start both days at 10:00 a.m.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The two Lion JV teams played a combined total of nine games last week, hosting a pair of bouts on Tuesday and playing in the Jacksboro Tournament.

The JV teams will travel to Comanche on Friday for games starting at 4:00 p.m. before the holiday break begins.

The JV team suffered a one-point loss to Early on Dec. 10, followed by falling in three games out of four in Jacksboro.

Despite a big fourth-quarter effort, the JV lost 40-39 to Early.

By Donnie A. Lucas

The Cubs and Lady Cubs played a full set of games on Monday with mixed results.

The junior high teams will be idle over the Christmas break, resuming play on Jan. 9 in Cross Plains.

The eighth grade girls posted a 31-19 win over the visiting Roscoe girls, improving to 4-4 season and 4-1 in district.

“This was a great team win,” coach Jamie Wilson said. “We had a lot of good things happen, and I think the girls are starting to figure out our press, which makes us pretty deadly.”

By Kathy Thomson

Texas dove hunters have an opportunity to bag the migratory game birds over the Christmas holiday season, starting this Friday, Dec. 20.

Dove season in Texas this year is Sept. 1-Nov. 12, and Dec. 20-Jan. 5. 

Bag limits are still 15-birds per day, including no more than two white-tipped, with a possession limit of three times the daily bag limit.

Legal shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to sunset.

Sunrise in Albany this Friday, Dec. 20 will occur at 7:35 a.m., and sunset at 5:34 p.m. 

By Kathy Thomson

Moran basketball players have been busy with regular games and tournament matches over the last week.

Both varsity teams won games in Woodson on Tuesday, Dec. 10, but did not fare as well in tournament play at Zephyr last weekend.

The middle school boys and girls teams both fell to visiting teams from Eula on Monday, Dec. 16.

Bulldogs

The Moran Bulldogs kept it close with the Cowboys for three quarters before putting up 16 points to Woodson’s 11 in the fourth to tie the score.

By Kathy Thomson

Friday, Dec. 20 is the final day of the third six weeks period, the end of the fall semester, and the beginning of the two-week long Christmas vacation for students attending school in Moran.

Included in the final countdown to the winter holiday have been University Interscholastic League competitions, basketball games, class parties, a visit from Santa, and, of course, end-of-the-semester homework and exams. 

Christmas Break

Will LeMay finished third in the average in the 12 and under tie down roping at the Tuf Cooper Jr. World Finals in Las Vegas, Nevada last Wednesday, Dec. 11.

LeMay qualified for the exclusive event by placing in the top 25 in his division at participating rodeos throughout the year. 

Winning third place in the average on three head on Wednesday allowed LeMay to advance as one of only six contestants eligible for the finals, the “Shoot Out” round on Saturday, Dec. 14.