By Melinda L. Lucas
With the circle of confirmed COVID-19 cases closing in on Shackelford County earlier this week, and after Gov. Greg Abbott further defined his week-old executive order on Tuesday, Albany mayor Susan Montgomery called for local citizens to shelter in place effective at midnight on Wednesday, April 8.
By Kathy Thomson
Last month, 8.29 inches of rain fell in the official rain gauge, making it the wettest March ever recorded in Albany. The previous record was 5.2 inches in March 1979.
The abundant March rainfall brought the 2020 first quarter totals up to 12.36, slightly below the record 13.11 inches recorded during January, February, and March of 1968, but well above the average of 5.42 inches for the first three months.
Average Albany rainfall for the month of March is 2.33 inches.
By Donnie A. Lucas
Local schools remain closed this week and throughout the rest of the month by order of Gov. Greg Abbott in an effort to minimize the threat of coronavirus - COVID 19.
Schools across the state will stay shuttered until May 4 under the most recent order, which could be extended through the remainder of the school year.
Teachers and staff have been busy over the last three weeks delivering content to students at Nancy Smith Elementary and Albany Jr/Sr. High School.
By Melinda L. Lucas
With Gov. Greg Abbott’s newly defined stay-at-home orders and a local shelter-in-place announcement, all but essential businesses are now closed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Albany Pet Hospital was closed for several days, but is now open, according to their Facebook post.
CLOSED UNTIL
FURTHER NOTICE
•All businesses except those considered essential, such as grocery stores, pharmacies, banks, feed stores, health clinics, etc.
By Kathy Thomson
Social distancing requirements have resulted in the cancellation or reformatting of most community Easter activities in Albany this year, including church services, gathering of extended family and friends, and Easter egg hunts.
By Melinda L. Lucas
Shackelford County commissioners met in two separate special sessions on Thursday, April 2, first extending the county judge’s week-long disaster declaration and then later in the day reluctantly agreeing to pay an almost $20,000 “migration” plan from Sam Goldsmith of Goldsmith Solutions.
They also approved a master service agreement with the county’s new IT vendor, Computer Transition Services Inc. (CTSI).
Disaster Extension
By Kathy Thomson
The Albany community garden plot has been tilled and is ready for planting, according to organizer Ramby Anderson.
“The soil looks good,” he said. “We’ve planted tomatoes, peppers, squash, and onions. We’re also putting in a few more flowers this year than we have in the past.”
Anderson planned to add okra this week.
Some of the garden area has already been allotted, but interested parties should contact Anderson to see if there is still space available.
Gracie Rogers carefully considers the next color for her Easter artwork at First Love Day Care. Despite huge changes in the world around them, children at local childcare facilities are getting ready for the upcoming holiday in many of the same ways they always do, even though Sunday itself may be spent a little differently.
By Lynsi Musselman
Summer in Albany is the sound of the calliope, locals dressed in prairie costumes, and the excitement of seeing the first flag parade of the Fandangle season.
The cancelling of the Fandangle Sampler, due to government restrictions of large gatherings, has raised concerns for the summer 2020 production.
By Lynsi Musselman
Residents are getting creative with their facial protective gear amidst the COVID-19 break out.
With the President’s order in place for residents to wear mask in public settings and reports from the Food and Drug Administration that a shortage of surgical mask will continue, homemade substitutes are on the rise.
